AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03362A000600160002-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2000
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: MISC

Approved For Release 2000/08/28 : CIA-RDP78-03362A000600160002-4
TAB
Approved For Release 2000/08/28 : CIA-RDP78-03362A000600160002-4
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AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE
I. Directorate of Air Intelligence
If you were a group of Air Force officers recently assigned to
intelligence duties at the Pentagon,, the Policy and Management Staff
would probably brief you on the Directorate of Air Intelligence down
through the various Divisions, to the Branch level. As members of CIA
you will be more concerned with the mission and the functions, rather
than the channels of Air Force Headquarters Air Intelligence, The
Director of Intelligence USAF has defined the principal goals of his
Office somewhat as follows: To maintain a continuing estimate appraising
the threat of pre-emptive* action by Communist air forces to the
psychological, economic and industrial strengths of the North American
continent; US capabilities for employing weapons of mass destruction;
UN forces in Korea; UN interests in Europe (NATO); US forces in Japan
and US forces in Alaska. *He used the word "pre-emptivef" because it
implies a broader meaning than "offensive" -?? and includes certain fore-
handed actions which are basically defensive in nature. It is no longer
possible in the atomic age to consider offensive and defensive postures
as distinct and separate. Offensive warfare implies seizing the initiative,
but it also must include defensive preparation for the retaliation which
is considered to be inevitable.
The objective of these continuing estimates and studies by the
Directorate of Intelligence is to identify over-all trends and most probable
courses of action, in order to preclude strategic and tactical surprise.
The Director is, of course, charged with the responsibility for providing
intelligence to the Headquarters Staff necessary for the broad planning of
offensive action by the USAF with the aim of destroying the enemy's strength
and will to wage war. In this connection he must estimate the capabilities
for resistance by Communist forces to such US air operations. The Intell-
igence Estimates prepared by the Directorate do not cover the operational
intelligence requirements of the several Air Force Commands. (Overseas
Commands -~? Strategic Air Command Tactical Air Command -- Air Defense
Command -- Continental Air Command.) (During the War an experiment in
Centralized Command was made in directing day-to-day operations of the 20th
AF against Japan.) While they may call upon Headquarters for assistance, they
assume responsibility for their own requirements in the light of their various
assigned missions.
Before going into the functions performed by the various components of t e
Directorate of Intelligence I want to point out a major change in organization
of H.Q. USAF that has taken place since World War II. The Air Force at that
time (being a part of the US Army) followed Army practice and designated
Assistant Chiefs of Staff to conduct activities in the name of the Chief
of Staff. In other words, the functions of the High Command were centralized.
Today, this has been radically altered by introduction of the Deputy System,
In place of the Old A-l,, A-2, A.-3, and A-4 p acting for or in the name of the
Chief of Staff in matters pertaining to Personnel, Intelligence, Operations and
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Supply, we have five Deputy Chiefs of Staff who have wide latitude for
conducting operations within their respective spheres of delegated
responsibility. These are the Comptroller, the Deputy Chiefs of Staff
for personnel, Development, Operations, and Materiel. Intelligence,
formerly headed by an Assistant Chief of Staff, has been made subordinate
to Operations, but within the Directorate of Intelligence the Deputy
System also prevails. Under the Director of Intelligence there are
three Deputy Directors. (for Collection and Dissemination; for Estimates;
and for Targets.) The Air Technical Intelligence centre is not under a
Deputy Director but is never-the less on a comparable level. It is located
at Wright Patterson Air Base, Dayton, Ohio.
II. Office of Collection and Dissemination
Here raw intelligence collected in the field flows into the Collection
Division and passes through the Dissemination Division to the Offices of
Estimates, Targets of Air Technical Intelligence; as appropriate, for
collation, evaluation and application to current intelligence problems.
Dissemination of air intelligence is also made to the field commands. The
Strategic Air Command, the Tactical Air Command and the Air Defense Command.
Let's not forget that there is a two way flow through this office. Collection
requirements developed by Air Force H.Q. and requirements sent to the Air
Force by other agencies are channelled through this office to the Air Attaches
at US missions abroad or to USAF overseas commands.
Other functions of this office include, Directing the Air Attache System,
supervising air reconnissance requirements, producing photo-intelligence,
directing the evasion and escape program, maintaining A.F. relations with
authorized foreign military officers accredited to or visiting the United
States. (Protocol)
Now we come to the Deputy Director for Estimates. This office
produces Air Force Intelligence estimates and studies on the activities,
capabilities, vulnerabilities and. intentions of foreign powers. It also
satisfies requests from other IAC agencies for special estimates within this
frame of reference. There are four Divisions in this office. The first is
the topical Intelligence Division. It is concerned with day-to-day intelli-
gence or Current Intelligence.
III. Topical Intelligence Division (Day-by-nay Intelligence)
Monitors indications of Soviet-Communist intentions (world wide),.
prepares daily indications report, maintains indications room, provides USAF
representation on IAC Watch Committee, briefs foreign air attaches, maintains
Air Intelligence Room and conducts daily briefings for the Air Staff, edits
all contributions and publishes the Air Intelligence Digest.
IV. Intelligence Integration Division (The heart or center of Air Intelligence
Estimating activities.)
Services air intelligence requirements received by the D/I from Navy,
Army, Joint and combined military agencies, CIA, Advises D/I in voting on JIC
matters, participates in JIC ad hoc committees, prepares USAF contributions to
NIE follows IAAC agenda relating to USAF and recommends D/I potition at IAC
meefin s monitors supervises reviews and edits BE contributions to NIS
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selects intelligence factors in USAF liar Plans annexa.
Military Capabilities Division (East, West)
These two Divisions are constantly engaged in assessing the Air Order
of Battle and the Military Air Capabilities of the Soviet Bloc and the
non-Communist world, They attempt to balance the one against the other,
These Divisions are basically engaged in research on foreign air establishments,
their air facilities and aids to navigation, the results of which are published
as "Air Facilities of the USSR" and, "Airfield and Seaplane Stations of the
World." These publications are under constant review as new information
becomes available. There is a working arrangement between the USAF and the
RAF for the exchange of data for mutual benefit.
VI. Deputy Director for Targets
In the early days of World War II there was no centralized organization
for target selection or for providing assistance and systematic target
analysis to the various operational theaters. In Europe we had to depend
upon the British for our basic target materials and target analysis studies.
In the Far East we had nothing and had to develop materials and systems for
the bombing of Japan as we went along. In 1944 we had all the following
agencies working in the targeting field; the Office of Strategic Service,
the Army, Navy and Air Force, the OSRD (Scientific Research and Development)
and the Foreign Economic Commission. Toward the end of the War a Joint
Target Group was formed which had responsibility for the selection of strategic
air targets. After the war, this joint concept continued, and under a
directive of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Strategic Vulnerability Branch
in the Aix Intelligence Division of A-2 was formed. From this small Branch
has evolved into the Office of the Deputy Director for Targets. There are
three divisions: The Physical Vulnerability Division, the Target Analysis
Division and the Target Materials Division. The Overall mission of the
three divisions is to insure that the Air Force has the capability of
delivering the right weapon on the right target at the right time,
VII. Physical Vulnerability Division
Analyzes the cost and effectiveness of air weapons against various types
of targets to determine the structural make-up and layout of components and
estimates their vulnerability. Selects the most desirable point of impact,
or ground zero, and also the quantities of a given weapon required at the
weapon release line for the desired results. This division develops class..
ifications of targets on the basis of physical characteristics and vulner-.
ability to damage by BLAST, FIRE, STATER, EARTH SHOCK, PERFORATION AND
FRAGMENTATION.
VIII. Target Materials Division
Programs, schedules and monitors the production of AIR OBJECTIVE FOLDERS.
These are dossiers of information prepared for individual targets and are
required for operational planning and for the guidance of bombar crews assigned
to such targets, Air Objective Folders contain target data sheets, navigation
cgiffts of the Taget area approach maps, aerial photograph of the target both
o que views and ver icai. mosaics. Inter-continental bombers no longer depend
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on visually aimed attacks, Hence the production of RADAR Target Intelligence.
The aiming point is now shown in air objective folders for such missions as it
would appear on the Bombardier's Radar Scope. This Division directs the
development and production of such material.
IX. Target Analysis Division
Analyzes the vulnerability of military and industrial targets of foreign
countries to air attack. It maintains studies of all types of significant
targets under such categories as: Atomic Energy, Biological and Chemical
Munitions, Industries and such supporting industries as those concerned with
metals, equipment, chemicals and agriculture. It estimates the air defense
which would counter the delivery of weapons of mass destruction. This
Division also analyzes the political, sociological, psychological and
general economic factors affecting the selection of air targets and target
systems. In this field would be the consideration of "bonusf" targets. For
example, by selecting industrialPlant A, the bonus target or dividend might
be the simultaneous destruction of the city's principal communications center,
The destruction of Target B, on the other hand, might include an adjacent
housing development for industrial workers. In the case of Plant C, a
hydroelectric station, the release of impounded waters with consequent
area flooding might prove to be the decisive factor in placing the target
in a special category, This Division also maintains the Bombing Encyclopedia,
The Encyclopedia was commenced in 1946. It amounts to an alphabetical,
numerical and geographical INDEX to all possible targets of significance
throughout the world. It lists hundreds of thousands of such targets.
X. Air Technical Intelligence
This unit of the Lirectorate of Intelligence is located at Wright
Patterson Air Base, Dayton, Ohio, Its mission is to look into the future
by studying the present trends in Air Technical Development. Before an
evaluation of Soviet and US air technical capabilities 10 or 15 years from
now can be made on a relative basis, we must know a great deal about present
relative capabilities, As a result of these studies the Air Technical
Intelligence Center will evaluate our own long-range technical development
plans and recommend future objectives timed to put the USAF out ahead of the
Soviet Air Foree. Ten or fifteen years hence, These Technical intelligence
recommendations are made to the Air Research and Development Command.
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