TACANA/TCT

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Animal Partners
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06408444
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: September 6, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2019
• Publication Date: May 5, 1976

Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C064084443.3(h)(2)
6.2(d)
ORD-1102-76
5 MAY 1976.
MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. Barry D. Kelly, NIO/SA
SUBJECT: TACANA/TCT
1. Based on.a detailed review, of the history, .progress,
and current status of the, TACANA/TCT .RD :program,.; is the
firm opinion of ORD that Some changes in the program direction
and scheduling should be put into effect at ,this time. -AS
outlined below, we believe it is not practical to .plan for
operational use this fall:
2. A number of problems have been encountered in the
course of the program, the,impact_of which,capses a projected
delay in the cOmpletion. ,In order to attempt to reduce the
full impact of this delay, it-is...planned that,ithe,Work scheduled
for the area be deleted from the program. -In using
this approach, it is planned that at the completion of the
Oklahoma training phase, all program efforts will be transferred
to the Washington, D.C. area. Specifically it.,is,Dlanned to
have a kit of no more than Six birds housed in-the'East,Build-
ing of the OTS complex Anladditional_sroup.of,ip to 24 birds
will be housed in a,remote,renied facility (location to be
determined) in the'WaShington,area. cBeth_grOupswill be trained
against simulated targets in-thiS area: but in no event will
taken to the East Building will De Drougnt intJ) the area under
they be permitted near The kit of birds
:onditions to'demonstrate the feasibility of
coping with this operational requirement. This,same kit will be
trained for release by coyert techniques,Such,as�"coat-pockets,"
etc. The training of the oiher group of-24 birds is required
to assure that many of the behavioral unknowns in this potential
application will have been examined to some degree. When the
birds are conditioned for the demonstration, a notice
will be provided to those interested parties that wish to
witness the test.
E2 IMPDET
Cl by
Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C06408444
Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C06408444
Subject: TACANA/TCT
3. As some background explanation to provide you with
some insight into delays incurred in the training, it should be
pointed out that there were three major factors, all of which
were unanticipated.
a. A number of birds contracted an illness.
b. High winds and tornado weather lasting over
an extended period were encountered in Oklahoma.
c. Most important, it was determined -upon :
analysis that the successful A-B-C flight deirion,stra-
stiOns in California were due to the birds becoming
acclimated to the-terrain features rather than to :the
targets and thus it is felt that additional reinforce-
ment is required to specifically train the birds to
the target devices.. -
Item c is related to one of the, reasons for moving to Oklahoma,
an aria in which the target location can be moved: on a daily
basis, whereas in California, because of the metropolitan area
in which the work was being carried-out,.such relocation was
considerably restricted.
, � ,,
4. The Office of' Research and Development believes that
although the goals of the program are still very difficult,
significant program progress has been made so far. Based'on
these results, there is a reasonable,probability,Of achieving
* the desired behavioral training for che denied,area.pperation.
,
-Directorro
P9I1a1,4,1,1
,Research and 'Development
Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 C06408444