COMMENTS ON 22 APRIL NRO DRAFT MEMORANDUM FOR CHAIRMAN, COMIREX - - IMAGERY RECONNAISSANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B01709A000600040025-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 24, 2004
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: April 25, 1969
• Content Type: MF

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SUBJECT . Comments on 22 April NRO Draft Memorandum for
Chairman, COMIREX -- Imagery Reconnaissance
Requirements
1. The main question posed for us by the NRO draft memorandum
is whether we (and the COMIREX) wish to propose that USIB revise its
KH-4 "requirements" as presently expressed. A decision not to revise
the "requirement" was implied by the action in February 1969 which
simply removed the controversial five per cent limit on allocation of
film for "current intelligence purposes." The "requirement" recom-
mended by COMIREX and approved by USIB in 1966 was ill-advised in
the first instance. It was illogical in concept, oversimplified in
content, and invalid as a statement of guidance usefully conveying
the community's needs and objectives for KH-4 coverage. It is unclear,
however, whether the actual performance of the KH-4 was affected in
any substantial way. Nevertheless, it has been apparent since 1966
that the KH-4 "requirement" was ineffective as a representation of
community objectives and as guidance for the operation. And the advent
of CTP has no bearing on these basic deficiencies. The choice now is
whether we ask USIB to correct the error of 1966 or whether we continue
to suffer along as we have for the past three years and make our first
move with a good statement of guidance applicable to the KH-4
I-- J
2. The NRO proposition only perpetuates the misconception and
misinterpretations of the 1966 requirement. If we are to make any
real progress in improving our guidance for the KH-4 we must renounce
the old "requirements" approaches and develop a paper possibly along the
lines of the draft paper now under study. Tinkering with the words in
the NRO draft will Likely be unproductive--because they derive from
misunderstanding of what our objectives are. If we must have a paper
from NRO on this subject some proposed changes are noted on the
attachment.
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NRO review(s) completed.
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