CAMP HUCKSTEP MUNITIONS PLANT (PLANT 81) CAIRO, EGYPT

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
17
Document Creation Date: 
December 28, 2016
Document Release Date: 
July 26, 2012
Sequence Number: 
66
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 1, 1965
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8.pdf841.27 KB
Body: 
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Q Next 2 Page(s) In Document Denied ILLEGIB Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 (PLANT. 81) CAIRp, EGYPT NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER TOP SECRET Mo oar Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION REPORT CAMP H UCKSTEP MUNITIONS PLANT PLANT 81~ CAIF~. EGYPT TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 25X11 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 25X1 L~X1 e , Railroads double track ~~ Railroad. single track Road, dual lane Road, single lane TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 81) is one of the largest producers of munitions expansion and diversification bet~~?een 1956 and 1964. The principal additions during this period have been several shop and assembly buildings, a large nitrating facility associated ~tiith the manufacture of explosives, and a group of facil- ities probably used to produce small tactical rockets. Munitions .loading, including that for small arms, artillery shells, mines, mortar shells, and possibly bombs, is probably carried out at Plant 81. where in Egypt. Several unusual facilities are present in the plant area. Continuing expansion of the plant is indicated by several structures that have been erected during the period 1962- 1964. INTRODUCTION The Camp Huckstep Munitions Plant also kno~~?n as Plant 81 and the Helipolis I\lilitary and Civi] Chemical Company, is situated at 30-08N 31-26E-, approximately 11 nautical miles (nm) northeast of the center of Cairo, Egypt (Figure 1 ). The plant area, abqut 395 acres, is 1 nm east of Cairo Inter- national Airport; excellent low-level oblique photography of the plant has been obtained from aircraft taking off or landing at the airport. TALENT photography for the years 1y56 through 1960, Navy photography of 196? and RAF photography of 1964 (Figure 2) provide good to excellent coverage of the plant and permit a detailed anal}~sis of the chronological development of the various facilities. The chronological sequence of development is in- dicated by color code in figure 3. Collateral sources indicate that the follow- ing activities may be carried out h}? Plant til: the manufacture of semiautomatic rifles, small arms ammunition, antitank and antipersonnel mines, and artillery shells. Collateral infor- mation also indicates that old shells are ren- ovated and shell-filling operations are carried out. 1-4/ TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF Table 7. yatr rra L.~ Nc cci red Jr r.m ~o riot l+lnr~ and \un bloc ~'nanlri F.~~ at Plant R7 be-l rrFrn 195; ar~d 19r; .;' Electrical eyuipmant ~lonium rectifier Batter~~-powernd ~~ehicle~ Tracclin~ con~e~rr~ (3) Spam party (or n_ pre~~ \lnchine tool Gla=; demijohn= for formaldeh+de "fihal:i ~ip~a~tc,?? (P\'C''), 60 ton= \fortnr= Polyp ins l chloride Dctonator~ \1ea=urine in~trument~ and ~al~e~ X-rn~ tube- Purt- for fu,o cord te~tin(; appnratu= Part- for hc~u~ine plant Pontner~thritol (?'S ton-) Formaldeh~~do plant f31nc1; po?-der \mmunition filtcrv "\~o=u~ it'? (_>5 ton-) \fortnr ~holl~ ~tninlo,~ anti-acid tube ('har~,o fx~?~dor, fu~c~-, primer= \1elhnnol DESCRIPTION OF PLANT 6ENERAI Analysis of photography of Plant lil (f=igure 2) reveals that most of the buildings, explosives manufacturing, and production operations are concentrated in the northern half and that open storage and reverted explosives storage are located in the southern half. I"hes~ 2 different activities enable, the plant to be divided, for description purposes, into a northern and a southern part. The precise function of some structures in t}5e plant area is unknown: the plant itself is unusual in that it has no recog- nizable steamplant (++hich is a standard com- ponent of explosives manufacturing plants) very fe++~ overhead steamlines or visible storage tanks. Plant 81 is road served only. I~he main entrance to the plant is located in the north- western corner of the site; a secondary entrance is located on the fast side. A ++?all on the eastern, northern, and north- western sides of the site is continuous with a fence on the southern and south++?esterri sides (Figure, 3). Guardhouses and to+cers are dis- tributed along this fence-+sall security line. hhe towers may be used for illumination, for observation, or for both. A to++?er and guard- house are located at the northern end of the plant, east of 1uilding 3. Three -masts south of the to++er'rnay be communications antennae associated ++?ith the nearb}~ airport. All item numbers in the description of the plant are keyed to Figure 3. Certain building or item numbers are also keyed to specific structures on lo++-level oblique photography presented in Figures -1-10. Annotations offa- cilities or sections of the plant on Figure 2 have been limited in order to avoid unnecessary obliteration of buildings within the central part of the installation; this applies particularly to those structures in the northern part of the plant. Dimensions of principal buildings and structures at Plant 81 are presented in Table 2. ~hhe northern part of Plant 81 contains a large number of small, heavily r~vett~d struc- tures +vhich are arranged in an apparently helter-skelter pattern. The arrangement and revetment of the buildings indicate the presence of several small diverse activities related to explosives blending, munitions filling, and pos- sibly the manufacture of booster or detonator t}?nes of explosives. . TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF i 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF ing for relatively small products such as small arms, mines, and the like. Building 18 (Figure -fl is a shop building with a high center section: the high center section suggests the presence of an overhead tra+,eling crane which is usual equipment in a machine shop. Possible Formaldehyde Plant Building 15 ma}' be a?compressor building or possibl}? a diesel-electric plant. Five steel stacks adjacent to the building are equipped++'ith probable mufflers; these mufflers are located at the upper end of each stack. A small reverted building north of Building 1~ has 4 stacks on its roof. Access is provided by a ramp under the building. The 2 structures (Building 1~ and the adjacent building) ma}' be a formaldehyde plant; Building 1~ could be the compressor house and the adjacent building could provide the heat for raising the temperature of the compressed air which ~+ould be used to oxidize methanol to produce formaldehyde. Possible Melt-Loading Facility Building 2.1 (Figure 6) and the 3 associated reverted storage buildings (item 23, Figure 3) ma}' be amelt-loading facility, Building 2.1 has a slightly raised center section. .~ large horizontal ,cylindrical structure supported on a concrete cradle extends rni[~card fmm the southeast side of the building. \ number of pipes or chutes lead from the bottom of the horizontal tank and presumably re-enter the building,. l~hese factors suaaest that the tank- like structure mac be a melt-loading, facil- ity or a crushing, screening, or mixing device for explosive material. The explosive nature of the materials handled is suggested b}' rho heavy reveunents on each side. :A large pipe extends from the end of the horizontal cylinder and enters the around, possibly connecting +cith one or ,more buried tanks a short? distance north of the building or ~+ith one or both of the buildings to the youth (item 26 ). TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF NO FOREIGN CISSEM Adminstration and Service Facilities T~+~o buildings (item 5) in the north~cestern corner of the site probably serve as adminis- tration buildings for the plant. They are lo- cated across the road from a possible shrine (item 1). r Four structures (item 2) have the appear- ance of +vater or see+~age treatment facilities. The function of the small, separately secured area (containing 3 buildings) north of the s++~im- ming pool is;unkno++?n. Probable Ammunition Production Facilities T++?o large, light fabrication buildings (items 7 and 11) are located in the north++'estern part of the plant; each building has a single large revetment which runs parallel to its length. The size of the buildings and the re vetting suggest that these structures house probable munitions- loading lines, one for small arms and the other for antiaircraft and field artillery shells. The smaller reverted structures (items 6 and 10) in the area may be facilities for filling and assem- bling mines or other small munitions. Flow- ever, other possible functions of these buildings are storage of explosives and explosives com- ponents, possible manufacture of initiatar/ booster-type explosives, or the blending and processing of various propellants received from outside sources. Fabrication and Machine Shop Section The group of buildings occup}?ing the area between items 16 (Figure ~) and 22 (f=igure -1) and extending north'.+?ard to item 1.1 includes mainly storage, shop, and service buildings. Three buildings (item 2'?) ma}' be bight fabri- cation facilities ~+here small arms and the machined parts of mines and other armaments are fabricated or ~+?here components of such munitions are assembled and stored- prior to filling and final assembly. l he large structure immediately ~+'est_ of Building, 2U (1= figures -1? and ~) is possibly afabrication/as5~mbly build- Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF P,~ ,_,ao5 ,z s~~ FIGURE 2. CAMP HUCKSTEP MUNITIONS PLANT (PLANT 81) NEAR CAIRO, EGYPT, OCTOBER 1964. TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF i Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF ? NO FOREIGN DISSEM RoM -~ flnn -?-ww - - Plgllnl ' ' -- -- u,awoana vlalln. ? Toren A TnE Pot1IEl1 Ow IIA UnM .. ov.nnwgl lAmml, wa, llc.,l straw Yllu vul ~~ RIr11nIm1 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF NO FOREIGN DISSEM We InGiU41 iYmf o~fn re0 in 1%7.1%! Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 '~tiY~ 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 1 Possible Acid Preparation Buildings T+ro buildings (item 26) appear to be the origin of the overhead pipeline that serves the nitrating facilities, items -?0--}2 (f=igure 7) and may continue west++ard to a building (item 31 ), the precise function of ~+~hich is obscure. L-ach of the 2 buildings near the possible melt-loading facility (item 26) has a large buried tank in its yard. A third, similar tank +cith an associated small building, possibly a pumphouse, is located north of the 2 structures. (~ ig,ure 6 shows a portion of the northernmost building and a con- siderable number of small horizontal tanks and several drtuns or pressure bottles stored ad- jacent to it. The southern building is sho++n in Figure 7. X11 these ?actors taken together in- dicate that the 2 buildings (item 26) maybe acid preparation or mixing facilities and that the pipeline conveys the acid (or acids) to the nitrat- ing area. Probable Munitions Filling Section Buildings 2~, 27, and '?8, and the other structures bet+veen the long east-+vest revetment on the north and the pipeline to the south prob- ably house an explosives processing section, possibly for the filling and assembl}? of mines or mortar shells. 1~+~o buildings (item 27) are probably explosives stontge units and Building 28 is a possible machine shop for the fabrica- tion of the metal components of the munitions loaded in the area. Buildings 25, 27, and 28 are shown in Figures 5 and ,. Prohahle RDX or TNT Manufacturing Plant Buildings 37 throu?:h -12 constitute a probable RDX or T\T manufacturing plant. hhe absence of visible storage tanks for toluene tends to ne- gate the manufacture of ~hNh. Ho++~ever, toluene could be stored in underfiround tanks or shipped into the plant in drums; one or more of the tanks in the area of item 26 could be used for toluene storage. Buildings 37-3U are probably acid and fume recover}? and acid fortification facilities, +ahile buildings 40--12 (f=igure 7) are used for the actual nitration process. This group of buildings could be utilized to nitrate substances other than toluene, the most likely possibility in the light of present data being , hexamethylenetetramine for the production of RDX +vhich has supplanted I~\T in many ap- plications. The probable formaldehyde manu- facturing facility in the Plant 81 area (pos= sibly Building 15 and the building immediately to the north) suggests the possibility of RDX manufacture. Two of the 3 reverted structures east of the +vesternmost storage shed (item 43, Figures 7 and 8) and the 3 structures identified as item 30' (Figure ; 1 are probably explosives storage units. Possible Test Facility 7~hr: area bet+veen the 2 storage sheds (item -13) is occupied by 3 reverted structures, one of +vhich may be a test facility for small lots of explosive and the other 2 probably provide temporary storage for explosives. test/disposal facility and possible small burn area are located southeast of the westernmost storage shed (Figure 8). Probable Rocket Production Area Buildings 31-36 probably constitute a pro- duction line for small tactical rockets. The precise function of Building 31 i5 obscure but it could be a drying house, a final assembly building, or both: This building is served by a large-diameter overhead pipeline ++hich ap- parently oriLinates at 13uilding 3~, the probable acid and fume recovery building. The pipeline appears to be too large for conveying reagents, , but does not possess the expansion bends char- acteristic of steamlines. .-1cc~ss++ays at both the east and ++~est sides of the building lead und~sr the structure. Escape chutes or pos- silile ramps descend to around level from the north and south ands of the buildini. Ibis group of buildinis .resembles a kno++n rocket TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF production facility in Greece; German rocket experts have been reported as having ~+?orked at Plant 81. 1 Buildings 32 and 33 (Figures 7 and 9) ar~`,identical structures surrounded on 3 sides by extraordinarily. thick vertical +valls, probably constructed of concrete. These struc- tures are probably utilized for loading propel- lant into the rocket casings. Buildings 3~ and 36 are probably storage buildings for propellants and igniters. A subassembly function may be performed in the center building (item 34 ). Possible Initiator Manufacturing Unit Building 44, shown in an oblique vie++? on Figure 7, is a possible initiator manufacturing unit. The building is similar in some respects to US facilities ,in which lead azide is produced. If lead azide is produced in the building, the 2 small structures west of it could be used to store the sodium azide from ++?hich lead azide is made. SOUTHERN PART OF PLANT As previousl}~ noted, the southern part of Plant 81 is used primarily for storage. Two structures, visible on photography of October 1964 (items 4~ and 46, Figure 3) and on low- level oblique photography (Figure 10), are not used for storage purposes: they are described prior to a discussion of the storage in the ~' southern part of the plant. Possible Radome Item 45, a spherical structure 1~ feet in diameter, is a possible radome which may be associated with the nearby Cairo International Airport. The spherical structure could be a tank for holding fluid of some kind, but the lack of a road or any vehicle tracks and the distance from the structure to processing fa- cilities militate against such an interpretation. Weapons Test Cell IBaffle 6ridJ The identification of item 46 as a ++eapons test cell may be inferred from the fact that it is located in an explosives/munitions plant. Additional confirmation of the identification is supplied by a recent article that describes an analogous US facility recently put into operation in Florida. 8/ The article describes the test cell and ores that specific research program areas itde the various concepts involved in the effectiveness of chemical, antipersonnel, antitank, antiaircraft, and antimissile ammuni- tions. Seven other ++~eapon,~ test cells have been. observed: 3 in the USSR, 3 in~ China, and 1 in ~ Austria. They are similar in configuration to the test cell at Plant 81 and all the test cells, except the Austrian example, have a CW con- notation. 9! The +veapons test cell at Plant 81 consists of 4 arcuate segments, all of which are arcs of circles -having a common center. In Figure 10 the segments or walls of the test cell are lying flat on the ground. Each arc, from the inner- most outward, is developed from radii that in- crease by nearly equal distances from the center, the first and shortest arc being approximately the same distance from the center as the second is from the first, and so on. Figure 11 is a dimensioned drawing of the ++?eapons test cell at Plant 81. It is thought that the test cells are -used to test model and actual munitions ++ith respect to distribution, range, and penetration of f-ragments or contained missiles in various types of fragmentation or missile dispersion devices. The arcuate segments of the +ceapons test cell are lined +vith, or consist of, witness plates which record the distribution and/or pentration of missiles -produced ~+?hen the test device is exploded. The data can then be collected and analyzed +vith a vie++;. to++?ard producing more effective munitions as ++?ell as the deternlination of use-criteria.- The design of [he +veapons test cell, although basically simple,. suggests an in- TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF t Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF t TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF P~~ _-s?o `e_, FIGURE 6. POSSIBLE MELT-LOADING FACILITY OR A CRUSHING, SCREENING, OR MIXING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS (ITEM 24 ). FIGURE 7. VIEW OF REVETTED STRUCTURES ON WESTERN SIDE OF PLANT. Items 40-42 ore nitrating (ocJities; gems 31-36 comprise o probable rocket production area. TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 i TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF '~IGURE 8. VIEW OF NITRATING BUILDINGS (ITEMS 40-47 I AND POSSIBLE TEST FACILITY. ~~. F,_yar wcwr vnr~_,C-~~~e: ~..r i:~-?~"ii~'~ - r/ITH PARTS OF STRUCTURE'- ~ _~-`:i`-.'"~_~..,.,~-~. TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF (ITEM 161. 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF surroundin- item -1.9 is primarily a storage yard for materials, much, of ~~?hich is apparently stored in drums. Item -19 is a shed-type building in ~~?hich such functions as packing and unpacking, cleaning of empty containers, waste disposal, and similar operations may be performed. Reverted Storage Buildings. The -1 heavily reverted buildings (item 'S0) are conventional explosives storage buildings. Three small service buildings are located near ~he 2 ex- plosives storage structures at the southwest corner of plant area. CONCLUSIONS tent to acquire the maximum quantity of data per detonation and in a form readily subject to various forms of anal}~sis. Storage Open Storage. A large number of objects, which appear to be drums, crates, or packing cases, are scattered in the gullies in the scuthern part of the plant area. The locations of the various groups of these objects and the size of a representative object from each group are given in Figure 2. Significant additions to'the Plant 81"facilities have been made since 1956. The more important additions are a large nitrating facility, a prob- able tactical rocket production facilit}~, a prob- able formaldehyde plant, and several machine 'shop/fabrication structures. The nea~ facilities, plus the pre-existing munitions loading plant, probably produce mortars, mines, small-arms and artillery ammunition, tactical rockets, and high explosives. Possible products within the inferred capabilities of the plant include bombs, munitions filled with C\'1' agents, and rocket propellants for S:~~is and possibly ballistic missiles as well. TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF REFERE\CE 1 1. CLA. Indu=trial Register Firm \0 4202500, I/vtpvt and Prodvct.c uj Certain Egypt+an Rcpion {4'a-r Facfarics (ahstract of C~-3,"414,567), 7 Dec StJ (SECRET%Xoforn'Continued Control) , ?. CIA. Indu=trial RcF'is[cr Firm No 4?0?_'5(1(1, Cnrd \0 5209147, Egypt Small Arms Production (nhstrnct of Heeklp Intelligence ~umman Ko 30-55), undated (SECRET) 3. CIA. Industrial Register Firm \0 420?500, 4lvnition.e Plant (abstract of Armp 'Epy~pt%R-45-5ti, CIA \o 2069766), 4 \o~ Sf, (vECRET) 4. CIA. Industrial Register F irm do 4202600, Card do 4063456.(ahstract of CS-13734), undated (SECRET) 5. do author liven. "Martin-Orlando Begins Operation of l-nique Armament Research Fncilit}," 4fi.c.cilt'.c and Rockct.c, ~"ol 75, 10 _?Ii, ?1 Dec- 6d, pp. 3?-34 (l'\CLA~~IFIED) TOP S~CRET CHESS RUFF Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8 TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF REFEREti('EF (('ontinued) 65, U.41.'-fart 11, 41i.c.cron IOl;i-.'., ~5, .7F-3(/ Drrrmbrr 196y, Jan 65 (TOP SECRET r TOP SECRET CHESS RUFF ..?j NO FOREIGN DISSEM ~? 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/26 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000400380066-8