SYSTEM VII

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67B00511R000100240024-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: January 8, 1959
• Content Type: MF

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/20: CIA-RDP67BOO51 1 R0001 00240024-9
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25 YEAR RE-REVIEW
January 8, 1959
MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. George Kucera
VU-
SUBJECT : System
As your consultant on System VII, I feel that the system is drifing in a
direction that will dangerously lower mission reliability. In-my opinion,
mission reliability has been lowered from -some 75% to 25%* through the
addition of automatic signal recorder Lion. If the information is
worth $10, 000, 000 to the U.S. . --(which I believe is a minimum value), a
50% reduction in the probability.of succeos costs $5, 000, 000.
The present system configuration as supported by OSI and HRB uses
automatic signal activation of the recorder. I believe that this type of
activation in our carrier will lose some 10 to 15 db. of sensitivity. (OSI
and HRB challenge these figures, claim only 3 db.). The system must be
very close to the maximum available sensitivity if it is to be successful
against this weak signal. It is not possible to say positively but I believe,
through my analysis of the problem that the automatic system has insufficient
sensitivity to intercept the signal. The reduction of mission reliability comes
through this loss in sensitivity stated above and the loss of equipment
reliability due to its complexity.
Several people around the System VII conference table believe that
the higher fidelity and lesser readout time of a short high speed recording
made by automatic signal activation of a 60 in/sec. Ampex (12 minutes
running time) is of sufficient importance to override the mission reliability
losses. For reasons given below, this conclusion doesn't seem valid.
The necessary fidelity of recording has been checked at the Jet
Propulsion Labs and the fidelity as required to evaluate the major parameters
of the missile system can be met with a system IV recorder running at 15
inch/sec. The additional fidelity of the 60 in/sec. recording does not seem
then to be highly significant. The additional readout time on the manual system
is approximately two man-days at a cost of perhaps .$200.00 per mission.
*These estimates follow from (a) 100% interceptible with the manual
system and an expected 75% equipment reliability figure and (b), a 50%
interceptibility figure for the automatic system and an expected 500/0 equipment
reliability figure (75 x 100 and 50 x 50).
j Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/20: CIA-RDP67BOO51 1 R000100240024-9
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/20: CIA-RDP67BOO51 1 R0001 00240024-9
Mr. George Kur7e-ra
January 8, 1959 -
The automatic and complex system as proposed will cost more to build
and check out than the simpler manual system. A manual recording using
the System IV recorder and turned on by the pilot at a predetermined time
would give a continuous two hour recording which is all the time that the
air craft can be kept in the area, according to your operations people.
It has been said that the System IV recorder has not operated at
15 in/ sec. in the environment required. This is true but against this we have (a)
the automatic feature proposed has not operated under any environment
and (b),. it is highly likely that no problem exists in using the system IV
recorder since it has operated both at the speeds required and in the environment
required. although not simultaneously.
I have made these ponts during our conference sessions but being a
consultant have not insisted on them. Major Hippert seems to have decided
in favor of the automatically operated and more complex system. This
course of action is likely to result in a failure to intercept followed by a
rebuilding of the system for manual operation and a System IV recorder at
considerable cost and loss of time. It would seem to me more practical to
carry a high probability system that would give the major parameters of the
missile system under attack and reserve the question of refining the system at
the expense of reliability after we have determined whether or not we can
afford the loss of reliability without losing the intercept.
Director of RsSearch at Stanford University, 25X1
who shares my concern that the threshold of the automatic feature is likely
to defeat the entire project through reduced effective sensitivity,has suggested
a compromise solution incorporating.both the reliable high- sensitivity system
and the high quality automatic recording, (if it has sufficient value to justify
its inclusion). He suggests the System IV recorder manually started running
at 15 inch/sec. This gives two hours of running time. The automatic
feature desired by OSI and HRB can then be given an overide feature to
speed up the recorder to 60 inch/sec. during its operation. This plan will
require a two speed motor on the recorder and perhaps a new head since
it is expected that the present head although satisfactory for 15 in/sec.
speeds will not be adequate for high quality 60 in/sec. The plan has still
one of the disadvantages of any automatic. system, a threshold set too low
might be tripped by noise and use up all the recording time at 60 in/sec.
before an intercept occurred. If a large enough threshold were set into the
operation this possibility could be minimized but not eliminated.
LL tir
sr
JFS:bp
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/05/20: CIA-RDP67BOO51 1 R000100240024-9