CHIGOE MEETING AT NATC, PATUXENT RIVER

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05752579
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: February 10, 2021
• Case Number: F-2011-01575
• Publication Date: March 28, 1966

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CHI E
OSA-1619-66
� 28 March 1966
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
jURJECT: CHIGOE Meeting at NATC, Patuxent River
1. On this date, a meeting was held with the Navy
pf,sonnel at Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, Mary-
1 A, in reference to CHIGOE support needed by ORD. The
following people attended:
Capt. Doolin, Weapon Systems Test Director
at Patuxent River
Cmdr. Murphy, NATC
Lt. Cmdr. Glenn, NATC
Mr. Bennett, REWSON
Cmdr. Warren, Office of Logistics
(b)(3)
ORD
Lt. �Col, Seward, OSA
OSA
2. started the morning session with a brief
description of. the CHIGOE Program which he emphasized will
be a proof-of-concept of a multi-sensor array in a low-alti-
tude aircraft. He stated that this proof-of-concept phase
is called CHIGOE I and the objective is to produce a working
model of this sensor array and aircraft and then to make the
technology available to the Department of Defense, and in
this specific case, to the Navy.
3. outlined several of the security
questions, among which is the division of security responsi-
bility for the CHIGOE I airplane. The basic question is,
Who provides physical security when the aircraft is away
from.the contractor, LTV?" also described the
sPecial security clearance requirements and procedures
required for our special projects.
4. then proceeded with a brief description
of the CHIGOE Project with particular emphasis on the sensor
array:
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a. The forward looking infrared system
was described as the major real-time detection
device on the aircraft.
b. The low-light television display was
described as being an aid to the pilot as well
as a detection device.
c. The APQ-110 radar set, which is the
same radar used by the F-111, is intended pri-
marily as a terrain-following radar system for
use by the pilot. It has only a limited
mapping capability. This will be a non-auto-
matic system for terrain avoidance in that the
radar will not be automatically linked to the
autopilot.
d. The infrared stereo scanner is the
principal hard eopy intelligence gathering
medium on the aircraft. This was emphasized
as the main item of use for Agency purposes.
e. The panoramic camera and the color
framing camera were briefly described. There
Is no new technology involved in these.
f. The navigation system consists of three
separate systems: doppler, forward-looking
IR and LORAN, all coupled to two verdan com-
puters. The advantage of this system is that
the computers will eyaluate and use the best
and most accurate navigation information from
any one or all of the three named systems in
order to read out a position once per second.
The read out is a digital presentation which
is to be supplied not only to the flight crew
but to the data blocks on the hard copy film.
g. The Inertial Navigation System will be
the Litton LN-15 which is reputed to have a
one-mile-per-hour accuracy. This equipment is
not yet in production but it is scheduled to
be by the time it could be installed in the
SP2H aircraft.
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h, The level bombing system will be
tied to both the low-light television and
the forward-looking infrared system and
will provide for automatic release of or-
dnance (bombs or rockets) without additional
computation by any of the flight crew.
I. There may be another IR system in
the left wing tip pod to provide an infrared
homing system for the win z mounted rockets
(b)(1)
(b)(3) 10 USC 130
6. The first flight of the CHIGOE aircraft is now
planned for sometime in July 1966. The LTV tests in the U.S.
are to be completed by December 1966 and then the overseas
test will begin in January]967. The overseas test area will
be in the ARPA site in Thailand. Additional fliphts wil
probably be flown over Laos. For this reason
desires to ,have- Navy crews-fly�the overseas flight test.
7. The afternoon meeting covered the following subjects:
a. Schedule
b. Personnel in training
c. Money
d. Spares andsupplies support and
priority
e. Security
f. Communications
g. Command and responsibilities
8.
If the first flight is to be completed in July of
1966, 'will need a Navy flight crew at LTV in early
June of 1966 with a committment to this program for at least
one year. It is essential to maintain crew integrity through
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the entire test period. For this test period it is planned
to assign the SP2H to some squadron in Southeast Asia for
support, housekeeping, etc. The detachment which will move
overseas as a unit should be formed up at least in substance
by June 1966. This will include the six to eight flight
crew members plus the twenty to twenty-two persons on the
ground crew. In addition, he will need a system program
officer to work closely with and represent the
Navy in this enterprise. The flight crew will consist of the
following persons:
a. Pilot/plane commander
b. Co-pilot
c. Observer/navigator
d. Observer/evaluator
e. Observer/co-pilot
f. Radio operator
g. Camera operator
-h. Plane captain-. '
9. Continuing on with the subject of money,
again stated that he has money obligated and assigned for
this project. The Navy will absorb the expense for POL pro-
ducts with their .naAvo funds allocation to Patuxent River
Naval Air Station. REWSON, after ORD gives them the money,
will assign weapons task funds to Patuxent River for aircraft
and personnel support. To my knowledge this will amount to
about $300,000 for one year of operation. Initially
Mr. Bennett from REWSON will put $50,000 at Patuxent River
for them to use as needed to support the CHIGOE aircraft.
Mr. Bennett said that he will send a weapons task (WEPTASK)
and "a slug of money" authorization to Patuxent River for
support of this project. Capt. Doolin will administer this
money at that station.
10. ORD will need ordnance support from Patuxent River
for the target marking materiel to be used in the test area
overseas. He recommended that Patuxent River have NOTS at
China Lake load the ordnance in bombs and rockets as a
Patuxent River ffiRk Thr money quoted above may be used for
this purpose. also noted that we will need over-
hauled engines before the aircraft move overseas and Capt.
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Doolin suggested that they could take care of this in his
normal aircraft support procedures. What probably will
happen is that overhauled engines will be sent to LTV to
be installed in the aircraft before the SP2H moves overseas,
the old engines being returned to Patuxent River for over-
haul. The supply priority for this aircraft will be out-
lined and authorized on the WEPTASK to be written by the
REWSON office here at. Main Navy.
11. Since the SP2H. aircraft and the Navy personnel to
support it and fly it will be assigned to Patuxent River,
there is serious question as to whether or not the Agency
should have any part in security control of this project.
The real underlying need for security cognizance of project
CHIGOE is to protect the Agency involvement and additionally
to protect OSA's involvement in this and in other similar
types of endeavors. It is now proposed that OSA Security
control the security aspects of CHIGOE while the aircraft
is at LTV. Once it leaves LTV, security responsibility and
control should revert to the Navy with perhaps some proced-
ural and requirements assistance from the program manager'.
It is here inferred that the program manager would neces-
sarily have to seek security guidance from someone else;
either OSA or Central Security. As this program continues,
there seems to be less and less valid reason for OSA to
-control security of-this-program.---The follow-on system 1s
another matter.
12. Capt. Doolin agreed that he could provide space
and personnel to man the communications terminal which was
recommended at the early March meeting at Main Navy. This
communications circuit is to link Headquarters with Main Navy
(REWSON) and Patuxent River. Capt. Doolin was advised that
this would be a TWX call-up service and not on-line service.
The means of establishing this communications circuit remains
to be solved and will require a meeting with Mr. Bennett of
the REWSON office with OSA personnel. Some additional defi-
nition of exact communication-requirements is necessary from
D/SA.
13. The question of command responsibility on the over-
seas deployment as a Navy unit was discussed at some length.
The Navy suggests and the group in general agreed that a
CTF-77 or CNO representative would be required on-site
wherever the SP2H goes overseas. In this way the authority
for operating in the theater would emanate from CNO to the
man on the site. In the case of Southeast Asia operations
this man is an essential ingredient in the coordination
process. As for arrangements which will be required prior
to the overseas deployment it is the opinion of the OSA
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representatives at this meeting that OSA is not necessarily
the proper office to request and arrange such coordination.
As an overt Navy deployment it seems only logical that prior
arrangements for the use of an operation of a Navy aircraft
in, for example Thailand, be initiated and coordinated
through Navy channels. Since Dr. Brewer will be establishing
most if not all of the requirements of the overseas test
and, in fact, supervising the overseas test, it is logical
that he should have the REWSON office initiate and confirm
arrangements to deploy the aircraft to Southeast Asia and to
operate it there in Thailand and Laos.
14. Since there were so many unresolved questions not
necessarily on the part of the Navy but on the part of the
OSA representatives, a meeting of Dr. Brewer and appropriate
OSA personnel is in order. This meeting is scheduled for
30 March 1966.
WILLIAM A. SEWARD, JR. '
LT. COL., USAF
Programs Staff
(Special Activities)
AUTHORIZED FOR RELEASE:
ftro grams
PS/OSA3VASeward/cec:4526
Distribution:
2 - PS/OSA
1 - DD/OSA
1 - SS/OSA
1 - D/FA/OSA
1 - D/TECH/OSA
1 - MD/OSA
1 - RB/OSA
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