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National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) (United States)

History:    In mid-1946 the Douglass Aircraft Corporation examined the possibility of using its deployed satellites for military applications. This Research and Development program, coupled with widespread discussion revolving around the applicability of civilian satellite systems for military use would lead the Air Force to issue General Operational Requirement No. 80, establishing the use of satellites for reconnaissance purposes. Over the next five years, the Air Force's efforts evolved from the Advanced Reconnaissance System (ARS), then SENTRY and finally the SAMOS system. In 1958 management of SAMOS transferred responsibilities from the Air Force to the Advanced Research Projects Agency and then back to the Air Force the following year. In an Joint Air Force and CIA program for satellite imagery intelligence (IMINT) collection, approved by President Eisenhower was set into motion. The shooting down of Francis Gary Powers's U-2 ON May 1, 1960 pressed forward the necessity of satellites to obtain IMINT. Several months later, on August 31, the Secretary of the Air Force, Dudley Sharp, signed Air Force Order 115.1, establishing the office of Missile and Satellite Systems within his own office. In so doing, Sharp took charge of the management for the SAMOS project. On September 6, 1961, recognizing the success of the Joint CIA-Air Force relationship, Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) Charles Pearre Campbell and Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric established a permanent interagency body, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Its mere existence would be deemed classified for the next 31 years.

Mission:      The NRO has three functions:

  1. Overseeing and funding Research and Development for Reconnaissance
  2. Operating spacecraft after they reach orbit
  3. Disseminating collected data
These responsibilities place the NRO both in an important position for the collection and dissemination of satellite related TECHINT and in significant competition with participating organizations (like NSA) as to which agency is to hold chief responsibility and control over the intelligence collected.

Structure:    Prior to 1992, instead of maintain its own staff, the NRO acted as an umbrella organization for the relevant operations within the CIA and Air Force. But now, it is holds its own staff, drawn from other agencies on assignment. It is led by a director (DNRO) and a series of Deputy Directors. The Deputy Directof for Military Support (a position created in 1990) works to facilitate dissemination of intelligence to support ongoing military operations. The Deputy Director for National Support (created in 1996) works to facilitate the dissemination of intelligence to support all other government operations. With the removal of offices specific to the participating agencies, the NRO gained three directorates:
  1. IMINT Systems Acquisition and Operations
  2. SIGINT Systems Acquisition and Operations
  3. Communications Systems Acquisition and Operations
  4. Advanced Systems and Technology (Created in 1997)
In addition to the directorates, the NRO also maintains a number of offices:
  • Resource, oversight, and management a. Budgetary oversight to ensure efficiency
  • Operational Support Office a. Orchestrates and delivers support to all NRO approved consumers
  • Technical Director a. Management services and operations point of contact
  • Office of Space Launch a. Manages vehicle procurement and space vehicle launch operations
  • Office of Plans and Analysis a. Strategic planning; producer of independent review of architectural TECHINT capabilities, and fiscal elements of operations directorate
  • Counterintelligence Staff a. Ensure Security of NRO operatives from foreign intrusion
  • Director of Security a. Secure NRO premises and personnel