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Johnson, Tom Papers [Strategic Defense Initiative]
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Johnson, Tom Papers [Strategic Defense Initiative]
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Records of the National Security Council, Directorate of European and Soviet Affairs (Reagan Administration)
Jack F. Matlock, Jr.'s Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) Subject Files
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.
Collection: Matlock, Jack F.: Files
Folder Title: Johnson, Tom Papers [Strategic
Defense Initiative]
Box: 28
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
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WITHDRAWAL SHEET
Ronald Reagan Library
Collection Name MATLOCK, JACK: FILES
Withdrawer
JET 5/11/2005
File Folder
TOM JOHNSON PAPERS [SDI]
FOIA
F06-114/8
YARHI-MILO
Box Number
28
2811
ID Doc Type
Document Description
No of Doc Date Restrictions
Pages
10213 MEMO
MATLOCK TO POINDEXTER RE
3 9/20/1985 B1
MEETING WITH TOM JOHNSON,
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 11:00 AM
[2 -4 ]
R
9/30/2008 F06-114/8
10214 MEMO
PROPOSED SDI COMMISSION
1 ND B1
[5 - -5 1
R 9/30/2008 F06-114/8
10215 MEMO
JOHNSON RE ISSUES IN THE SDI
5 9/23/1985 B1
[6 10 1
Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]
B-1 National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]
B-2 Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]
B-3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]
B-4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]
B-6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]
B-7 Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]
B-8 Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]
B-9 Release would disclose geological or geophysical information concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]
C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of gift.
File in My safe -
"Tom Johnson Papers"
2
OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20506
CONFIDENTIAL EYES ONLY
September 20, 1985
INFORMATION
MEMORANDUM FOR JOHN M. POINDEXTER
FROM:
JACK F. MATLOCK
If
SUBJECT:
Your Meeting with Tom Johnson, Saturday, September
21, 11:00 a.m.
You have agreed to meet with LTC Tom Johnson from West Point and
me to discuss technical aspects of the SDI program. Tom is the
director of the Science Research Lab at the Academy and has more
than 20 years experience in R$D and strategic defense matters.
Johnson holds a PhD from LLL/University of California and is a
protege of Edward Teller Jonny Foster, both of whom he continues
to work closely with on SDI issues. He served as a Special
Assistant to Jay Keyworth in 1981-82 (but the relationship soured
over matters relating to SDI projects) and serves as an advisor
to the SDIP in many capacities. For that reasonn I would
appreciate it if you would hold this meeting very close.
By the way, Tom is also a protege of Archibald McLeish and is a
well-published poet. You may also be interested to know that he
recently returned from a visit to the USSR where he toured many
of their labs at the invitation of Velikhov.
I would suggest that we ask Tom to provide you with a candid
assessment of the technical viability of possible SDI systems,
identify what are the most promising SDI technologies, and
discuss implications for our negotiating position.
sorcent form
I know you have a particular interest in the software aspects of
the SDI program. Attached is the letter of resignation from
Professor Parnas who expressed serious concern with the technical
viability of the computing requirements for a successful SDI
program and with aspects of the management of the effort. In
addition a few of his brief papers are attached that address
facets of the problem. Tom will also be prepared to discuss
these if you wish.
Attachment:
TAB A
Letter of Resignation with Enclosures
DECLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL/EYES ONLY
Declassify on: OADR
NLRR F06-114/8#10213
BY LOJ NARA DATE 9/30/08
V. Who judges research in DoD?
Although there are a few notable exceptions within DoD, the majority of those who manage
its applied research program are neither successful researchers nor people with extensive system
building experience. There are outstanding researchers who work for DoD, but most of them
work in the laboratories, not in the funding agencies. There are many accomplished system build-
ers who work for DoD, but their managers often consider them too valuable to allow them to
spend their time reviewing research proposals. The people who end up making funding decisions
in DoD are very often unsuccessful researchers, unsuccessful system builders, and people who
enter the bureaucracy immediately after their education. We call them technocrats.
Technocrats are bombarded with weighty volumes of highly detailed proposals that they are
ill prepared to judge. They do not have time to study and think and are forced to rely on the
advice of others. When they look for advice, they look for people that they know well, whether
or not those are people whose areas of expertise are appropriate and whether or not those people
can have unbiased positions on the subject.
Most technocrats are honest and hard-working, but they are not capable of doing what is
needed.
The result is a very inefficient research program. I am convinced that there is now much
more money being spent on software research than can usefully be spent. In spite of this, very
little of the work that is sponsored leads to results that are useful. Of that, some of it goes
unused because the good work is buried in the rest.
VI. The SDIO
The SDIO is a typical organization of technocrats. It is so involved in advocacy of the pro-
gram that it cannot judge the quality of the research involved.
The SDIO panel on battle management computing contains not one person who has built
actual battle management software. It contains no experts on trajectory computations, pattern
recognition or other areas critical to this problem. All of its members stand to profit from con-
tinuation of the program.
VI. Alternatives
If there is good research being done by SDIO it has an applicability than is far broader than
the SDI itself. That research should be managed by teams of scientists and engineers as part of a
well organized research program. There is no need to create a special organization to judge this
research. To do so is counterproductive. It can only make the program less efficient.
VII. Conclusion
There is no justification for continuing with the pretense that the SDI battle management
software can be built just to obtain funding for otherwise worthwhile programs. DoD's overall
approach to research management requires a thorough evaluation and review.
DECLASSIFIED
NLRR F06-114/8#70213a
BY LOJ NARA DATE 9/30/08
29 June, 1985
4
THOMAS H. JOHNSON
1.
Lt. Colonel USA; 15 Air Force Service; currently dio.
science research Lab West Point
2.
PHD; Physics; U of Calif.
3.
Protege of Edward Teller & Jonny Foster
4.
20 yrs. experience & R&D relates to strategic defense
5.
Special asst. to Keyworth 81-82
6.
Adviser to SDIO in several capacities
Topics
1.
Technical viability of various possible SDI's
2.
Most promising SDI Technosolies
3.
SDI & Arms Control; central elements
5
DECLASSIFIED
SECRE /SENSITIVE
NLRR F06-114/87710214
BY LOS NARA DATE 9/30/08
PROPOSED SDI COMMISSION
Chairman, John S. Foster, Jr.
Vice President, TRW
Executive Secretary, Dr. LTC Thomas Johnson
Director, Science Research Lab, USMA
Scientists
Political/Government
Strategic Elite
Alvin Tribblepiece
Paul Nitze
Larry Gerschwin
Director, Energy
Department of State
NIO for Strategic
Research, DOE
Programs
John Nuckolls
Brent Scowcroft
Al Carnesale
Assoc. Director
Academic Dean
for Physics, LLL
Kennedy School
Tomithy P. Coffey
Henry Kissinger
Sayre Stevens
Civilian Director
President, Systems
Naval Research Lab
Planning Corp.
Edward Teller
Norm Augustine
LLL
Martin-Marietta
Former Chairman, DSB
Konrad Longmire
William Perry
Mission Research
Former DDR&E
John M. Deutch
Arnold Horelick
Provost, MIT
RAND
Glenn Kent
RAND (LTG/USAF-Ret)
Paul Kaminsky
COL/USAF-Ret, Former
Stealth Pgm Mgr.
Andrew Goodpaster
Director, IDA
Colin Gray
President, Institute
for Public Policy