HIGHEST PRIORITY TARGETS FOR PERIPHERAL PHOTOGRAPHY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00750A000200120103-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 22, 2004
• Sequence Number: 103
• Publication Date: September 4, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

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Copy of 1.5
4 September 1958
HIGHEST PRIORITY TARGETS FOR PERIPHERAL PHOTOGRAPHY
1. The Ad Hoc Requirements Committee (ARC) has previously
expressed to the Project its views on the need for oblique photography on
the periphery of the Soviet Union (see the recapitulation in Tab G).
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2. Inasmuch as coverage of highest priority targets in the USSR
which require penetration cannot be covered for lack of permission from
highest US authority, the ARC has reconsidered the need for oblique photog-
raphy of the Soviet periphery. It sets forth below its recommendations for
such peripheral coverage in order of priority and with attachments pertaining
to each area listed indicating the evidence which causes concern and assessing
the probabilities for collecting useful and possibly critical information.
In submitting these views, the ARC wishes to reaffirm that the highest
priority targets already transmitted to the Project remain highest and that
it would not wish to see the peripheral coverage herein recommended if
indeed such efforts were to jeopardize achievement of the major goals.
3. The ARC has selected for recommended coverage those areas
on the periphery of the Soviet Union in which are known or suspected missile
installations, in possibly varying stages of construction or completed.
Photography by the B oblique at a maximum distance of 20 miles will permit
recognition of a number of these installations and activities relating thereto
though probably will not permit detailed technical photo interpretation in all
cases. These areas are chosen with regard to the likelihood of identifying
by peripheral coverage positive or negative evidence of Soviet accomplishments
in their guided missile programs. We have in mind current estimates of
present Soviet capabilities, i. e. , operational deployment of guided missile
configured submarines and initiation of construction of launch sites for, if
not actual deployment of, land based surface-to-surface missile systems;
the shorter the range, the greater the probability of operational readiness.
NSA review(s) completed.
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4. The target areas recommended are as follows:
Priority One:
a, BARENTS Sea (coast line from the Finnish border to PONOJ).
b. PETROPAVLOVSK area,
Priority Two-
c. Coastal region immediately above and below BUKHTA-
UGOL?NAYA (Tab C).
d, VLADIVOSTOK and vicinity (Tab E).
e, The BLACK Sea coast line (Tab D),
We wish to emphasize that the foregoing priorities are specifically estab-
lished as relating to oblique photography -- not involving penetration. They
take into account our appraisal of the importance of the target area along
with anticipated return of information by oblique photography as well as
coast line configurations and the season of the year. Attention is called to
the importance of covering areas in the northern latitudes before the sun
angle gets too low,
5, The ARC has also carefully examined the northern periphery of
USSR in terms of whether information collected by oblique photography is
sufficient to rate any portion of, it with the foregoing priorities. The best
case that can be made is in the area of TIKSX (the detailed examination of
this is set forth as Tab F). It is the view of the ARC that this does not
rate in the same priority with those listed,
6, The ARC believes, particularly after examining a photographic
exhibit prepared from Mission 6012 (coverage of the CHICOM Coast), that
the possibilities of securing valuable and possibly critical intelligence infor-
mation from pursuing a peripheral photographic program are greater today
than when its views were expressed initially. This appears to be principally
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as a result of improvements which have been effected by the Project in the
performance of the B configuration, its reliability and resolution,
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7. The ARC feels that if the US has a capability to collect against
the recommended targets by peripheral means this should be done. If there
is an equal or better capability than CHALICE, it urges that such be employed
at once.
JAMES Q. REBER
Chair -man
Ad Hoc Requirements Committee
Attachments
TabA
TabB
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