NSAM 370: Nuclear Weapons Deployment Authorization for FY 1969 and FY 1970

[National Security Action Memoranda (NSAMs)]

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
June 11, 1968
NATIONAL SECURITY ACTION MEMORANDUM NO. 370
MEMORANDUM TO
The Secretary of State
The Secretary of Defense
The Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission
SUBJECT:
Nuclear Weapons Deployment Authorization for FY 1969 and FY 1970
The President has noted the proposed Nuclear Weapons Deployment Ceiling Plan for FY 1969, along with projected deployment ceilings for FY 1970, contained in the Department of Defense memorandum dated March 19, 1968. The President understands that the number of weapons shown reflect end-year ceilings with specific contingencies treated on a separate basis. The President also understands that actual deployments against these ceilings will be controlled by the Secretary of Defense, and he wishes to be advised as a matter of information of any significant changes in contemplated actual overseas deployments within these ceilings. In addition, the President will consider FY 1970 in next year's plan, which will deal with both FY 1970 and FY 1971. The President continues to be interested in Pacific Theatre requirements and will expect additional consideration of such requirements to be reflected in the next plan. The President has authorized the Department of Defense in FY 1969 to:
1. Deploy nuclear weapons to areas outside the United States as indicated in Appendices A and B, hereto, with the provisos that: (a) the FY 1969 end-year total authorized in each separate country/command area within each region (Appendix A) or the total by category of weapons within each region (Appendix B) may be exceeded by [number not declassified] in the event of unforeseen contingencies; however, the ceiling of [number not declassified] weapons in NATO Europe may not be exceeded; (b) the grand total of weapons outside the United States (areas under foreign sovereignty and areas under full U.S. control other than the U.S.) shall not exceed [number not declassified] weapons at end FY 1969; and (c) weapons to be deployed under the specific contingencies cited in Appendix C may be deployed under the noted conditions as additive to (a) and (b).
2. All weapons deployed to NATO Europe must have permissive action link devices installed. In addition, the President has noted that permissive action devices will be installed as soon as possible on weapons now at forward deployment sites [1-1/2 lines of source text not declassified] and further, that as a second priority, permissive action devices will be installed prior to deployment on weapons to be deployed to forward resupply positions at [less than 1 line of source text not declassified].
3. Support non-U.S. forces in accordance with the units and numbers of warheads indicated in Appendix D hereto and the provisions below. The provisions of NSAM 197 continue to apply; however, the procedure of case-by-case requests for authority to provide additional support of non-U.S. units pursuant to NSAM 143 is hereby amended. Future requests for changes in support of non-U.S. forces will be reflected in the annual Nuclear Weapons Deployment Ceiling Plan and separate case-by-case requests will be submitted only to meet requirements which are not identified in annual deployment plans. The support authorized in Appendix D is subject to the following conditions:
(a) The Department of Defense memorandum requests authority to disperse weapons in support of non-U.S. NATO 155mm Howitzer units should this action prove desirable as a result of pertinent studies now underway. Prior to making firm commitments to NATO allies for specific support of 155mm Howitzer units, the Department of Defense should submit the proposed action for Presidential approval together with a current evaluation of the utility of such support.
(b) The yield restrictions of NSAM 143, as amended by NSAM 199, apply.
(c) The Programs of Cooperation remain essentially the same as those pertaining when each NSAM 197 action was approved.
(d) Custodial arrangements will be completed and units and facilities will be operational, to include U.S. unilateral communications to the U.S. custodial detachment, prior to deployment in support of non-U.S. units.
(e) Weapons may be deployed in support of U.S. forces pending compliance with (d) above.
The yield provisions of NSAM 199 are hereby amended to exempt the Mk 61 in support of U.S. forces from the [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] limitation on land-based alert strike aircraft on station in NATO.
The next deployment ceiling plan should be submitted in mid-November 1968 in conjunction with the stockpile approval request.
W.W. Rostow
[appendices not declassified]

Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 330 72 A 1499, 471.6 1968 Jan-June. Top Secret.