No Objection To Declassifica_til in Full 013 1__1 15_ NLC-12-6-7-8-7_____ _ -it _ _ ··- • l IE f O RAND C l THE HlTE HO CSE Outside the System V - SHl GTO TOP SECRET SENSITIVE August 22 1978 MEMORANDUM FOR ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI FROM WILLIAM E ODOM SUBJECT Key Points from-Your SAC NORAD Trip You asked for a short summary of key points you might use in a report to the President I suggest the following 1 Our strategic forces are well organized and designed for a single large retaliatory attack but for any lesser variant or for a war lasting weeks and months they are in poor condition to respond Not only is the planning for lesser attacks and longer periods of conflict rudimentary at best LNOs but the command and control system has neither the flexibility nor the durability to cope 3 Our c r vul 3erabili ty is extremely serious A _small Soviet attack on our CI could make it virtually impossible for the surviving or successor NCA to retaliate for days and weeks perhaps months This may be a more serious problem for crisis stability than our land-based ICBM vulnerabilitx Geographic asymmetries and Soviet growing SSBN capabilities add to this vulnerability each year 2 3 Our infrared satellite warning system DSP has occasional blind spots as well as growing requirements which it cannot meet without added capabilities -- additional satellites The downlink and ground communications for NORAD are also highly vulnerable to attack J Is the lack of a Minute Man silo reload capability an issue which needs more emphasis in SALT in light of the Soviet silo reload potential You pressed this point with General Jones 4 5 You mentioned two things we might do here to explore the rigidities of our strategic posture and our planning flexibility First IVORY ITEM drills could be based on limited nuclear scenarios perhaps taken from Soviet exercise data Second the President may review political implications of present LNOs 6 The Air Force is doing impressive tactical fighter training in Nevada which is being shared with a number of foreign countries You mentioned the need to involve Korea TOP SECRET SENSITIVE No Objection To Declassification in Full 2013 11 15 NLC-12-6-7-8-7