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The
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) provides our nation its
eyes and ears in space. The NRO was established in 1960 to
develop the nation’s revolutionary satellite reconnaissance
systems. The NRO ensures that the technology and spaceborne
assets needed to acquire timely intelligence worldwide are
always available to national policymakers and military
warfighters. |
Intelligence is
the exclusive business of the Office, and as such, NRO in its
entirety is considered to be a member of the IC.
NRO’s
Contribution to Intelligence
The NRO’s mission is to enable
US global information superiority, during peace through war. The NRO
is responsible for the unique and innovative technology, large-scale
systems, engineering, development and acquisition, and operation of
space reconnaissance systems and related intelligence activities
needed to support global information superiority.
The Global
Challenge
The mission of the NRO has become even more
essential now than perhaps any time in recent history. Our nation is
engaged in multiple alliances while simultaneously addressing major
changes in traditional threats. New emerging dimensions in our
national security strategies include energy, the environment, and
economic competition.
The
international geopolitical situation seems to shift daily and
results in truly global requirements for reconnaissance to support
national policy and military operations. Advances in weaponry,
space, communications and information technology make possible near
real-time information support for warfighters, arms proliferation
issues and counterterrorism efforts.
NRO spacecraft
have strengthened and helped maintain national security. They have:
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Dispelled the
myth of a U.S.-Soviet "missile gap" during the Cold War.
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Tracked arms
shipments around the world.
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Provided
intelligence support on Iraqi military deployments.
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Provided
intelligence support to U.S. operations in Bosnia.
Today, our
national and military leaders rely on data from NRO satellites to
provide warning of potential military aggression, monitor weapons of
mass destruction programs, track terrorists, enforce arms control
and environmental treaties, and assess the impact of natural and
manmade disasters. Satellites provide an objective, reliable, and
responsive source of information on a wide range of subjects.
Structure
The NRO is a separate operating agency of the Department of
Defense, managed jointly by the Secretary of Defense and the
Director of National Intelligence. The Director of National
Intelligence establishes the NRO’s collection priorities and
requirements.
Six
Congressional Committees oversee NRO programs and activities: House
Permanent and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence, House and
Senate Appropriations Committees, House National Security Committee
and Senate Armed Services Committee.
Mission
Partners
The NRO has enduring relationships with
organizations in the defense, intelligence and space communities
that are characterized as the partnerships necessary to assist in
accomplishing closely related missions.
NRO mission
partners are the National Security Agency, the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, the
Defense Intelligence Agency, the Central MASINT Office, and the
United States Space Command.
Customers
Intelligence gathered by NRO satellites serves customers
worldwide, from combat units deployed in the field to policymakers
in Washington. These customers use NRO's collective products and
services to accomplish their missions. NRO customers include mission
partners and organizations that use NRO data to develop the products
which fulfill their unique mission requirements. Examples are the
National Command Authority, the Armed Forces, the Department of
State, and the Department of Justice.
The existence of
the NRO was declassified by the Deputy Secretary of Defense, as
recommended by the Director of Central Intelligence on 18 September
1992. The Director, NRO (DNRO), while protecting sources and
methods, downgrades the classification of products as required to
provide all NRO customers with the critical intelligence they need
to accomplish their missions. The DNRO has also established a
declassification program designed to identify and release as much
information as possible without harming national security interests.
Cutting Edge
Technology
The 21st century will be the "century
of space" where satellite systems are an increasing element of our
national power. Other nations have nuclear weapons, but no other
nation has anything close to our ability to see, hear, and detect
activities around the globe. To maintain this advantage, the NRO
develops and deploys new technologies to open opportunities for
achieving revolutionary improvements in our capabilities.
In 1996, the
Director of the NRO convened an independent body of experts from the
defense, intelligence and corporate sectors. This panel recommended
that the NRO move from an "evolutionary" to a "revolutionary"
approach in its research and development (R&D) to solve complex
issues facing our nation in the 21st century. Embracing
this approach, the NRO adopted a goal of devoting 10 percent of its
budget to R&D. Consistent with this investment, the NRO
established the Advanced Systems and Technology Directorate to
accelerate the process of identifying promising technologies and to
push revolutionary concepts from the developmental stage into flight
demonstration.
Two NRO programs
which pushed the technology envelope were the Geosynchronous
Lightweight Technology Experiment (GeoLITE) and the Space Technology
Experiment (STEX). GeoLITE explored advanced satellite
communications methods and STEX demonstrated multiple leading-edge
spacecraft technologies. The NRO also has technology sharing
programs with the Department of Defense and NASA.
During the last
three decades the NRO developed technologies that significantly
advanced the civil and military space programs and had commercial
benefits as well. Some of the areas in which the NRO has had
significant impact include:
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Visual display
technology for High Definition Television (HDTV)
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Optical
instruments for personal camcorders.
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Advanced
integrated circuit chips and micro devices for personal computers.
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Communications
technology for the Internet.
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Imagery
exploitation technology for medical screening.
The NRO
continues to push future systems well beyond the state-of-the-art
and to develop unique advanced technologies that will help assure
U.S. global information superiority, and continue to provide future
commercial and consumer benefits. |
