I' • t I • 'If _1 _• - · - -- '· • ' - • •• r 2sx· · Copy t - 8 SEP 1977 Honorable George H Mahon Chairman Committee on Appropriations House of Representatives Washington D C 20515 Dear Mr Chairman In January of this year the DCI then George Bush sent to you the ·interagency SIGINT agreement signed by the · Director NSA and the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence· and approved by the Committee on Foreign Intelligence This agreement provided a new policy framework for the closer integration and coordination of the CIA SIGINT Program with the National SIGINT Program planned and managed by the Director NSA The January agreement called for completion of a detailed implementation plan by September of this year In accordance with the schedule established by Director Bush and reaffirmed in my testimony before your Appropriations Subcommittee on he 1978 budget this implementation plan has now been completed and submitted to me by the Director NSA and Acting Deputy Director of CIA I have approved this plan and directed its immediate implementation In accordance with the direction contained in the PY-77 and PY-78 confeTence committee reports please find attached this Consolidation Plan for CIA NSA SIGINT program • As you will note the Consolidation Plan provides greatly improved mechanisms for insuring an effective and efficient National SIGINT plan without unproductive program overlap or needless redundancy Further the plan provides for operati'ona l tasking of CIA SIGINT activities by the Director NSA and requires reporting of collected product in accordance with his direction thereby achieving a more responsive and cohesive SIGINT operation At the same time the Consolidation Plan creates a environment which encourages the ingenuity and the development of new initiatives so important in this large and extremely valuable element of the National Intelligence Program Specifically the Plan 25X1 1 Provides for detailed and timely program coordination between NSA and CIA during the annual program planning and budget formulation phase · 25X1 Approved For Release 200 il 0 3 2 - 0 1 t5A002000100022-8 - ' ULJIR j '-1 LSi Approved For Release 2004 03 26 CIA-RDP80M00165A002000100022-8 ' 2 Gives the Director NSA revie and approval autho'rity of the ClA SIGINT Pr gram · · 3 Establishes· the Director NSA as the· · operational taski g authority for CIA SIGINT ssets 25X1 I know you share my view that the National SI_GINT Program is a vital element of this country's intelligence effort It is also large in scope and costly Since assuming my present responsibilities last March I have been impressed that although the CIA SIGINT Program is a relatively small fraction- both in terms of dollars and people of the total National SIGINT Prag ram CIA has unique operational flexibility provided by law and an impressive assembly of talent and clandestine ope ational experience These two factors together with the broad base of foreign operations enable CIA to make a valuable and singular contribution to our SIGINT effort and to my overall intelligence mission I tTust you will agTee that the attached Consolidation Plan meets our mutual objective of providing an efficient responsive coordinated and productive National SIGINT activity while at the same time pTeserving the unique CIA capabilities t-• Please be assured that I will follow the implementation of this plan very closely As experience indicates I will be directing· adjustments to this plan toward the end of achieving further efficiencies and operational improvements At your convenience I would be glad to meet with you personally or with your subcommittee to further inform you on the results of 5X1 Page 2 Approved For Release 2 04 -M00165A0020001 0022 2sx· • •• 11 7 U Slo l · Approved For etease 2004 03 26 CIA-RDPBOM001M02000100022-8 - t this lengthy joint NSA CIA study and to elaborate on the rationale behind the final Consolidation Plan In any case I will be prepared to give you a status report during the FY- 79 program and budget hearings Yours sincerely s Stansfield e r STANSFIELD TURNER Enclosure I Page I• 5X1 I 1hiir I 3 Approved For Relea 2004 03 26 CIA-RDPB0M00165A002000100022-8·