LETTER TO GEORGE HARRAR FROM EDWARD J. MALONEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 17, 2012
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: August 29, 1986
• Content Type: LETTER

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
I.
o
OIT 0751-86
29 AUG 1986
Mr. George Harrar
Features Director, Computerworld
Framingham, Massachusetts 01701
Dear Mr. Harrar:
Mr. Casey, the Director of Central Intelligence, asked
that I respond to your letter of August 5, 1986, requesting
some commentary for your special issue on November 3. As
Director of the office that manages computer use in the Central
Intelligence Agency, I am pleased to submit the enclosed
article. I hope it will be of help to you.
Sincerely,
/5/
Edward J. Maloney
Director
of
Information Technology
Enclosure
MD/OIT
(28AUG86)
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 - DDA (w/att)
1 - FO/OIT (w/att)
2 - Registry/OIT (lw/att)
2 - MD/OIT (lw/att)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
4.
STATEMENT OF DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
I am pleased to have this opportunity to provide your
readers with a description of the role of computers in the
Central Intelligence Agency. It is particularly appropriate on
this occasion because we at the CIA are preparing to celebrate
our 40th anniversary next year.
As you know, the mission of the Central Intelligence
Agency is to collect and analyze information needed to support
U.S. foreign policy and protect our national security. In
today's complex and dangerous world, the President of the
United States and his advisers require a broad understanding
of international trends and developments. Such understanding
requires first-class intelligence. Our employees are striving
to maintain the Agency's position as the best intelligence
organization in the world, but without the assistance of
computers, that goal would be very difficult to achieve.
Computers have played an important part in the Agency's
activities since the early 1960s when the first mainframe units
were installed. At first, these computers were used primarily
for administrative tasks such as payroll and inventory, but it
was obvious from the outset that computer technology could
assist the Agency in its principal activity--the collection and
processing of intelligence information. Since those early
days, CIA computer specialists have worked to position the
Agency at the leading edge of information technology and keep
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
it there. A major part of their efforts have involved the
design and maintenance of highly sophisticated technical
systems.
As a result, the computer has become an essential tool in
our business. The vast amount of information pouring into the
Agency must be quickly distributed, stored, and retrieved by
numerous individuals. That information must then be analyzed,
often with the support of computer-based methodologies.
Frequently, this analysis deals with crisis situations and must
be completed in a very short time frame. Most importantly, the
results of this analysis must be delivered quickly to the
responsible policymakers to help them understand the
implications of their policy initiatives and the responses to
those initiatives.
With the computer support now available, CIA officers have
substantial computing power at their fingertips. For example:
--Thousands of cabled messages are automatically screened
every hour and routed to the appropriate officers. The
recipients read, annotate, route, save, and retrieve
these messages in a totally electronic environment.
--A large-scale office automation and electronic mail
system permits nearly instantaneous communications
among Agency personnel.
--Intelligence officers use special CIA-designed software
to manage the Agency's technical and human collection
programs and to process the output of these programs.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7
--Military affairs analysts and scientists use large
mainframe computers to conduct sophisticated simulations
of modern weapons systems.
--Economists work with advanced econometric models to
forecast the economic performance of key nations.
--Political analysts rely on data management systems to
analyze patterns in terrorist activities, narcotics
trafficking, and the political stability of selected
countries.
--Cartographers and publication specialists have access to
the latest computer systems for designing and producing
maps and charts, as well as specialized graphics.
In the coming years, computers are likely to play an even
more important role in the CIA, enabling intelligence officers
to improve both the quality and efficiency of their work.
Soon, every officer will have a multi-functional high-end
workstation at his or her desk. In the near future, CIA
scientists will be able to call upon the power of
supercomputers to conduct highly complex scientific analyses.
The CIA is also exploring the applicability of artificial
intelligence, optical disk storage technology, robotics, and
other advanced techniques.
We are excited about the future of computer technology and
the unique contribution it makes to national security and the
intelligence profession. Our thanks go out to the talented and
dedicated computer professionals who have made these marvelous
advances possible.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/17: CIA-RDP90G00993R000100130005-7