[Presidential Decision Directives - PDD]

Nonproliferation Science and Technology Strategy
Presidential Decision Directive PDD/NSC-27
August 1994

In August 1994, following a comprehensive interagency working group review initiated by PRD/NSC-45[??] Coordinating Arms Control and Nonproliferation R&D [25 May 1994], by Presidential Decision Directive PDD/NSC-27 the President established the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technology Working Group (NPAC TWG), designating the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, Department of Energy, and Department of Defense as co-chairs, with ACDA also serving as Executive Secretary. The NPAC TWG was established as the mechanism to facilitate coordination of arms control and nonproliferation R&D as well as helping to guard against redundant arms control and nonproliferation related R&D and technology programs within and among departments and agencies. The NPAC TWG reports equally to relevant National Security Council policy interagency working groups and to the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) through the Committee for National Security. Its classified reports--the annual NPAC TWG summary, the report of the Technology Needs Subcommittee, and the focus group reports--represent the best source of detailed interagency budget crosscuts in nonproliferation and arms control R&D. These crosscuts allow OSTP to effectively assess and articulate how the total program meets the President's goals in this area.

. The NPAC TWG systematically inventories programs, coordinates among departments and agencies, identifies gaps and overlaps, highlights areas in need of high-level attention, and makes recommendations for maximizing the effectiveness of the total program. The analytical work of the NPAC TWG is carried out by thirteen Focus Groups and one Subcommittee. Each Focus Group reviews R&D issues with members of the NPAC TWG and other members of the nonproliferation and arms control community. Emphasis is placed on technology needs driving R&D and current R&D programs now underway for nonproliferation and arms control. Over 25 departments and agencies, and more than 80 organizations have contributed in the proceedings of the NPAC TWG. The NPAC TWG also invites participation by other agencies and organizations which may have equities appertaining to R&D in support of arms control and nonproliferations initiatives.

PDD/NSC 27 has been unreliably reported to be Foreign Access To Remote Sensing Space Capabilities, which was in fact PDD/NSC-23 or Controlling Encryption Exports to Safeguard National Security, which almost certainly represents what was actually PRD/NSC-27 - Advanced Telecommunications and Encryption [16 April 1993].

The text of PDD/NSC-27 has not been released, and there is no White House factsheet summarizing its contents. The following Charter material from the NPAC TWG Homepage probably represents the substance of the Directive.

NPAC Technology Working Group Charter

The Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technology Working Group (NPAC TWG) is established at the direction of the President.

The NPAC TWG is the mechanism for the coordination of arms control and nonproliferation research and development (R&D). The NPAC TWG serves as an integral part of the interagency process and will report to the relevant National Security Council (NSC) policy IWGs and the Council on National Security (CNS) within the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) structure.

Purpose

The purpose of the NPAC TWG is to ensure effective coordination of R&D in the areas of arms control and nonproliferation as well as guarding against redundant arms control and nonproliferation related R&D and technology programs within and among departments and agencies.

Functions

Reporting equally to the chairperson of the relevant NSC policy IWGs and the CNS within the NSTC structure, the NPAC TWG will:

Structure

The President has designated the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DOD) as the co-chairing agencies for the NPAC TWG. These agencies will appoint their co-chair representatives at the R&D Program Manager level or above. In addition to its role as Co-chair, ACDA will also serve as the Executive Secretary for the NPAC TWG. Additional staff and assistance, consistent with the terms of the charter, are the responsibility of the Co-chair s.

The Co-chairs will convene no fewer than four meetings of the NPAC TWG per year. The agenda for these meetings will be coordinated among the Co-chairs, and responsibility for chairing these meetings will rotate among the Co-chairs. Represented departments of agencies, the CNS or relevant NSC IWGs may request additional meetings of the NPAC TWG through the Co-chairs. Minutes of meetings will be prepared by the ACDA, in its capacity as the NPAC TWG Executive Secretary, and approved by the Co-chairs prior to distribution. Minutes of meetings will be distributed to all NPAC TWG members and the Chairperson of the CNS and appropriate NSC IWGs.

The NPAC TWG Co-chairs, consistent with TWG recommendations will recommend action on major activities to the Chairperson of the CNS and appropriate NSC IWGs.

The following departments and agencies are represented on the NPAC TWG, at the R&D Program Manager level or above:

Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
Department of Commerce
Department of Defense
Department of Energy
Department of Justice
Department of State
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Department of the Interior
Joint Chiefs of Staff
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Security Agency
U.S. Customs Service

In addition, the following also shall be represented on the NPAC TWG, at the R&D Program Manager level or above:

Arms Control Intelligence Staff
Central Imagery Office
Community Management Staff
Central MASINT Office/Technology Coordination Office
Committee on National Security
Office of Management and Budget
Office of Science and Technology Policy
National Reconnaissance Office
National Science and Technology Council
National Security Council
Nonproliferation Center
United States Geological Survey

The NPAC TWG may establish such Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups as necessary to carry out its functions. The NPAC TWG Co-chairs will appoint the chairs and vice-chairs of all Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups. Chairs of NPAC TWG Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups will arrange assistance from their own agencies or from other agencies represented on the Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups.

Other departments, agencies or organizations may be added to the NPAC TWG on either a permanent or ad hoc basis depending on the issues to be addressed. The membership of the Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups is not restricted to NPAC TWG members.

Focus Group Terms of Reference

The Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technology Working Group (NPAC TWG) has been established by the President of the United States to be the mechanism to ensure effective coordination of arms control and nonproliferation-related research and development (R&D) as well as guarding against redundancy in these R&D and technology programs within and among departments and agencies.

As part of its functions the NPAC TWG has been tasked to:

In accomplishing the foregoing functions, the NPAC TWG may establish Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups in such functional or topical R&D areas as necessary to conduct in depth analyses. The NPAC TWG Co-chairs will define a general statement of objectives for each Subcommittee, Working Group or Focus Group, and will appoint the group chairs and vice-chairs ensuring representation from other agencies and organizations to adequately address the specific area of focus. Chairs of NPAC TWG Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups will arrange assistance from within their own agencies and from other agencies represented on the Subcommittees, Working Groups and Focus Groups. As part of their responsibilities each group will conduct an in-depth analysis of their respective focus area providing the NPAC TWG with a summary report which will include, as appropriate:

The following text, taken from the 1997 ACDA Annual Report, provides some additional insight into the actual content of PDD/NSC-27.

ACDA co-chairs, along with the Departments of Energy and Defense, the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technology Working Group (NPAC TWG), and serves as the NPAC TWG Executive Secretary. The NPAC TWG was created by Presidential Decision Directive (PDD-27) to enhance the United States effort to pursue a robust and focused science and technology strategy that applies technical knowledge to the development of effective arms restraints, continually improves detection, monitoring and verification capabilities, and uses science and technology cooperation across the government to advance U.S. arms reduction and nonproliferation goals.

Through the active participation of over 30 government organizations, the NPAC TWG ensures effective coordination of R&D in the areas of arms control and nonproliferation, guards against redundant programs, and identifies technological gaps and proposals to address them, thus contributing to effective stewardship of national science and technology resources.

Now in its fourth year of operation, the NPAC TWG coordinates over 500 technology R&D programs that contribute or are directly related to nonproliferation and arms control, representing an approximately $2.7 billion annual investment.

Reporting equally to the relevant NSC policy IWGs and the National Science and Technology Council's Committee on National Security (CNS), the NPAC TWG is chartered to:

The NPAC TWG pursues its mandate through the efforts of 13 focus groups organized by technology, functional, or treaty area, and one subcommittee that identifies and coordinates current and future NPAC technology needs. These groups draw on the regular and frequent participation of over 100 government R&D program managers. The number and missions of the focus groups remains flexible. The current focus groups include:

NPAC TWG focus group members have the opportunity, and even the obligation to look beyond their individual agency and programmatic missions. Identifying gaps and unnecessary overlaps, aligning programs to best complement each other, and entering into collaborative projects are essential actions for agencies to use their limited R&D resources to greatest advantage.

The Technology Needs Subcommittee (TNS) promotes information flow among the policy, user, and developer communities, thus adding cohesiveness to how we use technology to respond to arms control and nonproliferation challenges. Internally, the TNS scans across focus group "stovepipes" to identify common technology issues where programmatic enhancements could achieve cross-discipline or multi-agency advantages.

Through its coordination efforts the NPAC TWG strives to assure agencies, Congress, and ultimately the American public that we are getting the most out of our investment. The NPAC TWG also provides meaningful technology and budget crosscuts for policy and acquisition decision makers, and continually extends its reach through the federal R&D community and to the public in general. Examples of NPAC TWG impacts include:

Since its inception in 1994, the NPAC TWG has evolved into a highly credible vehicle for coordinating a key element of our national security science and technology strategy. By vectoring the diverse technical resources of individual agencies toward applications that transcend the mission of any single agency, the NPAC TWG puts forward an objective, dispassionate consensus of the R&D community, and ensures the immense technological engine of the federal R&D system is appropriately directed toward our nonproliferation and arms control goals.

SOURCES:
  • Nonproliferation and Arms Control Technology Working Group (NPAC TWG)
  • 1997 ACDA Annual Report