The NRO is the
most super-secret intelligence agency; it maintains America’s spy satellite
fleet- its very existence was classified and hid from the public until 1992,
when the DCI recommended its presence be declassified.
The NRO stands for the “National Reconnaissance
Office”, a U.S. Government intelligence agency in charge of designing,
building, launching, and maintaining America's spy satellites. It is not part
of the CIA and is integrated into the Department of Defense (DOD) agency- but
it is staffed by both DOD and CIA personnel. It is funded through the National
Reconnaissance Program, part of the National Foreign Intelligence Program.
The NRO work for the Secretary of Defense
and the Director of the NRO reports to both the Director of National
Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense. You probably guessed by now that it
is a hybrid organization consisting of some 3,000 personnel including NRO
cadre, Air Force, Army, CIA, NGA, NSA, Navy and US Space Force personnel! No
surprise that it is funded out of both the U.S. intelligence budget and the military
budget to the tune of roughly $ 6.7 billion annually.
Its amalgam nature symbolizes its importance
to America’s national security; it is committed to protecting the security of the U.S.,
its citizens, and its allies through unparalleled capabilities in space-based
intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance. NRO spy satellites capture signals and images that are critical
to keeping us out of harm’s way. Not only do they reveal threats to the
homeland, but they also provide battlefield awareness, support
counternarcotics, survey the damage from natural disasters, and much more.
The reason the NRO was created further
shows its importance. It was formed during the height of the Cold War when the Soviet Union launched
the Sputnik satellite. The POTUS immediately created a super-secret, classified
organization on September 6, 1961that would oversee “all satellite and
overflight reconnaissance projects whether overt or covert”. The NRO remained a
secret until 1992.
In the MISSION
OF VENGEANCE spy thriller, the CIA relies heavily on NRO spy satellites
to help it execute its missions. Here’s a short Snippet:
Snippet: “We’re operating at Obscure Transgression. The
OT team is officially activated although I already called in team eleven and
they’re here now. The Dirty Tricks Division is sailing from Abaco, Bahamas as
we speak, and Morrison is repositioning the stealth satellites to fly over
Bocharov’s estate. In fact, the IMINT satellite is snapping pictures right now.”
End of Snippet
Lastly, enjoy this video- WE ARE THE NRO.
Robert Morton
is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and
enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster
series. Check out his latest spy thriller: MISSION
OF VENGEANCE.
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