INDEPENDENT PANEL TO INVESTIGATE DDI RESEARCH ON COSTING OF SOVIET DEFENSE PROGRAMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040121-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 21, 2007
• Sequence Number: 121
• Publication Date: October 5, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/02/21 : CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040121-1
SECRET
5 October 1982
DDI #7619-82/1
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
THROUGH Executive Director
FROM Deputy Director for Intelligence
SUBJECT Independent Panel to Investigate DDI Research on Costing
of Soviet Defense Programs (S)
1. As- I have discussed with you, I have asked -
Chairman of the DCI Military Economic Advisory Panel -- to form a
panel to take a detailed look at our highly controversial effort on
costing Soviet defense programs. The effort has steadily decreasing
credibility and I view this as an opportunity to get the recommendations
of some knowledgeable outsiders with respect to changing the effort to
make it better and more defensible; to changing the way we convey
conclusions to make them less susceptible to distortion by consumers;
or to discontinuing the effort because the information gaps are such
that no matter now good the methodology the results will be unreliable. (S)
2. It is. L-Jintention to recruit 2-3 members of the present
MEAP who are intimately familiar with Soviet economics and our defense
costing effort and therefore will need not start from scratch in terms
of understanding intelligence sources, v n clearances and so forth.
He will ask 2-3 others as-well. It is objective to complete
this-project within ix months. Before proceeding with this
I want you to review proposal, with my changes, so that you
fully understand what a is about to undertake. (S)
3. II proposal reflects his concern that the report might be 25x1
misused or changed in some way which would make the effort of the panel
for naught. I have told him on the telephone that his approach for
independent control of the report was out of the question but that he
need not worry about the report being simply buried. I assured him that
my mind is completely open and that we genuinely are looking for specific
recommendations from the Panel on what to do about a problem we cannot
ignore. He has- agreed with most of the changes that I have made in his
work proposal, including eliminating-the review committee and insuring
that CIA and the DCI have final control over any dissemination of the
report. (S)
SECRET CL BY Signer
DECL OADR
Approved For Release 2007/02/21 : CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040121-1?t
 Approved For Release 2007/0:?'Rd IA-RDP83MOO914R000700040121-1
5 October 1982
DDI #7619-82/1
SUBJECT: Independent Panel to Investigate DDI Research on Costing
of Soviet Defense Programs (S)
4. If I Iaccepts all of these changes, as I believe he will,
I believe it is a workable undertaking -- as does
I believe will give us as honest and thorough an appraisal as
we could have. Because the report will be provided to you (through
me), I believe it appropriate for you to decide whether to proceed
under the conditions outlined in the revised attached work proposal.
I recommend that you approve plan as I have amended it. (S)
5. My proposed response tol
also is attached. (U)
25X1
25X1
25X1
Attachments:
As Stated
Rob M. Gates
SECRET
roved For Release 2007/02/21 : CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040121-1
 Approved For Release 2007/02,q~RlA-R DP83M00914R000700040121-1
5 October 1982
DDI #7619-82/1
SUBJECT: Independent Panel to Investigate DDI Research on Costing
of Soviet Defense Programs (S)
DISTRIBUTION:
0 - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - ExDir
1 - ER
1 - DDI Registry
1 - DDI Chrono
DDI/RMGates
SECRET
Approved For Release 2007/02/21 : CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040121-1
 Approved For Release 2007/02/21 : CIA-RDP83M00914R000700040121-1
Chairman, Military Economic Advisory Panel
Attached is your work proposal with the changes I noted on the
telephone to you a week or so ago. If this revised version is
acceptable to you, I suggest you begin work as soon as you can. As
agreed, your staff support will be provided by the MEAP secretariat
in the Office of Soviet Analysis.
In line with our conversation, you may assure the participants
in your effort that the DCI and I genuinely are open in terms of
any and all recommendations- the panel may stake concerning our defense
costing effort. What we want from the Committee is a thorough investigation
of what we do now, the criticism of our effort by outsiders regardless of
the. nature. of those criticisms, whether there are improvements that can be
made in either the information or methodologies we use, and specific
concrete recommendations on what we should do.
The report should go through me to the DCI. You may rest assured
that the independence and objectivity of the panel is in our view essential
to the completion of its work -- but given the nature of the problem and
of the arrangements, the report must be classified and under the control
of the DCI.
Let me know- if there is anything I can do to help along the way.
I. look forward to seeing the report.