MINUTES OF COMMITTEE ON IMAGERY REQUIREMENTS AND EXPLOITATION MEETING M-48, 12 SEP 1968

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B01709A000700050007-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 26
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 21, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: September 13, 1968
• Content Type: MIN

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COMMITTEE ON IMAGERY REQUIREMENTS AND EXPLOITATION
NRO & DIA REVIEWS COMPLETED
COMIREX-M-48
1.1 September 1968
The following is an index of the Minutes of the 13 September
1968 COMIREX Meeting:
Page 4 Special Briefing I - NPIC Status Report on Bi-Color
Experiment
Page 5 Special Briefing II - NPIC Evaluation of CD and Other
Color Experiments
Section I (Briefings and Reports on Operations)
Page 8 Operational Briefing--Satellite
11 Report on Aircraft Activities--Far East
12 Report on Aircraft Activities--Cuba
Section II (NPIC Report)
Page 14 Mission Highlights
Section III (Subcommittee and Working Group Reports)
Page 17 Report from Imagery Collection Requirements
Subcommittee
Page 18 Report from Data Base Working Group
Section IV (Action Items)
Page 19 Review of Search Requirement for Underdeveloped Areas
Page 20 Action on Resource Information Report (COMIREX-D-32. 5/ 1,
TCS-10546/68, 10 September 1968)
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Section V (Status of Recent COMIREX Papers)
Page 23 Guidelines for Exploitation Tasking and Reporting
Under the National Tasking Plan (COMIREX-D-31. 1/1)
Page 23 Revision of Annex G of the Sanitization Manual and
NATO Addendum (COMIREX-D -2. 7 / 3)
Page 23 Format for Basic Imagery Interpretation Reports
and Briefs on Objects
Section VI (Other Business)
Page 24
Page 26
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Discussion of Preparations to Cover Intelligence
Aspects of Apollo 205
Page 26 Contingency Planning for Coverage of Vietnam
Theater During a Cease Fire
Page 27 Excessive Loss of Silver in Photographic Processing
Page 27 NRO Report on Warning/ Indications Satellite System
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1000-1300, Thursday, 13 September 1968
PRESIDING
Chairman
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Minutes of Meeting Held in Auditorium
Col. C. C. Clayton, OACSI
Cdr. J. J. Richardson, ONI
Col. R. W. Kane, AFNIN
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Special Briefings
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NPIC Status Report on Bi-Color Experiment
1, noted that the first KH-4 bi-color
experiment had been on Mission 1102. This had been very
embryonic and the first extended test had been on Mission 1103
when bi-color was used on 25 operational passes. On
Mission 1104, bi-color was used on one operational pass and
four domestic passes. I continued with the observation
that the problems of image quality encountered on 1104 probably
had been due to flaws in the filter. He then noted that there are
real problems in correcting pan photography for bi-color use.
2. advised COMIREX that they are still
experimenting with printing techniques and had not completed
evaluation of which is best suited to the bi-color experiments.
Once this has been decided, ten or twelve selected targets will
be printed out and given to the PIs for their evaluation.
showed examples of 4X and 7X blow-ups noting
that the imagery in the 7X blow-up still holds up pretty well. He
observed that there would be no real gain in trying further enlarge-
ments as the 35 foot to 30 foot resolution appears to be ade uate for
bi-color purposes, at least for the time being. did
observe, while illustrating the ability to detect color differences,
that NPIC is sanguine of the possibilities of further improving this
and also has some hopes that the resolution may be improved.
3. In reply to a question from the Chairman as to
whether equally or more useful results might not be achieved by
using isodinsitometers to enhance the content of the black and
white records to bring out differences, I I replied that
rather than going to color printing the differences and information
content could be more easily perceived by color printing.
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25X1A Section I (Briefings and Reports on Operations)
Operational Briefing- -Satellite
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CORONA
1048 -? Scheduled 18 September 1968
Estimated recovery 1st bucket (8 days) - 26 Sept, 2230Z
Estimated recovery 2nd bucket (8 days) - 4 Oct, 2230Z
Film processing/distribution:
Estimated arrival 1st bucket at Eastman Kodak -
27 Sept, 18002
Estimated arrival 1st bucket Priority 1 in D. C. -
30 Sept, 16002
Estimated arrival 1st bucket Priority 2 in D. C. -
1 Oct, 16002
Estimated arrival 2nd bucket at Eastman Kodak -
5 Oct, 1800Z
Estimated arrival 2nd bucket. Priority 1 in D. C. -
8 Oct, 1600Z
Estimated arrival 2nd bucket Priority 2 in D. C. -
9 Oct, 160O Z
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Projected stereo coverage:
1st bucket - Land area - 2. 95 million sq. n. m.
Targets - Approximately 2, 400
2nd bucket - Land area - 2. 95 million. sq. n. m.
Targets - Approximately 2, 400
1105 - Scheduled 30 October 1968
Estimated 1st bucket recovery (9 days) - 8 Nov. , 2230Z
Estimated 2nd bucket recovery (9 days) - 17 Nov. , 2230Z
Film processing/distribution:
Estimated arrival 1st bucket at Eastman Kodak -
9 Nov, 1800Z
Estimated arrival 1st bucket Priority 1 in D. C. -
12 Nov, 1600Z
Estimated arrival 1st bucket Priority 2 in D. C. -
13 Nov, 1600Z
Estimated arrival 2nd bucket at Eastman Kodak -
18 Nov, 1800Z
Estimated arrival 2nd bucket Priority 1 in D. C. -
21 Nov, 160O Z
Estimated arrival 2nd bucket Priority 2 in D. C. -
22 Nov, 1600Z
Projected stereo coverage:
1st bucket - Land area - 2. 95 million sq. n. m.
Targets - Approximately 2, 400
2nd bucket - Land area - 2. 95 million sq. n. m.
Targets - Approximately 2, 400
1106 - Scheduled 11 December 1968
Estimated 1st bucket recovery - 18 December 1968
Estimated 2nd bucket recovery - 26 December 1968
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1049 - Scheduled 29 January 1969
Estimated 1st bucket recovery - 6 February 1969
Estimated 2nd bucket recovery - 14 February 1969
1107 - Scheduled 12 March 1969
Estimated 1st bucket recovery - 21 March 1969
Estimated 2nd bucket recovery - 30 March 1969
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Report on Aircraft Activities--Far East
2. I Fonfirmed the standdown
of I nd IDEALIST/TACKLE.
then reported
that in the period 6-12 September the following single GIANT SCALE
and missions had been flwon:
Date Mission Area/Targets
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8 Sep GS052 Hon Gai Port, Kep Afld, Results fair
Yen Bai Afld, Dien Bien Phu,
Haiphong Port, Kien An Afld,
Gia Lam Afld, Phuc Yen Afld
11 Sep Q715 (LOW) Thanh Hoa Trans Pt, Thanh Crashed in water
Hoa RR Bypass, Bai Thuong during recovery -
Afld Film unusable
Successful - 0
Lost - 1
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3. reported action against two
principal South China/North Vietnam requirements as follows:
a. Coverage of Lines of Communications
'(LOC) pertinent to the introduction of Chinese forces
into North Vietnam (see COMOR-D-25/207, 4 March 1966.
The number of LOC priority targets in South China and
North Vietnam remains at 143. For the period 5-11
September, no surveillance coverage was reported.
b. Coverage of North Vietnam to detect the
possible introduction or deployment of offensive missile
systems (see COMOR-D-25/200, 23 May 1967 and
COMIREX-D-.25. 3/2, 20 November 1967) is shown on the
grid may at Tab B for the period 29 August - 4 September.
No SSM activity was observed.
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Report on Aircraft Activities--Cuba
5 Sep
G041
0.
6%
89. 7%
9 Sep
G042
42.
7%
91.8%
Ireported
(S)
for the period 5-12, S ep em er as follows:
Date Mis Sion Results
5 Sep Recalled, 0. 6% coverage
9 Sep Successful, 42. 7% coverage
Recap
Date Mission Net Cumulative
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5. reported that during the 56 day
period, beginning 18 July 1968, nine missions
were flown over Cuba and provided 98 percent coverage of
the area. During this period 145 of the 148 targets in Cuba
were covered completely on cloud-free photography, not
including the most recent mission.
6. The DIA member reported that the delta camera
had been made available for the months of September, October,
and November. I confirmed that ICRS has asked
for requirements and noted that DIA has already submitted some
specific electronic targets for coverage.
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Section II (NPIC Report)
Mission Highlights
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2, showed one picture from 1104 of a new
airfield at Ondor Haan, Mongolia. This is the 7th new airfield
constructed in Mongolia during the past two years. It is also the fifth
staging /recovery type of airfield and it appears that all of these are
probably Soviet built and controlled, since Mongolia does not possess
high performance aircraft requiring such runways. All of these run-
ways are 10, 000 to over 11, 000 feet in length.
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3. concluded his briefing with several
frames of photography from different missions bearing on the
introduction of the Wuhu, Yak naval vessels into Haiphong from
China. These light harbor cargo craft are built in China. They
could be used for several harbor support and other purposes
including operations in coastal and open water. Identification of
one of these vessels at a reported infiltration pier suggests that
personnel infiltration may be one role.
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Section III (Subcommittee and Working Group Reports)
Report from Imagery Collection Requirements Subcommittee
reported that:
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The current status of KH-4 holiday coverage
(1) Six months Built Up Area 69.9%
(2) Twelve Months Under-
developed Area 68. 2%
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Report from Data Base Working Group (S)
2, I I reported difficulty in achieving full
coordination in the target delineation problem. The Chairman,
DBWG, requested earnestly that COMIREX support the effort
and insure that the Working Group members fully appreciate
how important COMIREX considers this effort to be.
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Section IV (Action Items)
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The Chairman requested to study the results of past
missions and requested nd ICRS to address the
theoretical problems. In terms of the KH-4, I observed
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Action on Resource Information Report (COMIREX-D-32. 5/1,
TCS-10546/68, 10 September 1968) (S)
asked whether as a result of
memorandum of ep ember, addressed to the Chairman, DBWG,
he should take action preliminary to submitting a Resource Information
Report and establishing a Resource Information File (RIF). The
Chairman ascertained that not all members had seen the memorandum
from the Deputy Director, NPIC, so invited him to comment on it.
noted that the Center is in no way opposed to furnishing
data for the report and the file but is not certain that the actions
proposed in the original memorandum (COMIREX-D-32. 5/1) may not
be premature. NPIC recognized that COMIREX has an obligation to
keep apprised of the proper utilization of resources but feels that in
lieu of a report being made from the type of information which could
now be supplied to the RIF an alternate approach might be preferable.
In the opinion of the Deputy Director, NPIC, it might at this time
be more sound to compile information or statistics as to whether
requirements are being satisfied substantively and on a timely basis.
I I suggested that if requirements are not being satisfied
COMIREX should then explore the performance of resources and
determine whether these resources are being improperly applied
or whether there may be some problem with the requirements.
4. The Chairman referred to problems already discussed
during the morning, such as bi-color, the use of CD film, and the
problems involved in coverage of underdeveloped areas, and related
this to the value of gaining a better appreciation for the mechanics of
collection, research, and exploitation. fully appreciated
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the inherent dangers of focusing a managerial microscope on portions
of an operation and recognized that incomplete or faulty analysis
might place figures in the wrong perspective and lead to erroneous
conclusions. The Chairman also was well aware that deductions
made on the basis of data provided by NPIC would not present the
full national picture but he refused to agree that COMIREX would
misinterpret partial facts and use them to harm the agency providing
such figures. On the other hand, NPIC is essentially national in
nature and, although its experience may not provide the full story,
other agencies and departments engaged in photo interpretation will
find that they have analogous problems and will probably benefit
from such information as may be provided to COMIREX by NPIC.
5. The Acting CIA representative advised that his
Agency feels strongly that man-hour figures must be meaningful in
order for COMIREX to judge whether the workload is properly
applied and balanced against the collection effort, or where adjust-
ments in the NTP are necessary. I cited as an example
of the usefulness of these figures the proposed COMIREX report
to the Board on the status of the NTP. One might judge from this
report that most of the exploitation effort is against SAM's since
this category contains the largest number of targets. Man-hour
figures if available would likely have shown that this is not the
case since SAM reports require comparatively few man-hours.
The DIA member agreed in general terms, on the basis that the
NTP has allotted to COMIREX the responsibility for judging whether
the effort is being properly applied. speculated however
that as an alternate route to desire to study man-hour
figures it might be possible to levy exploitation requirements in
very specific terms and then require NPIC to state where it could
not satisfy requirements; including such explicit details as might be
needed. The Deputy Director, NPIC, considered the DIA member's
alternative to be a safer route to follow at this time.
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6. The Chairman expressed firmly his feeling of
urgency to see facts developed and reported along the lines of
said COMIREX cannot know the consequence of our demands on
overhead reconnaissance, satellites in particular, until COMIREX
is provided with a clear picture of the impact on the exploitation
effort. The Chairman felt that the present reluctance of NPIC
to expose its figures had an analogy in our earlier relations with
NRO. For a while efficient tasking of NRO was impeded by its
reluctance to provide information which it considered to be
operationally sensitive. Since this barrier has been removed,
the mutual business between COMIREX and NRO has been conducted
on a much more efficient and economical basis.
the paper which had been on the shelf since late June.
7. The Chairman concluded with the request that a
Resources Information Report be produced, as soon as feasible,
tentatively on a one-.time basis. All contributors were requested
by the Chairman to supply to the Chairman, DBWG, information
along the lines of COMIREX-D-32.5/1, would then
submit a report as soon as he had sufficient information at hand.
I lemphasized that this report would be evaluated in
the context of an experiment and there would be no risk that any
of the figures provided might be misused. The Chairman specified
that although the information outlined in COMIREX-D-32. 5/1 should
be used as guidance COMIREX was not at this time approving this
paper.
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Section V (Status of Recent COMIREX Papers)
Guidelines for Exploitation Tasking and Reporting Under the
National Tasking Plan (COMIREX-D-31. 1/1) (UNCL)
1. The Chairman advised that consideration of this
paper had been postponed at the request of DIA.
Revision of Annex G of the Sanitization Manual and NATO
Addendum (COMIREX-D-2.7 /3) (UNCL)
2. The revision of Annex G and the NATO Addendum
were approved by COMIREX. /They have been forwarded as
COMIREX-D-2.7/5. /
Format for Basic Imagery Interpretation Reports and Briefs
on Objects (UNCL)
3. COMIREX approved the new format for basic reports
on objects. /This has been published as COMIREX-D-31. 3/8_/
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Contingency Planning for Coverage of Vietnam Theater During a
Cease Fire
6. The Chairman reported that Mr. Rostow had
directed to the Secretary of Defense and the Director of CIA a
request that a plan for reconnaissance of the Vietnam theater,
in a cease fire situation, be prepared. Admiral Taylor subsequently
requested CCPC action and his request was made a matter of
record with the Board on 16 August (USIB-D-64. 6/43).
noted that in forwarding the request for action to CCPC Admiral
Taylor referred specifically to the work already accomplished by
COMIREX. The Chairman requested COMIREX to review and revise
its previous requirements and be prepared to discuss their viability,
or changes that need to be made, in approximately two weeks.
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rraphic Processin
NCL)
7. The Chairman referred to a recent article
describing the tremendous loss of silver being suffered in this
country in photographic processing, I surmised
that the amount of this loss which could be attributed directly
to satellite photography might be insignificant in terms of the
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whole picture but was still quite considerable.
advised that much work has been done on this problem and
suggested that I brief COMIREX on this subject
of silver recovery in two or three weeks.
NRO Report on Warning /Indications Satellite System (S)
8. Following up a question from the DIA member,
the Chairman requested that see what he can do
to expedite forwarding of the INHO warning indications satellite
study to COMIREX. pointed out that an understanding
of the possibilities of this system seems to become increasingly
important and noted that he is obligated to discuss the requirements
for such a system at a Land Panel meeting on 2 October.
Executive Secretary
Committee on Imagery Requirements and Exploitation
Attachments
Tabs A & B
Copies 5, 6
7
8,9,10,11
12, 13
14, 15
16, 17
18, 19
20,21,22
DIA
DIA TCO
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NSA T C O
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DCI TCO for USIB/S
TCO DCI Liaison Officer, SecDef
Dr. Donald Steininger, Executive Office Building
DDP TCO
CIA COMIREX Member
Ch /ICRS
Special Center TCO
ONE TCO
IRS ReqBr/RecceGrp
OBI TCO
D/OSR
NPIC TCO
COMIREX Staff
Ch/EXRAND
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Ch/COMIREX
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