ELINT OPERATIONS REPORT FOR MISSION A-2023, DATED 10 JULY 1956

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B00709R000500970013-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 27, 2011
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: June 18, 1956
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/05: CIA-RDP89B00709R000500970013-4
SC-04130/56
Copy No. / of 7
18 June 1956
MEMORANDUM FOR: Project Director
ATTENTION : Chief of Operations
SUBJECT : ELINT Operations Report for Mission A-2023, dated
10 July 1956
1. I am attaching for your information an ELINT operational
report for your mission A-2023-
2. I have asked Chief of the ELINT Branch of 0/Si, 25X1
to supplement the written portion of this report with an oral briefing.
HERBERT SCOVILt , JR?
Assistant Director
Scientific Intelligence
Distribution:
Copies 1, 2 and 3 - OPs
4and5 -0/SI
6 - ESo
7 - Project Chrono (Held in 0/SI)
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/05: CIA-RDP89B00709R000500970013-4
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/05: CIA-RDP89B00709R000500970013-4
SC-04130/56
Copy ?L of 7
Notes on Significant Activity on Flight A-2023
I. English plain language voiee was intercepted on Channel 3 beginning
at 1048Z when aircraft was (approximately 5046 N. 1136 0.) about 50
nautical miles before exit of denied territory in SZG. Intermitt$nt
voice transmissions were received until let down. Altho intelligibility
was poor using system one (S-Bard, crystal video detector HF receiver;
portions of speech were read as "?Zebra-four?" this is one six three-over"
..."garbled..will you please inform the (several initials) that I am "?46
garble?", and more could be read out with additional effort. This is
being reported here because it may have significance since BQXBRICK
units in SZG are thought to be using tactical COMINT to aid in GCI
and 31 networks. (This practice has also been observed from COMINT
in Europe and the FAR EAST.) The DMR for this flight noted that a
possible interceptor attempt made what was believed to be the deepest
penetration of an unfriendly aircraft into West Germany as noted in
Air Warning traffic. Note possible interceptors course and time in
relation to the trac% of our aircraft. The nearest BOXBRICK is located
at JENA/RODIGAV, 10 miles from our aircrafts position at time of
first noted voice transmission.
II. WHIFF gunlaying radar signals were intercepted on seven occasiions.
Two of these over the Crimea Peninsula may have been from the same
Soviet installation at Yevpatoriya. The longest automatic WHIFF lock-on
for any flight to date occurred in the vicinity of LVOV (Regional Hdqo for
LVOV Air Defense Area). Lock-on was steady for It minutes, briefly
fell out of center of conical scanning beam and returned to auto-lock
for additional 1 3/4 minutes. This continuity and the fact that aircraft
slant range to a point on the ground did not exceed 38,000 yards
during the total 3 minutes lock-on indicates only one WHIFF was involved.
III. The first identified Token radars were intercepted after 2 minutes
(15 miles) penetration into the Soviet Zone of Germany. Token activity
was almost continuous over the entire flight. The only major areas
where no activity was noted were over the Black Sea and in the area around
Chernovitsky, U.S.S.R. (48-17 N, 25-55 E) from the right (south) side
of the plane. No new, unusual or identified shipboard type signals were
encountered over the Black Sea area.
Only one unidentified signal was encountered over a sufficient time
interval for an accurate measurement of scan period. This signal occurred just
prior to exit from the Soviet Zone of Germany at 1041 Z hours. The antenna
(right) at this time was pointed toward Leipzig. This signal had a single
illumination of 743 pps and a uniform scan of 3.8 seconds.
IV. The COMINT reaction, as reported in the DMR, was the most continuous
recovered to date inside the USSR.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/05: CIA-RDP89B00709R000500970013-4