Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XIII, Western Europe and Canada
  4. Document 399

399. Notes of Conversations Relating To Skybolt0

Washington, November 9, 1962.
1.
On 7 November I reported to the President, at a time when Dean Rusk was present, that it appeared to me we should consider cancelling the Skybolt program. Because of the serious impact such a cancellation would have on the British Government, I asked the President’s approval to discuss the matter with David Ormsby-Gore and Peter Thorneycroft. He agreed that I should do so.
2.
On 8 November I met with David Ormsby-Gore and reported to him that during the past six months the estimated cost to procure the Skybolt missile had risen from $1.4 billion to over $1.75 billion. This increase, on top of a series of previous increases, was causing us to reconsider the worth of the weapon. Two days ago I had referred the matter to the Chiefs and asked for their recommendations. Although no decision would be made on this matter within the next three to four weeks, I wanted his government to be aware that we were reconsidering the program.
3.
On 9 November in a telephone conversation. I repeated to Peter Thorneycroft the substance of my conversation with David Ormsby-Gore. I added that in the event it appeared desirable for the U.S. to cancel the Skybolt program, I believed there would be several alternatives that should be considered by the British Government. Further, I stated that prior to any U.S. decision to cancel I would be quite willing to come to London to discuss the matter with Peter. I estimated that the decision would not be made here before approximately December 10. London consultations would probably not be advisable before November 23. He [9 lines of source text not declassified].
Robert S. McNamara 1
  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, McNamara Files: FRC 71 A 3470, Skybolt. Secret. More detailed summaries of the meetings and conversations referred to below are included in Report to the President, Skybolt and Nassau, November 15, 1963, by Richard E. Neustadt, a study that was requested by the President in March 1963. (Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Neustadt)↩
  2. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩