MATION SECURIT -INEOR 9. The present procedures for providing Department of Defense assistance te the AEC, while not wholly satisfactory to the Department of Defense, have an obvious advantage for the Atomic Energy Commission. ' This advantage lies “an the fact that the AEC has but to go direct to any military agency and request - assistance which is readilygiven when the capability exists in that agency -without serious conflict with other responsibilities. On the other hand, “Department of Defense evaluation of such assistance to the AEC, where it has -& significant impact on Department of Defense requirements, is essential to @s-re maintenance of the proper relationship between AEC tasks and those currently performed by the Department of Defense. The exercise of Department of Defense control of workloads will become increasingly important as Department of Defense participation is expandod. 10. : ~< -~ ) : Cc) : | Tho status of tho Sandia Corporation is ourrontly of importance to the problem of greater military participation in the atomic weapons program and must be considered. » In addition to developing non-nuclear components of atomic - weapons, the Corporation is utilized by the AEC as a ficld agency to carry out . certain operations, to carry out procurement and production functions, as 4 et coordinator of various military and civilian efforts, and as an evaluator and monitor in many areas to protcot the interests of tho AEC. C ) ~ ) ‘ 7 There has been | 7 considerable question in tho military as to the competence of the Corporation to handle so many roles. Some untenable situations have also arisen due to the conflicting nature of the varied tasks assigned to this organization. It does not appear appropriate, for example, that the Corporation be in a position to evaluate work of the military when it is in competition with that work. Thero are strong suggestions that the developmental capabilities of the Corporation have been substantially diluted by its sfforts in the procurement, production, soordinating, contracting, ovaluating, inspecting, monitoring, and other incidental ficlds. It is bolioved that the Sandia Corporation hus appreciable competence and considerable potential in the area of research and development | of novel ordnance applications, and furthermore, that its activities should be confined to such effort. In this capacity the Sandia Corporation would have the role of opening new approaches. a ! ~5e —— ee -QT NIN ~ ee men mn m