TO ASCERTAIN THE MOST DESIRABLE MODE OF ACCOMPLISHING CHEMICAL AND OPTICAL PROCESSING OF THE PRODUCT OF PROJECT AQUATONE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00878R000700020182-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 16, 1999
• Sequence Number: 182
• Publication Date: May 23, 1955
• Content Type: SUMMARY

PROBLEM:
To ascertain the most desirable mode of accomplishing chemical
and optical processing of the product of Project AOUATONEE
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DISCUSSION:
/The technical plan for Project AQUATONE calls for the development
of new photographic equipment of superior characteristics and, as an
interim measure, the modification of existing equipment to improve
reliability and optical characteristics in keeping with advanced photo-
graphic techniquesf VTo these erds our development programs include
At r-ra C'
the design of new and advanced optical systems in int rm diate and
long focal tenths; the design o an integrated system x dvarced
techniques for compensating for motion of the image
during-: m exposure and minimizing vibration during the exposure; the
deveto~ ''ment,oJ a lightweight base film; the development of haze penetrating
techni~gruee't it 1gh special high-contrast fit-- 3?hese develop
ment programs have progressed to the point at which the +photographic
returns which can be x ec c itl far exceed those available from
cur naxssance systems. Improve s a ?.t*w
6r `pp'eohog raPhtc~e
rent c rec n
resolut ont of at least a factor of two and in some systemsAas nnch as
a factor of f i? Ye not considered i-easonable for the AQUA- ~ Lii ;
systemo.4 P uc Airnp'-'o`'e*'?'!nt4/I -at the scales cont.emplatedishould mean
a substantial intelligence "take" f ven a minimzirr number of missions
if the resolution, which becomes part of the latent image of each exposure,
can be preserved during chemical processing.
The problem of chemical processing for the AQUATONE product hash,
thus been examined on the basis of a philosophy which prescribes that
there be no sacrifice in the quality of the latent image and that, if anything,
such improvement as is possible through processing v-il_l he accomplished. dAt,9,6I,7
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2$X1A
Air Development Center, Dayton,, Ohi .~}At St. Louis, the largest
seve al o ,e a ed8l r the U. S.. Air Force;: and, specifically, visits
rxsinef they meet theme ethnical criteria. These facilities include
aci i his country exi and is engaged primarily in
handled would be possible without exlansion. The equipment available
for film processing is of standard design and does not provide for any-
thing resembling the processing precision prescribed for the AQUATONE
product. Skilled processing personnel are available however, and the
plant layout could probably be adjusted to accomodate expa sion to
ile present installed capacity of the facili appears to
be such'khat no major extension oth amount of work: hich could be
handle the volume. of work which AQUA TONE will provide.At the Air
Force base at Rome, New. York, the photographic processing facility
has not yet beta equi e , I is our understanding that it will probably
`,
at be equipped in th
~ uture. 3At the Wright Air Development Center,
-1 A
cale processing is not carried out--the actual processing facilities
being approximately sufficient to handle current Air Force requirements.
Processing equipment development has been going on for some time at
the Development Center, and a. special processing machine which
permits infrared scanning of partially developed negatives is in the
mechanical protype stage. The first unit, if it works, will be delivered
in the tatter part ofthis year for use in connection with project
The specifications of t other Air Force insJalla ions
engaged in film processing such as th a of he v sous grceconnalssance
11Y?itaorawe'r r.r r,.,.
organizations and the Lookout ivlountai b studied in
Air Force installations literature. All, of these installations use process-
ing equipment designed to fulfill the normal reconnaissance needs of the
Air Force but do not have in them precision processing features which
appear desirable for AQUATONE,. In addition, the capacities of these
plants have been dictated by normal Air Force requirements, and the
addition of AQUATONE requirements would probably result in expan-
sion or at least us It in su stitutio of new equipment for th,atFalrea
installed, /t' 7 .. e} v c4.,.(
19 11004C.
1 engthy discs o skwit representatives of~thel a t nan odak Company.
The r-eprese i tives have been involved in several nroiects in recent
4 tr olcin toward the development 9n
Y Q g p of special Qrpcess n~ equipm
is known in the Eastman Kodak Company as the -
precision controls to the extent possible within certain high-speed 25X1A
project. The criteria for the processing equipment involved included
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 processing requirements, Various pieces of processing equipment
were developed under this project, all of which represented MdWW-
significant advances over presently installed equipment at the Air
Force installations mentioned above. From our discussion with the
Eastman Kodak representatives, it was ascertained that the - 25X1A
equipment, even though advanced in design, did not meet the require-
ments for precision operation and control which they agreed i e44
p
AQUATONZ i'tc ates. For example
the photo
ra
hic and
i
,
g
p
process
ng
25X1A system con4mptated by project - had as its objective military
photographic reconnaissance and high-speed processing of the product
of such reconnaissance to permit the earliest possible use of the
product for military purposes. Thus, while more processing control
25X1A and precision was i troduced into the e ui ment tha exists
in other available 4 .precision processing . equ r' d to
%so maximize the usefulness of the AQUATONE product, iris not available
even in this advanced equipment.
in interpretation could result. Rectification 4 equipment will be
designed by the designers of the special AQUATONE photographic
equipment and should be considered as part of a film processing
laboratory irstatlatioon since rectified negatives and prints will have
photographic interpretations, In fact, if film were to be released prior
to rectification and correction, a considerable amount of confusion
processed. }re,
Specialized optical equipment ave to be developed to aid in
It should be noted in connection with the discussion of film
processing for AQUATONE that a, considerable amount of optical
rectification will be required afte film is
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CONCLUSIONS:
Co_nclu_sio_n_No._1: The best technical advice available to us
is that the AQUATONE product should receive special processing
designed to minimize any losses in image quality through processing
and to improve the quality wherepossible through special processing
techniques. Reasonable processing speeds should be provided which
do not sacrifice
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