RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT APPROVAL REQUEST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B04747A003000060018-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 16, 2001
• Sequence Number: 18
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2i : CIA-RDP78BO4747AO03000060018-4
25X1A
25X1A
I. Identification
This program covers the bailment of an Processing Unit
and a Laminating Unit with all necessary appur enances, materials, dyes,
personnel training and consulting services for a one-year period. The
project will come under the Technical Development Program of the P&DS,
NPIC, at a total estimated cost of The item was included in the
NPIC financial plan for Fiscal Year Mahe evel under the
category "Special Techniques and Development Stu ies is project
constitutes the third part of a three-part effort toward development of
improved, unconventional photographic systems to supplement conventional
silver-halide systems.
II. Objectives
The objective of this program will be to provide NPIC with a working
experimental model of a new, extremely rapid, versatile and automatic
full-color printer-processor for purposes of in-house familiarization and
experimentation in color reproduction and potential uses. The device
will provide a test vehicle to aid in the establishment of design parameters
for NPIC color-duplicating systems of the future.
III. Background
It has long been recognized that for exploitation color photography can
provide a valuable supplement to black and white photography. Neverthe-
less, the use of color concepts and systems for-analysis and interpretation
has lagged for many important reasons; some of which are:
(1) In the past color acquisition systems have been prohibitively
poor in color fidelity and resolution.
(2) The effects of atmospheric haze has presented an almost
insurmountable problem, particularly in the blue record.
(3) Little has been known about the color balance or imbalance
best suited to interpretation problems.
(4) All color duplicating systems have lacked sufficient image
quality and resolution.
(5) Access time has been prohibitive because of the complex
processing procedures.
Declass Review by NIMA / DoD
SECRET
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Many research and development efforts are underway to evolve solutions
th intelligence
b
i
o
n
to the many problems involving the use of color
Mi-
currently conducting studies of potential systems for acquisition anu r
duplication. The Air Force is engaged in several programs to determine the
best means of acquisition; whether full color is more useful than two-color
systems; and what materials should be employed. Several. private interests
are exploring means for achieving greater information readability by multi-
zone spectral acquisition and spectrazonal analysis of black and white
images, followed by later synthesis in widely separated colors.
The above efforts have led to the conclusion that significant gains
can be achieved through the use of color as a supplement to black and
white photography for both acquisition and exploitation.. At the same time
these efforts have revealed vast areas of the subject about which little
is known.
Perhaps the most significant work so far has been that performed by
the Reconnaissance Branch at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base. As a
result of their recent work it was dramatically shown that quite useful
originals could be acquired on high-resolution black and white film as
black and white separations in the respective "green" and "red" regions
of the spectrum with total exclusion of the "blue" region. The black
and white images when used in conjunction with two-color prints, printed
from separations in divergent colors, yielded images of highly improved
readability.
The Air Force work shows that a way has been found to provide color
acquisition in black and white and at the same time of high resolution.
The demonstration of its feasibility and value now justifies vigorous
pursuit of a high-quality system for reconstitutin the color images from
black and white separations. The proposed system with some 25X1A
modification may prove to be ideal for such a purpose.
W Printer-Processor is a single, automatic unit
designe o expo , process and dry a full-color print in approxi-
mately three (3) minutes. The system is classed as an electroplating
process that plates out dyes complementary to the exposure color, for
each of three color separations. The proposed unit is color-balanced for
color negatives but could be readily adapted or color balanced to exposures
from black and white color separations. Also, the system could very readily
be made to print out only two colors. Color balance can be changed at will.
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Another adaptation of this system may well provide a black and white
enlarging system capable of producing a dry enlarged print in less than two
minutes. This exceeds the capability of any other system known to the NPIC
Staff for providing black and white enlargements and would satisfy an existing
problem at NPIC.
The points described above present only a few of the many diversifications
possible with the proposed Electrocolor printer-processor.
It is proposed that the rinter-processor be located in an
experimental space (other than - ie Pro uc on Services Division) for extensive
testing and experimentation for a one-year period and that a competent
operator be trained specifically to carry out the program on a full-time basis.
Upon completion of this contract, it is anticipated that PDS and PSD would
have the knowledge necessary to establish detives for one or more
operational units based on the principles of eproduction concept.
as volunteered to cooperate in every way possible to
assure maximum ene it from the system and to incorporate any new improve-
ments in the machine as they become available.
IV. Technical Specifications
No specifications wer immosed directly upon the proposed contractor.
A brief description of the e Processor follows:
rocessor
1. The processor is a utilized machine which
incorporates the necessary components to produce full color 82" x 11"
projection prints from 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" through 4 x 5 inch color
negatives.
There are six timing controls -- three for exposure and
three for plating. These are located along the side of the machine for
easy access and are quality timers designed for accurate repeatability.
Each timer is individually set for the desired exposure for each color
and the desired plating time for each dye bath. The overall exposure
level or the overall dye plating time may be varied by a percentage
compensation dial. The electrical system carries its own voltage
stabilization to deliver a constant electrical supply to the light source.
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2. Other controls which are incorporated to adjust to various
operating conditions are generally set during installation and will
need no further adjustment. These include the following:
a.
b.
Wash water timer.
Air knife timer
c.
Hydraulic
elevator
speed for dye tanks.
d.
Hydraulic
indexing
speed for water knife.
e.
Hydraulic
air knife
vertical travel speed.
f.
Exposure
lamp voltage.
The wash water temperature as well as the platen circulating
water system temperature are controlled by Powers Regulator valves. They
must be checked periodically to maintain water temperature.
V. Contractor and Financial Arrangements
laced with the
The contract will consist of a bailment agreement to cover the printer-
processor and the laminating unit. The quoted price will include all materials
and dyes, as well as installation, adjustment and alignment, instruction of
an operator and services of a consultant as required.
VI. Coordination
The proprietary nature of this system has limited the coordination for
this project. The Vendor has strongly advised NPIC personnel against premature
release of technical knowledge to people likely to inform competitive companies
of accomplishments. However, staff investigation throughout DOD components
an in ustry reveal that this program does not duplicate any other development
effort capable of meeting NPIC's requirements.
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