BRIEFING (Sanitized), OMB, ON MIDDLE EAST COVERAGE ON 2 OCTOBER 1970, 0930-1100

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78B05703A000500050020-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 31, 2003
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: October 5, 1970
• Content Type: MFR

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Copy of
5 October 1970
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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefing of OMB, on Middle 25
at Coverage on October 1970, 0930-1100
1. The display and briefing illustrated coverage of the Suez
Canal area during August and September, 1970. The case history
of each SAM site constructed or occupied during the cease fire was
presented. Other exhibits illustrated the quality of the coverage
provided by the Icameras in the U-2 missions,and
satellite coverage, Examples were shown of
the use of dummy sites and equipment, attempts to vary the "signature"
of the sites, and the deployment of SA-3 equipment at SA-2 sites
(which would confuse an attacker about the system to expect unless
the switch of systems had been detected). The use of equipment of
one system at sites for another definitely raised the requirement for
good quality, high resolution imagery.
2. Several important substantive points were raised. First, the
lack of a base-line fix at the outset of the cease fire made it difficult
to establish the fact of the first violation. (State had not given
sufficient consideration to the need of monitoring the agreement and
the lead time required if this were to be done.) Secondly, the
language of the agreement was ambiguous so that there was no clear
cut distinction as to what constituted admissible "maintenance" and
movement of equipment already in the area and what constituted a
violation. Third, the U-2 flights are not using the best available
cameras (risk of plane crashing, possible release of photography to
public and/or other countries). Finally, it is clear that the Soviets
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and Egyptians have accomplished a major objective -- the moving of
a formidable SAM screen of SA-2 and SA-3 sites to close proximity
to the canal. The number of operational SA-3 sites has increased
from five just before the cease fire to a probable 27 by the end of
September. The number of SA-2 sites is now well over 100. The
violation is now so massive that it does not require documentation
on a case-by-case basis any more.
3. It was clear that the OMB views the matter as a small-scale
version of an arms control monitoring problem and a valuable lesson
in the role of reconnaissance systems. The questions asked concerned
the substantive problem, the'resolutions necessary and used, the
roles of search and spotting reconnaissance, the need for stereo
coverage, and target density. All of these topics are relevant to the
potential use of a near-real-time satellite in a similar case.
4. The mode of presentation used -- which consisted of dozens
of briefing boards exhibited in a large room -- was distracting because
too much information was within view at one time and there was a
tendency for the audience to break up into small groups discussing
quite diverse topics with the NPIC briefers. ppeared
to take a very casual attitude throughout.
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