ic- THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WASHINGTONJLC 203m 2 2 Jun 1979 _ Poucv a In reply refer to MEMORANDUM FOR DEPUTY TO THE DCI FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SUBJECT 18 Staff Study on Intelligence Support to Strategic Forces I have reviewed your recent study on Intelligence Support to Strategic Forces and would like to point out my general problem with the report I My basic concern is with the assumption that threads its way through the paper that our current nuclear employment policy is basically compatible with the intelligence support that backs it up This is Kb simply not true To a large measure our employment-policy is a reflection 0f the Quality of intelligence and the inadequacies in the latter tend to be reflected in targeting plans themselves It i _true as you assert that our current employment policy can be characterized by pro-planned attacks on fixed targets It is a gross oversimplification however to conclude on the basis of this that the SIOP is static and that so long as it remains so only marginal improvements in intelligence support are required The SLUP is in fact quite dynamic even now it provides among other things for reals time replanning procedures which the NCA could implement prior to during or in the aftermath of a nuclear exchange 25X5 E O 13526 I These intelligence capabilities and resources are grossly inadequate at present and are generally recognized as such As noted in your study our nuclear employment policy and the intelligence requirements for the secure Reserve Force are currently under NSC consideration We expect certain modifications to our policy as a consequence and this is likely to generate additional intelligence requirements I will keep you abreast of these developments but in the meantime members of my staff would be pleased to discuss your study in greater detail - same Daniel J Murphy Admiral USN Ret Deputy - CLASSIFIED BY ousolpe CY 3 W5 Q s DECLASSIFY Distribution Orig to Addee amhls g eesj -Xerox cy DUS PR Chron NTPR Chron Prepared by