The deputy director of the CIA for operations is a senior

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official in the U.S.

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...

who serves as head of the Directorate of Operations. The position was established December 1, 1950 and from January 4, 1951, until March 1, 1973, it was known as Deputy Director of Plans (DDP). When this unit was known as the Directorate of Plans, it at first accounted for about 75% of the CIA budget and about 60% of the personnel within the CIA. After staying named the deputy director of plans until 1973, the position was then known as Deputy Director for Operations (DDO) until December 17, 2004 when, under the

Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) is a 235-page Act of Congress, signed by President George W. Bush, that broadly affects United States federal terrorism laws. The act comprises several separate titles with var ...

of 2004, the position was renamed to Director of the National Clandestine Service (D/NCS). When David Marlowe was chosen to lead the Directorate of Operations by CIA Director William J. Burns in June 2021, media reported his position as being titled Deputy Director of Operations.

List of Deputy Directors of Operations

Sources

CIA's senior management structure
letter dated July 2, 1991 from William H. Webster,

Director of Central Intelligence The director of central intelligence (DCI) was the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1946 to 2004, acting as the principal intelligence advisor to the president of the United States and the United States National Se ...

to U.S. Senator

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, Select Senate Committee on Intelligence.
"CIA plans riskier, more aggressive espionage," USA Today, November 17, 2004.

press release dated July 21, 2010. {{DEFAULTSORT:Director Of The National Clandestine Service Central Intelligence Agency Information sensitivity