CLANDESTINE COLLECTION OF S&T INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP77B00403R000100070027-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 10, 2004
• Sequence Number: 27
• Publication Date: December 13, 1961
• Content Type: MF

Approved For R .else 2004/11/29 :CIA-RDP77B00403R9i10100070027-1
iVlEM~OR.ANDUNi FOR: Assistant for Coordination/DCI
SUBJECT: Clandestine Collection of S&T Intelligence
1. Scientific and technical intelligence has been increasingly
recognized as of the highest priority National importance in the
Priority National Intelligence Objectives and elsewhere. It is a
major input to estimates not only on the present capabilities of the
Sino-Soviet Bloc to undertake military action or peaceful ""penetration
by technical aid" but also is, in this technological age, the primary
factor in estimating future Bloc postures and threats.
2. The information most necessary to meet the highest priority
scientific intelligence objectives lies in the time stage between the
openly disseminated results of theoretical and basic xeseaxch and those
technological achievements which have already reached advanced testing,
production and deployment stages. This vital gap, in short, is that
information on the policy, planning, research and design stages of
technological achievements which is fundamental to the S&T intelligence
community"s major responsibility to forecast the forms of future weapons
systems at a sufficiently early stage to permit the development of adequate
U. S, countermeasures on a timely basis.
3. The information necessary to fill this vital gap will never be
available from any overt materials or sources, technical collection
devices, reconnaissance missions or casual contacts between Bloc and
Vizestern scientists. Clandestine Services effoxts to date have roduced
information acquired principally on ad hoc bases 25X1
These types of
clandestine collection have provided information either on the overt
aspects of basic science or on specific military systems in, or close to,
the production and deployment stages, As a result of such Clandestine
Approved For Release 2004/11/29 :CIA-RDP77B00403R000100070027-1
 Approved For Release 2004/11/29 :CIA-RDP77B00403R~100070027-1
SUBJECT: Clandestine Collection of S&T Intelligence
Services reporting, our intelligence always will be trying to catch up
rather than looking ahead to anticipated Soviet developments in advanced
weapons systems. Therefore, it is our firm conviction that this most
vital gap concerning the threat of future Sino-Soviet strategic programs
and weapons systems must receive highest priority effort, and we
further believe that it can be filled only by clandestine operations result-
ing in reporting from internal agent assets knowledgeable of or having
direct access to this normally inaccessible data on policy, planning,
research and design.
4. It is recognized that precise identification of valid Sina-Soviet
target personalities (and their organizations) and means of access to
them must be achieved before the development of such internal assets
can be effectively pursued. Such analyses can come only from the
analytical or intelligence producing elements, such as the Office of
Scientific Intelligence working in close collaboration with the Clandestine
Services? This task, however, is more difficult than might first appear
because of (1 }frequently inadequate information to arrive at such precise
findings, and (2) a natural reluctance to undertake such time consuming
studies in the absence of firm policy guaranteeing coordinated and con-
certed use by the Clandestine Services of such analytical undertakings.
Therefore, also essential to the development of a capability far effective
collecting of that information vital to our needs is (1) a policy determina-
tion to develop a program with which to task individual Clandestine Services
components in an orchestrated worldwide collection effort, (2} a concomitant
specific dedication of Clandestine Services manpower resources to the
performance of assigned tasks, and (3} such changes within the DD/P
command structure and the acquisition of such technically qualified
personnel as may be necessary to the effective performance of those
S&T tasks,
25X1
H B ,
Assistant Director
Scientific Intelligence
Approved For Release 2004/11/29 :CIA-RDP77B00403R000100070027-1