US RECONNAISSANCE ACTIVITY OVER CUBA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2014
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: March 18, 1963
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
STAT
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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RAC No. 032/63
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
18 March 1963
DAILY REPORT
SUBJECT: US Reconnaissance Activity over Cuba
1. Today's Schedule (18 March 1963)
a. Missions: BRASS KNOB 3498 off at 0526 EST.
Estimated time of return 1344 EST.
BRASS KNOB 3499 scheduled off at
0930 EST. Estimated time of return
1732 EST.
b. Purpose: Mission 3498 will cover south coast
and the Isle of Pines. Mission
3499 will cover the north coast.
c. Weather: Good over western third of island and
along south central coast. Fair to
poor over remainder of island. Slight
improvement in central and eastern
areas tomorrow.
d. IPIR due: 20 March 1963
2. Yesterday's Activity (17 March 1963)
a. Missions: BRASS KNOB 3496 and 3497 covered all
flown of Cuba except the western end.
Pilots estimate percentage coverage
of scheduled targets to be 50% and
30% respectively.
b. Weather : Good over eastern and western tips of
the island. Fair to poor over re-
mainder of island.
c. IPIR due: 19 March 1.963
d. Reaction: No significant air defense reaction
I to these BRASS KNOB missions was
I detected.
I
I
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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3. Shipping Summary
a. Soviet Bloc ships confirmed en route to Cuba
1600 EST 17 March:
Tankers
9
Passenger
2
Dry Cargo
9
Total
20
b. Soviet Bloc ships in Cuban ports 1600 EST
17 March:
Tankers
4
Passenger
0
Dry Cargo
20
Total
24
c. Dry cargo ships now in Cuban ports which were
photographed while inbound to Cuba by low-altitude or
surface cameras: 18
d. CIA has received photos of 15 of these ships.
-2-
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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ANNEX TO DAILY REPORT
18 March 1963
The following is the status of "Special Interest" ships
in the Cuban trade:
Ship Type Remarks
En route to Cuba:
Baltika Passenger ETA Havana 21 March 0300Z.
Bajkal Passenger 15 March passed Danish
Straits. ETA Havana 29-30
March. (Estimate)
In Cuban ports:
Orenburg Cargo 16 March probably in Santi-
(Omsk class) ago. ETA Vladivostok end
April.
Krasnograd
Karachaevo-
Cherkassiya
Cargo 16 March in Nuevitas. ETD
Nuevitas 16 March.
Cargo 15 March 0900Z departed
(Krasnograd Isabela de Sagua for Nue-
class) vitas. ETA Nuevitas 16
March.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25 : CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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BRASS KNOB COVERAGE OF COMOR HIGHEST PRIORITY TARGETS IN CUBA
During 10 - 16 March 1963
Dates
Totals
.
Targets
10.
11
1
12
13
14
T
15
16
Sorties
Days
Covere.)
1. Siguanea Cruise Missile Site
0
0
2. Banes Cruise Missile Site
1
1
3. Santa Cruz del Norte Cruise Site
1 1
,
1
.1
1
,
4
4
4. Camilo Cienfuegos Airfield
, 2 1
1
,
1
1
6
5
5. Camaguey Airfield
, 1
,
,
3.
?.,
2
2
6. Holguin Airfield
.
1 1
1
1
1
5
7. San Antonio de los Banos Airfield
. 2 2
,
1
k
1
1
9
8. Mariel Naval Base
2 2
2
_
.2
2
2
10
5
9. Banes Naval Base .
1
1
2
2
10. Cienfuelos Naval Base
1 1
,
1
1
1
5
5
11. Santiago de Cuba Port
1
1
,
1
12. La Isabella Port
1
1
1
1
1
1
6
6
13. Caibarien Port
2 ...,2
,
1
2
2
_
1
12
14. Cardenas Port
1 1.
,2
1
4
4
15. Casilda Port
1
1
,1 ..
1
1
..
4
4
16. Matanzas Port
1? 1
_1
1
1
j.
6
6
17. Havana Port
i
, 3 _ 2
1
2
?
1
II6
18. Guantanamo Area -
.,,,,2
,
,
1
, _
1
1
19. Pinar del Rio Military Camp _
.
1
?
.
.
1
20. Artemisa Military Camp -
_
2
1,
,
1_
2
t
4
21. Holguin Military Camp
. 2 2
'-
1
22. Remedios Military Camp
_ _
2 1_
1_5
_
23. Santiago de los Vegas Military Camp _
2 _ 1
,
1.
,
_
4
24. Lourdes (Tbrrens) Army Camp _
_
1 _ 1
1
_6
, ,
,
5
4
25. Limonar Military Camp _
_ 1
_
_
_
i
1
26. Camaguey Military Camp
_
1
_
1
,
I.
1
3
_ _
28. Managua Staging Area ,
1
2
1
A,
1
1.
8
5
2. Bejucal Staging Area
,2
_2
.
,
2
7
,
4
30. Manicaragua StatamE_Area
.14
1
_
_
_
_
- -
,
,
- 1 _
_
1
During the period 10-16 March 1963, 91 percent of the total land area of Cuba was
covered by photography with 25 percent or less cloud cover. This included oblique
photography up to 70 miles on either side of the flight line.
During 10 - 16 March 1963,171BRASS KNOB missions were flown.
GRUMPY
Excluded from automatic down-
grading and declassification
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naninccifipri in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/03/25: CIA-RDP78B05167A000800130013-9
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