PROGRAM PROGRESS REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00159R000400150050-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 18, 2006
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: January 16, 1973
• Content Type: MF

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Approved For Release 2006/11/06: CIA-RDP75B00159R000400150050-7
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16 JAN 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, CIA Reconnaissance Programs
SUBJECT: Program Progress Report
Forwarded herewith are three copies of the IDEALIST
Program Progress Report for the period 1 October 1972 -
31 December 1972.
,i .
Brigadier General, USAF
Director of Special Activities
25X1 Attachment
As stated 380-73)
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Distribution:
1 - D/ CRP
2 - D/CRP
3 - D/CRP
4- DDS&T Reg
5 - D/ SA
6- SAS/O/OSA
7 - D/O/OSA
8 - IDEA/O/OSA
9 - INTEL/O/OSA
10 - D/ M/ OSA
11 - AMS/OSA
12 - RB/ OSA
SAS/O/OSA
8 January 1973)
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380-73
Section 1
IDEALIST
OPERATIONAL SUMMARY AND STATUS
(1 October 1972 - 31 December 1972)
Nine IDEALIST/TACKLE operational missions were alerted during
this period. Eight were flown, one was cancelled by Project Head-
quarters for weather. All missions were planned to be flown no closer
than 25 nautical miles to the China mainland coast. Following is a
summary of missions completed:
covered for a total of 94 targets covered.
1. Mission C342C was flown on 5 October 1972 off the central
China coast from the Shantung Peninsula south to Shanghai. Photo
interpretability was fair, however, 70 of 85 programmed targets,
19 bonus COMIREX and five bonus non-COMIREX tar ets were
2. Mission C352C, flown on 6 October 1972, covered targets
along the south China coast and the eastern coast of Hainan Island.
Photo interpretability was fair and 75 targets were covered of
3. Mission C362C, flown on 12 October 1972, covered targets
along the north China coast with primary target interest in the area
of the Shantung Peninsula. Cloud cover was estimated at 1%,
resulting in coverage of 71 targets, of which 59 were programmed
Mission C372C was flown on 20 October 19721
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5. Mission C382C, flown on 27 October 1972,
6. Mission C392C, flown on 11 November 1972,
7. Mission C402C, flown on 18 November 1972, covered
25X1 targets along the southern coast of the Shantung Peninsula and
south to Shanghai. A total of 91 targets were covered of which 25X1
75 were programmed and 16 were bonus.
8. on 20 December 1972, was designed
to provide photo coverage of all offshore islands
from Shantung south to te Taiwan Straits. Deteriorating weather
precluded photo coverage of all but the northern portion of the route.
GENERAL
A. ^ RED DOT - Three sorties were flown in support of continuing
film tests using various film types and camera configurations. 25X1
C. HLens - Ten sorties were flown to test the second color
corrected lens for the "H" configuration. Two sorties were flown as
base line tests for the color corrected "tB" lens.
D. "BLUE GULL - T-2 training was accomplished for two U-2
25X1 pilots at Pensacola, Florida, NAS.
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Section 1
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25X1
G. "SCOPE SAINT VI - The Edwards Detachment conducted
an exercise deployment of one U-2R Two
training sorties were accomplished, followed by redeployment to
Edwards AFB, California.
I PILOT AND AIRCRAFT STATUS (AS OF 31 DECEMBER 1972)
A. Detachment "G" (Edwards AFB - North Base)
Aircraft 2 U-ZR
Pilots
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A. J-75P13B Engine - The installation of improved third stage
turbine blades to increase engine life expectancy has continued during
this quarter. Additionally, improved first stage turbine blades have
been developed and will be installed in all engines as overhauls become
due, and new blades become available. Engine Serial Number 612609
was the first to be modified with new first stage blades on 3 November
1972.
IDEALIST
DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY AND PROGRESS
(1 October 1972 - 31 December 1972)
B. U-ZR Flight Test and Operational Training Summary
1. IDE.,%LIST Program accomplishments in U-ZR aircraft
since introduction include 10, 094. 9 hours on 3082 sorties as of
31 December 1972.
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Section 2
2. Flight test and operational data are depicted below:
1 OCT-31 DEC 1 OCT-31 DEC
FLIGHTS TIME
1 - 051 44 114.2
2 - 053 44 121.6
3 - 054 42 184. 2
4 - 055 46 153.8
II. L~JPAYLOAD
A. '1H" Configuration - The new lens installed in "H" Serial
Number 002 produced unsatisfactory results during flight testing and
qualification. The configuration was returned to the contractorts
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facility for engineering evaluation in early December, and should be
available for flight testing again in January 1973.
B. "B" Configuration - The first of two new F/8 lenses for the
B-3 camera was ready for installation on 16 December 1972. The
system will start flight test toward qualification during January/
February 1973. The second lens is scheduled for completion in
March 1973. If this schedule holds, the camera will be flight tested
during the fourth quarter.
C. Camera - OSA will provide technical and
contractural support to OSP and the NRO during the proposed acquisition
of a second F3. 5 Apochromatic lens, and variable slit modifications to
the scan heads of this camera. OSA involvement is expected to continue
until the third quarter of FY 1974.
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E. 1 ^' Vulnerability Studies - This joint OEL, OSI, and OSA
project initiated during the first quarter of FY 1973, is continuing.
During the second quarter, OSI has reviewed the threat to the U-2R,
and simulation studies are planned for the third quarter.
IV. I I .SUPPLY
25X1
A staff assistance visit was made to Detachment "H" during
October 1972. Discussions with personnel and review of supply
procedures, and audited records indicated an effective and efficient
ope ration.
AERO MEDICAL AND LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITIES
1. Office of ELINT Briefing - The OSA Medical Staff
presented medical briefings to OEL students on high altitude
physiology. C/AMS/OSA, served as the
attending flig surgeon during the low pressure chamber
indoctrination flights.
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B. I I Life Support Activities
1. Low Flight Ventilation Unit - The redesigned ventilation
inlet has now been incorporated into the low flight harness assembly.
By doing this, the aircraft vent hose will be compatible with both
the low flight vent unit and the S1010 Pilot Protective Assembly
(PPA) Full Pressure Suit.
2. Olive-Green Nomex Fabric - The standard olive-green
nomex fabric used to fabricate the outer cover of the 51010 PPA
is no longer available. A new vendor has been located who can
supply a similar nomex material of a slightly harder finish and
this will be used on all future 51010 PPA outer covers.
3. Pilot Transfer Van - The Edwards AFB Physiological
Support facility recently declared one of their pilot transfer vans
excess and Detachment "H" Life Support has added it to their
Stock List of Equipment. This will now satisfy the IDEALIST
mission requirements, and it will be unnecessary to reclaim the
25X1 transfer van previously loaned to the Air Force U-2 Program at
Davis-Monthan AFB.
4. Automatic Seat Kit - A proposal submitted by the
I or improvement of the automatic
seat kit hardware has been approved during this quarter. Both
customers agree the effort is of great value and money was
appropriated equally from the Air Force U-2 and the IDEALIST
Programs.
is the subcontracto or the design and R&D
01 the automatically deployment lea ure which will be added to the
Standard U-ZR Survival Seat Kit.
5. Display - In early October 1972 the Cuban Missile Crisis
display was opened at the CIA Headquarters Building. Included in
this presentation was the entire Life Support Assembly worn and
carried by the Agency U-2 pilots during their early missions over
Cuban targets. Although much of the equipment is outdated and
antiquated by today's U-2R standards, it does give an accurate
historical account of Life Support equipment ten years ago.
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C. Training Activities
1. II Survival and Evasion Training at Detachment "H"
Refresher sure' was completed at
Detachment "H" This training was
conducted by two project survival instructors over a two week
period.
2. Survival and Flight Equipment (SAFE) Meeting -
attended the annual SAFE Association meeting
25X1 e in Phoenix, Arizona, the week of 1 October 1972.