NIEN-TZU-SHAN ARMAMENTS PLANT NO. 123

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP02T06408R000100010006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 30, 2003
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: July 1, 1965
• Content Type: IR

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14 PAGES DATE July 1965 /
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY /
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE DIVISION /
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PHOTOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE REPORT /
MIEN-TZU-SHAN ARMAMENTS PLANT NO. 123
CIA/PIR-5030/65
Declass Review by
NIMA/DOD
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NIEN-TZU-SHAN ARMAMENTS PLANT NO. 123
CIA/PIR-5030/65
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I-IE - 5030/65
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PREPARED BY - CHEECAL AND SCIENTIFIC SECTION
INDUSTRIAL BRANCH,, IAD
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NIEN-TZU-SHAN ARMAMENTS PLANT NO. 123
An explosives processing and loading plant with associated metallurgical
and fabrication facilities is located at Nien-tzu-shan, which lies approximately
40 nautical miles west of Ch'i-ch'i-ha-erh, along the Chinese Changchun Railway,
which connects northeastern China with the Trans-Siberian Railway. Armaments
Plant No. 123 extends east and north from the east edge of Nien-tzu-shan for a
distance of approximately 2.5 nautical miles. The approximate geographic
coordinates of the southwest corner of this plant are 47 31N - 122 53E (see
figures 1 and 2).
This installation has been divided into four sections, lettered A through D,
on the basis of function and actual physical separation within the large secured
area (see figures 3 through 5). Descriptions of areas in each section are keyed
to numbers on figure 3.
Section A. Buildings in this portion of Plant No. 123 consist mostly of types
used in metals processing and as shops.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Warehouses, open storage, and a. few small probable shop buildings
Power substation
Area. containing administration and support. buildings for this plant
Probable metallurgical area with possible metal refining and alloying
facilities, forge and foundry buildings, a, large building containing
probable metal presses for stamping or punching parts, and facrication
or machine shop type buildings
Piles of coal and waste adjacent to probable metallurgical area
The probable purpose of this section is to refine, alloy, and fabricate metal
parts of the munitions section. Because of the extensive facilities present,
additional metallurgical type work may also be accomplished in this area..
Section B. This section of Armaments Plant No. 123 is made up mostly of machine
shops, forges and foundries, and fabrication type buildings.
(1) Large warehouse with probable facilities for shipping and receiving of
materials, rail served
(2) Forge/foundry area, with probable boiler house
(3) Series of four large fabrication/machine shop type buildings, also
including possible heat treatment or foundry operations
(4) Area containing warehouse and shop buildings
This section is a. general metal-working and fabrication area.. It appears to be
a complete plant, not necessarily related to armaments production. Any type of
machinery or equipment could be manufactured in a plant of this general design
and layout.
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Section C. This separately secured portion of the plant consists mostly of
heavily revetted and protected structures. An area containing warehouses and
open storage, a small administration and support area, and a probable boiler
house with adjacent piles of coal and ash is also present.
(1) Administration and service buildings
(2) Boiler house with coal pile along nearby rail line and a large ash
pile
(3) Area of general warehousing with some open storage, rail served
(4) Group of small revetted buildings, probable service magazines for
the nearby loading operations
(5) Probable buried water line
(6) Area of unidentified structures, possibly not connected with the
plant operation, the building nearest the munitions plant may be
used for storage
(7) Possible initiator processing and loading area
(8) Two possible high explosive processing lines
(9) Large probable loading line, possibly for melt loading
(10) Three similar revetted or partially revetted buildings, probable
component loading lines
(11) Building possibly used for final assembly of the various shell
components
Section C. consists of several complex apparent explosive processing areas and
loading lines. The probable function of this area, is the production of various
types of munitions from explosives manufactured elsewhere.
Section D. This section is made up of thirty-six storage buildings divided into
four groups. Twenty-six of these buildings are revetted and dispersed, while
the ten buildings in the south portion of this area are dispersed but not revetted.
An additional small unidentified building is present near building group 3.
The function of this area is the storage of high explosives for use in the
explosives processing and probable munitions loading plant (Section C.), and
probably for storage of finished ammunition prior to shipment.
Test Facilities - Two separate testing areas located in this region are
probably associated with the Nien-tzu-shan Munitions Plant No. 123.
A. Ballistics Test Facility - A secured ballistics testing and experimentation
facility is located approximately 4 NM south-southeast of Plant No. 123
(figures 6 and 7). Included at this installation are firing ranges, both
and open, a possible indoor range, facilities which are possibly for testing of
individual shell components, revetted explosive storage magazines, a boiler house,
and administrative and possible storage buildings.
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B. Munitions Test Installation - A probable munitions test facility,
approximately 5 NM north-northeast from Plant No. 123, is located on a
well maintained road leading from the plant. This installation is unidentified
as to type. However, its general appearance suggests an elaborate munitions
test site (figures 8 and 9).
Features present at this site include explosive storage magazines, admin-
istration and service buildings, an elaborate appearing test facility, possible
cable trenching, and several unidentified structures.
Construction was in progress at this site in Additional
ground scars are apparent on later coverage. However, on a a er photography,
the scale is either too small or the quality too poor to tell whether the site
has been completed or not.
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Level of Activity
A. Construction Activity - Construction at Nien-tzu-shan Plant No. 123 has
been of a fairly minor nature between when the first good coverage 25X1
was obtained and when the latest satellite photography of this instal-
lation was made.
The only apparent change in Section A of this plant has been the addition
of one warehouse type structure in Area 1 of this section. In Section B, minor
changes include the addition of a building in Area. 2 near the boiler house.
Excavation was in progress at this location in The long rail
served arehouse in Area, 3 of Section C, which was under construction in l
now appears complete. Two smaller but similar appearing structures have
een erected in this same area since the date of earliest coverage. In an apparently
sepatately secured area within this section, adjacent to the main fence line, near
the location where the probable buried water line enters the plant, two small
unidentified buildings have been erected. No changes have been observed in the
main processing area, of Section C during the period of photographic coverage. No
apparent change has taken place in the explosives and munitions storage area
during this period of time. Some new ground e noted at the test site
north-northeast of the plant, since
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B. Level of Production Activity - On photography of activity 25X1
at the Nien-tzu-shan Armaments Plant No.123 appears to be at a moderate level.
Although, only three of eighteen stacks are emitting visible fumes, several trucks
and numerous other small unidentified vehicles are visible on the well maintained
roads in the plant area., six rail cars are on a siding in the munitions production
area (Section C), considerable amounts of materials are apparent at several locations,
and two large coal piles are present. Roof stains and two large waste piles show-
ing on this photography, indicate that at least a portion of the plant had been
in operation for some time.
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No changes in the level of activity are apparent on later coverage.
I However, the small scale and poor quality of material since this earliest
good photography precludes an accurate estimate of productive activity.
Smoke or steam visible in om several
oints within the plant, wo probable locomotives present on coverage of
2JX1 I I and some materials present in open storage areas indicate that
the plant has probably been active throughout this period. No estimate of the
number of rail cars or other vehicles in the plant could be made, nor could
I changes in the configuration of coal or waste piles be determined on any of the
more recent photography.
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Probable vehicles are present at both test areas on, photo- 25X1
graphy. No indication of the level of activity could be determined at either
of these sites from later coverage, except the previously noted additional
ground scars at the test site north-northeast of the plant.
Because of the plant layout and building configurations, it appears that
Nien-tzu-shan Armaments Plant No. 123 includes an explosives loading operation,
probably for both propellants and bursting charges. The lack of visible tanks,
pipes, and acid production units makes the manufacture of explosives at this
installation unlikely. The elaborate nature of the test site north-northeast of
Plant No. 123 indicates that possible research and development in fairly sophis-
tiated weaponry fields is occurring. Very extensive metallurgical and metal work-
ing facilities present in this installation indicates that work in addition to the
manufacture and fabrication of metal components of shells is possible.
All measurements have been made by the CIA/IAD/IB project analyst. They
should be considered as approximate and must not be taken as official NPIC
mensuration data compiled by the Technical Intelligence Division, NPIC.
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General Locator Map, China - 38936 12-63 (UNCLASSIFIED)
ACIC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200 Sheet 0284-5
lst edition, October 1959 (SECRET)
CIA. 0_515-82,609
CIA/IAD PROJECT
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T`]IE ?;-TZIT I' :' ARMAMENTS PLANT '? L23
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