IMAGERY ANALYSIS SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING CALENDAR YEAR 1969

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B05703A000300100002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 8, 2003
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: January 1, 1970
• Content Type: REPORT

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Declass Review by
NIMA/DOD
Imagery Analysis Service
Accomplishments During
Calendar Year 1969
Top Secret
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JANUAKY61970
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IMAGERY ANALYSIS SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
DURING CALENDAR YEAR 1969
This paper, summarizing the major accomplishments of the CIA Imagery
Analysis Service during CY 1969, is a part of the IAS submission for
planning for the FY 1972-1976 period. It is meant for use in conjunction
.with the current [AS Five-Year Plan submitted in December
1969.
Progress in Organization and Method
During the first half of 1969, IAS surveyed its non-substantive
support structure in an attempt to achieve greater efficiency, a more
logical alignment of functions, and, if possible, to make available both
positions and points for assignment to substantive research work. As a
result of this examination, it was decided that a reorganization of IAS
supporting elements was warranted.
The first step in this reorganization was taken in June when the
Production Branch was abolished, and those positions and functions formerly
assigned to it were reassigned to two newly established components: the
Publications Branch and the Requirements Management Branch. This change
permitted us to consolidate resources concerned with the publication and
editing of IAS reports with a centralized graphics section. The net
saving from this initial reorganization was the freeing of one position
in specialized services to be used where needed in imagery analysis. It
also resulted in the downgrading of another position from GS-II to GS-10.
As the second step in this reorganization, we have submitted a plan
to combine all of our supporting elements into one unit under a senior
manager, to achieve further efficiencies in the utilization of personnel
and the performance of functions and to create a better delineation between
administrative staff functions and technical support. This plan is still
under consideration at higher levels.
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Progress in Recruitment and Training
During the year IAS reviewed its recruiting and hiring practices with
the Office of Personnel, and this resulted in a simplification of our
applicant review system and speeded up both the review and processing
activities. We compiled a new recruitment flyer for field use in support
of both IAS and NPIC. Recently IAS terminated its participation in both
the summer intern and cooperative education recruiting programs. Our two
years' experience with these programs showed them not to be cost effective.
We are now relying essentially upon the Skills Bank to meet our recruiting
needs. We are maintaining close coordination with the Office of Personnel
and are sharing applicant files with NPIC.
Total IAS training for the year amounted to 18,000 man-hours or 6
percent of the total time expended. Much of this time is accounted for by
the training of new imagery analysts at the Strategic Air Command's 12--week
P.I. course at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Eleven IAS personnel were
put through the Offutt course in 1969, bringing our total attendance there
to 27 since the formation of IAS in early 1967. We plan to continue our
policy of sending all new professional employees to this course; six recent
EOD's are scheduled for the January 1970 session.
Our program of continuing on-the-job training places emphasis on
selected on-site inspection trips to military and industrial installations
because we have found that such trips contribute significantly to the
development of a professional analyst. We are continuing to make use of
OTR-sponsored courses, and where feasible we provide financial support for
those of our analysts who desire to pursue further formal education in areas
related to their work.
Progress in Substantive Output
During CY 69 IAS produced 1,223 substantive reports, including 984
memoranda distributed selectively and mainly within CIA (an average of
six copies), 109 published reports (mainly basic reporting) disseminated
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community-wide (125-150 copies), 99 cables, and 31 issues of "IAS Notes."
These totals are about the same as those of the preceding year. As in
the past, the reports, briefings and illustrations produced by IAS were
contributed largely for incorporation with intelligence from other sources
into the finished intelligence issuances of CIA, especially the Intelligence
Reports and Memoranda prepared by the production offices.
During 1969 we endeavored to utilize a variety of reporting formats--
Imagery Analysis Memoranda (IOM's), Imagery Analysis Reports (IAR's), and
interoffice memoranda (IOM's)--selected according to the subject matter and
the number and level of users identified. We plan to continue this
approach with emphasis on the ]AM format, which has great utility and
flexibility and is very economical.
CIB and PQR. In addition to the above, lAS has recently been called
upon to support two other Agency activities: the Central Intelligence
Bulletin (CIB) and the President's Quarterly Report (PQR). With respect
to the CIB, IAS was directed by the Assistant DDI in October to review
drafts of CIB Black Book items containing imagery-derived information and
to advise the originator promptly on any problems related to this informa-
tion. This practice is useful as an additional guarantee that production
office submissions incorporate the most accurate, up-to-date imagery-derived
information available. It is comparable to the IAS review of draft NIE's
performed since 1967.
. The PQR is a quarterly report managed by OSR on the status of Soviet
strategic attack forces. Our role in this effort, as established in
December 1969, is to verify the accuracy of imagery-derived information
and to recommend and prepare appropriate illustrations.
Preliminary Assessments. During the last half of 1969, the preliminary
assessment of satellite reconnaissance missions was streamlined in order to
meet a shorter schedule. and to focus these assessments on only those subjects
of major interest or importance to the DDI and DCI. To accomplish this, IAS
now concentrates its initial analysis of the imagery on a list of topics of
importance prepared by the production offices in advance of each satellite
mission. If it becomes apparent from NPIC's first-phase readout or IAS's
initial review of the imagery that there are other items of particular
significance, these also are included. This streamlining of the preliminary
assessment activity makes it possible in most cases to deliver the finished
report within two working days of receipt of the film rather than three as
before.
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During CY 69 IAS participated in 18 preliminary assessments of satellite
reconnaissance missions, working with production office teams chaired by OSR.
In addition, IAS unilaterally prepared assessments of 43 aircraft missions
for the DDI. About 70 "miniboard" illustrations were prepared to visually
highlight selected items from both types of missions. Significant findings
from each satellite mission were also presented orally by an IAS briefing
team, in one or more sessions, to 125-150 personnel at Headquarters,
including ONE Board and Staff members. Foreign liaison representatives
received separate mission briefings on a more restrictive basis.
Detailed Analysis. Detailed imagery analysis support to the intelli-
gence production offices of CIA continues to be our major task. During CY
69 considerable progress has been made with respect to our stated goals of
a year ago--to upgrade the quality and presentation of analysis, to cut
down on non-essential projects, and to improve the timeliness of our
response to requirements.
The following items are highlights among the ]AS projects which
resulted in the production of significant intelligence information during
the year:
1. Imagery-derived information on the deployment of the Soviet
SS-9, SS-II, and SS-13 ICBM single-silos was provided by IAS in the
spring of 1969 for analysis by the production offices in connection
with the ICBM debates taking place in Congress. 11uch of this informa-
tion was incorporated in special assessments for the DCI to use in
discussions with high-level government officials and the legislative
body. It also served in part as the basis for developing the current
NIE 11-8-69 on this subject.
2. A study of Soviet Y-Class SSBN production at Severodvinsk
revealed significant information about that submarine's configuration,
composition, and construction patterns and led to the development of
a methodology for determining the number of units under construction
and launched. This methodology not only permitted the Agency to arrive
at an exact figure for Y-Class production through June 1969, which is
reflected in the NIE, but also provides indicators useful for following
subsequent production as new imagery is acquired.
3. During the year, IAS undertook very detailed studies of the
electric power distribution
in China,
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provided information essential to refining the estimate of the amount
of Uranium-235 produced in China and had a major impact on NIE 13-8-69.
Similar studies are now being produced on Soviet gaseous diffusion
plants.
4. Our program of monitoring photographic coverage of the Sino-
Soviet border area increased in magnitude and importance during the
year, with the escalation of tension in that area. Our experience in
supporting the production offices on this problem resulted in a more
effective approach to exploiting incoming imagery in crisis-monitoring
situations of this type. Also of potential value with respect to
monitoring future developments along the Sino-Soviet border are IAS
studies of the traffic along the Trans-Siberian Railroad, done in
support of an OER analysis of the line's capacities and norms.
5. IAS continued to make a major contribution to the CIA analysis
of the North Vietnamese logistic network through Laos. Determining
the status of lines of communication in the North Vietnamese and Laotian
panhandles has been a continuing effort over the year. Analysis of
road conditions through Mu Gia and Ban Karai passes during the past
rainy season has been of particular importance to OER as well as DDP.
We also continue to follow North Vietnamese efforts at economic
reconstruction.
DDP Support. The amount of imagery analysis support provided to DDP
in CY 69 dropped to 6 percent of our over-all total, as compared with 10
percent last year. Part of the decline in chargeable support can be attri-
buted to the fact that IAS maintained only one imagery analyst in an overseas
TDY status during CY 69. It should be noted, however, that IAS continues
to have nine analysts on PCS duty with DDP overseas, and to provide trained
replacements when tours are over. Roughly 60 percent of the chargeable IAS
support was in response to requirements from Headquarters components, but
the level of this support also declined as DDP retrenched. Considerable
[AS activity this year was helping to determine best locations and methods
for emplacing technical intelligence collection devices.
Basic Reporting. By July 1969 IAS had successfully completed its
portion of the National Tasking Plan (NTP) for FY 1969. Within that fiscal
year a total of 276 non-military industrial installations were studied.
The majority of these are located in China with the remainder in the USSR
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and North Korea. These studies resulted in the production of 51 Basic
Imagery Interpretation Reports (BIIR's) and 124 Briefs (BIIB's). Industries
analyzed included: electric power, iron and steel, cement, petroleum,
copper, aluminum, chemical, and fertilizer. For reasons of economy and
usability, in the second half of. FY 69 we started producing consolidated
basic reports in which the analysis of as many as 40 installations in a
given category (e.g. the cement industry) was presented in a single
document. The trend toward consolidated reports has continued through
the remainder of CY 69. Work is progressing almost on schedule, and we
expect to fully meet our FY-70 commitment for production assigned under
the NTP.
IAS has also produced three interim BIIR's during 1969 on topics
which are the NTP responsibility of either DIA or NPIC. Since much of the
imagery analysis work necessary for the production of these reports had been
completed by IAS in response to CIA direct support requirements, we published
the information as BIIR's with the concurrence of the responsible organiza-
tions, in order to conserve community imagery analysis resources. In the
interests of avoiding unnecessary duplication, IAS also made available to
DIA and NPIC our studies prepared for OSR on more than 500 Soviet, Chinese,
and Polish ground force and logistical installations.
Experimental Imagery Analysis. IAS experimentation early in 1969
resulted in the development of techniques for the identification of standard
Soviet housing facilities and standard Soviet support structures. Both of
these techniques are contributing to a better understanding as to the size
and make-up of worker populations at Soviet strategic installations.
In June 1969 an Unidentified Targets Group was established in IAS for
the purpose of establishing procedures and creating conditions conducive
to the accurate identification of significant unidentified installations
at the earliest possible point in time. Since then, more than 200 installa-
tions have been reviewed, a list of priority installations has been prepared,
and large-scale imagery has been requested where especially needed. This
experimental effort on the part of IAS appears to show promise as a means
of assuring that adequate coverage of these facilities will be acquired and
examined by imagery specialists.
At the end of the year, we had 7 experimental projects under way in
addition to the above. Some of the more ambitious were: The development
of an imagery analysis technique for determining manning levels for Soviet
ground forces; an investigation of possible indicators for identifying a
mobile missile system on satellite photography; and the measurement of
U.S. domestic facilities for field verification and evaluation of our
mensuration techniques.
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Quantitative Summary. During CY 69, IAS expended 162,500 man-hours
(including some overtime) on discrete, measurable imagery analysis projects.
The following table shows distribution of effort, by percentage.
IAS TIME EXPENDED ON IMAGERY ANALYSIS AND REPORTING I/
January - December* 1969
(by percentages)
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Subject Percent
Country
Percent
R
equester Perc
ent
Clandestine O
ps
USSR
39
DDI 5
7
Support
6
China
25
DDS&T 2
0
Ground Forces
17
Vietnam
7
DDP
6
Nuclear Energ
y Weapons,
Sino-Soviet
2
COMIREX
7
CW, BW
Laos
6
DCI
I
Strategic Attack
Cambodia
I
Other 2/
9
Missiles & Space
II
E. Europe
3
10
0%
Naval Forces
6
N. Korea
3
Non-Military Industries
II
Other 2/
14
Strategic Defense
Missiles & Electronics 9
Transportation and
Logistics 9
Air Forces 4
War Damage & Reconstruction I
Geographic Studies 4
Other 2/ 13
100%
1000
I/ Personnel involved are imagery analysts and their Branch Chiefs as well
as illustrators and intelligence assistants who support them directly
on imagery analysis projects.
2/ Includes projects covering more than one subject, country, or requester
where no breakdown can conveniently be made or the percentage expended
is less than one. Also includes brief consultations and general file
maintenance.
* Percentages are based on a 12-month projection of actual figures for
January through November 1969.
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A comparison of -these figures with those of 1968 reveals a decrease
in support to the clandestine services, and significant increases with
respect to ground forces, transportation, and non-military industries.
There was also a drop in the imagery analysis of war damage and reconstruc-
tion in Vietnam, and increases in work on Laos and North Korea.
Overtime. IAS achieved a reduction of 28 percent in the amount of
overtime expended by its personnel during the past year (11,000 man-hours
in CY 1969 vs. 15,400 man-hours in CY 1968). Average annual overtime per
professional imagery analyst dropped from 142 man-hours in CY 1968 to 86 in
CY 1969.
Progress in Specialized Services
In CY 69, an estimated 35 man-years were expended on providing
specialized services to IAS--14 by IAS supporting elements and 21 by NPIC
(as compared with 27 by NPIC in CY 68). The services provided within IAS
are mainly information control and storage, photoreproduction, preventive
maintenance of equipment, requirements handling, and publication support.
During this year we expanded our equipment inventory, but we were able to
meet most of our needs for preventive maintenance on exploitation equipment
with in-house resources. We also realized savings in analytical time during
assessments of new missions by obtaining improved, more specialized predicted
target listings from NPIC. IAS continues to rely on NPIC for supporting
services which would be costly and inefficient to duplicate, such as photo
and lithographic reproduction, computer services, complex photogrammetry,
the Maintenance of complex electro-optical equipment, and P&D related to
imagery exploitation.
NPIC has met our needs in most cases on a timely and satisfactory basis,
but them are currently three areas which give us concern: computer services,
mensuration sport, and the maintenance of complex egL,ipmen .
We recognize that NPIC computer services already have a large workload,
and we accep* delays with understanding; but we can foresee that additional
support, including computer programming, will be required to meet our future
needs for on-line equipment and ADP services.
NPIC's capability to meet IAS priority needs for complex mensuration
support during peak workload periods was at times severely strained. We
consider it imperative that IAS continue to receive the eouivalent of four
man-years of mensuration support from NPIC, including the agreed minimum of
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1 350 mani ours in any mot At the same time, we will continue to maximize
use of in-house equipment, which has been expanded during this year, to
meet CIA needs for less complex solutions.
We continue to rely on NPIC for the maintenance and repair of complex
equipment, such as our on-line comparators and forthcoming devices for use
with NPIC's Integrated Information System. As more new equipment of this
type is installed in IAS, as well as in other locations within
we are concerned that NPIC's small group of qualified electronics maintenance
personnel might become critically overburdened and unable to provide IAS
with adequate support in this vital area.
Progress in Equipment
Three omparators are now in the process of being installed and
tested. Li e our Chip Comparator, these instruments operating
on-line to NPIC's computer will considerably increase our capability to
perform precise mensuration on high-resolution satellite imagery in house.
Procurement of eight 0 MIM-3 light tables, which have an
improved microscope carriage, has permitted us to put our Q Versatile
Microscopes into service. Although these high-quality instruments have
been on hand for some time, they were unusable before due to the lack of
an adequate light table.
factory.
Leasing of a Xerox Telecopier for use in conjunction with the gray/
green telephone systems has given us a secure in-house means of exchanging
messages of substantive importance with Agency Production Offices. Although
not completely satisfactory, we expect to make continued use of the Telecopier
until a better facsimile transmission system, the LDX, is made available to
NPIC as a common-use item for occupants of and is proven satis-
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