Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXV, Organization of Foreign Policy; Information Policy; United Nations; Scientific Matters

111. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence McCone to the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Carter)¹

Washington, October 21, 1963.

1. The National Security Act charges the Central Intelligence Agency with the responsibility to correlate and evaluate intelligence relating to national security and to provide appropriate dissemination of such intelligence within the Government, using where appropriate existing agencies and facilities. The law further provides that departments and other agencies of government shall continue to correlate and disseminate departmental intelligence. Under existing Priority National Intelligence Objectives intelligence relating to threat of attack on the United States is considered the highest priority.

2. Hence, the proper handling of intelligence relating to Soviet missile and space firings is of the utmost importance. The analysis of all raw intelligence of Soviet activities and operations gathered from all sources and the reporting and dissemination of these analyses in a timely and comprehensive manner is a responsibility of the Central Intelligence Agency. It is my observation that CIA through its Office of Scientific Intelligence, and USIB through the Guided Missiles and Astronautics Intelligence Committee are not satisfactorily organized for this task, despite the fact that the efforts of both organizations have produced a very considerable number of very valuable analyses and reports on Soviet missile and space activities through the years.

3. This memorandum therefore will confirm my previous instructions to you to create, within the resources of the Central Intelligence Agency an organization for the complete analysis of all data on Soviet missile and space firings. This organization should be established as a unit within the DD/S&T which in my opinion has the advanced technical capability required as a focal point for this effort. Naturally this Foreign Missile and Space Analysis Center would not only be satisfactorily equipped with specialists of appropriate background and training, but will likewise utilize the best of our national capabilities, both private and governmental, in accomplishing the sophisticated technical analyses required to exploit on a timely basis the extensive collection activities now in being under the direction of various Services and agencies, most of which are being augmented.

4. The group you will establish within the DD/S&T under this directive should bring together all of the technical intelligence data for joint analysis, should work in close coordination with GMAIC and report its results to the USIB through GMAIC.

5. Likewise this analytical group should work closely with the agencies who now collect raw intelligence data and process and analyze their data independently.

6. It is assumed that the analytical group established under this directive through its study of all collection resources and the raw intelligence produced by them will develop judgments as to how our resources might be improved or more effectively directed. When and if such views are developed, I would appreciate them being brought to the attention of USIB immediately so that appropriate instructions can be issued for the implementation of such recommendations.

John A. McCone²

1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI (McCone) Files, Job 80–B01285A, DCI Memoranda, 3/1/62–4/30/65. Top Secret.
2. Printed from a copy that indicates McCone signed the original.