SURVEY FOR AGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B01709A001500010023-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 11, 2001
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: February 12, 1974
• Content Type: MF

CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Releee 2001/11/07: CIA-RDP79BO1709AO015.00010023-1
12 February 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, O/DD/I Management Staff
SUBJECT Survey for Agency Communications System
Attached is the COMIREX response to your 23 January 1974 request
on this subject. This response applies for the entire COMIREX staff,
including ICRS (2G22) and EXSUBCOM elements
Executive Secretary
Committee on Imagery Requirements and Exploitation
December 1981.
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CONFIDENTIAL
 CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO0~1500010023-1
COMIREX Staff
Local System
1. Do you have adequate secure phone service now; enough
instruments in your offices; enough lines; does the system reach every-
where you need. to call?
- Answer to all of the above is, in general, yes.
The "Green" phone system, however, is our
major communication mode and adequate terminals
are lacking in some DoD elements (e.g., Army,
Navy, NSA).
2. What percentage of your calls are classified?
- 90 percent
3. How much of your telephone business is conducted with persons
(a) in other agency buildings; (b) in other government agencies. What
percentage of these calls are classified?
-
a.
25 percent (90 percent classified)
-
b.
50 percent (90 percent classified)
4. What security level do you require in a secure phone system?
(is the security level of the red button system adequate for your needs?)
- SI/TKHsecurity level required; red button system
is not adequate.
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Local System (Continued) 100~
5. Do you have requirements other than voice (facsimile, data)
wLiich should be considered in designing the system. What type of require-
ments; from where to where?
- Facsimile requirements exist for exchanges with
NPIC Department of Defense (DIA, Army,
Navy, Air Force) and NSA to facilitate rapid community
inputs to and coordination on key collection guidance and
assessment documentation. There is also a future require-
ment for video displays of written, graphic and photographic
material for conference use directly to COMIREX and USIB
principals.
6. What convenience features do you desire in a secure phone
system; operator services, executive right-of-way, camp-on-busy,
conferencing (pre-set, dial-up, meet-me . . also specify number of
conferees and number of simultaneous conferences), call transfer?
7. Do you favor centrex (direct line to customer) over key
sy stem, secretarial answering) or some of each?
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Overseas System
1. To what extent do you anticipate using the overseas secure
telephone system at the present time? In the future?
- Virtually no present use anticipated. In advanced
systems era, foresee possibly daily use of secure overseas
phone between community collection guidance elements and
U.S. command and mission headquarters abroad.
2. What restrictions will be placed on use of the overseas secure
phone system; limited to Deputy Director only; area chiefs and above;
other?
- No restriction based on administrative level
alone. Appropriate COMIREX staff/action officers on duty
should have authority for use.
3. What speed of service do you require in connecting secure
phone calls between Headquarters and the field; almost immediate connection;
half-hour setup time; pre-booked two hours or more before call. Is a
precedence and preemption system, similar to that used on the military
circuits, acceptable?
- In future system era, recommend "almost immediate
connection" capability and capability to exercise "pre-empt".
4. What requirements have you for data transmission between
Washington and overseas posts. Have you any requirement for data or
voice communication between field stations.
3
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General Trends
We definitely foresee the trend toward technological collection
efforts continuing. On-coming advanced collection systems will generate
need for rapid secure telephone communication between collectors and
product users, headquarters and field. There will be a markedly
increased need for quick coordination and cooperation between the USIB
agencies and frequent and detailed discussions between agencies will be
required, including a 3-or-more-way conference capability. Participation
by overseas command elements is anticipated. Initial COMIREX investigation
of the range and scope of these needs is presently underway. While
some further relaxations can be expected in the compartmented security
restrictions applied to products of present technical collection systems,
there are substantial elements of these and on-coming programs that will
require continuing protection. As a net result, needs for highly secure
telephone communications can be expected to increase overall.
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CONFIDENTIAL