HSIANG-HSIANG EXPLOSIVES COMPLEX CHINA

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP78T05439A000400390029-8
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
10
Document Creation Date: 
December 28, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 7, 2001
Sequence Number: 
29
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 1, 1965
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP78T05439A000400390029-8.pdf457.47 KB
Body: 
ILLEGIB Approved For Release 2001/07/12 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000400390029-8 Approved For Release 2001/07/12 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000400390029-8 This document contains classified information off.ct;np rti,. n,tion,l security of the.Uni$E. States within the meaning of the ?spionog0 lows U. `s. God. Title 18, Secticnt 71' and 774. The law prohibits ifs transmission or the revelation of Its contents In nny mnnn?r t, an uncut%?aris?d erton, at WWII os,its use In any manner pr.judiefol to the safety or Interest of the United St,t?a or fo? tti. b.nefit of any forai2n roveinmentto the detriment o1 the United States. It is to he teen only by 5.rto. n.l especially indoctrinotad,and outhurised to receive TALENT-KEYHOLE Information. Its security must L. r?,intoin.d in accordance with KEYHOLE and TALENT regulations. Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only t TCS-80248/65 HSIANG-HSIANG EXPLOSIVES COMPLEX CHINA TOP SECRET RUFF 14 NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER TOP SECRET RUFF Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only TOP SECRET RUFF NO FOREIGN DIS~EM 25X1D 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X9 25X9 SUMMARY Recent photography, includin KEYHOLE missions of indicates that construction is continuing at the Hsiang-hsiang Explosives Complex, China. A new rail 'spur, a transloading building, and 8 explosives storage buildings have been added to the Loading and Storage Area since -expansion is also evident in the Fac ry Area and the Housing and Administration Area. The most highly secured portion of the complex, the Processing Area, has had the least amount of new construction. INTRODUCTION The Hsiang-hsiang Explosives Complex is located 9 nautical miles (nm), northeast of Hsiang-hsiang, China, and 13 nm west-south- west of Hsiang-tan at 27-50N 112-40E (Figure 1). This report describes the changes and new construction at the complex since 'publication revious. reportjJ based on photography 25X1 D continued throughout the complex (Figure 2). The most significant additions have been,in the Loading and 213 Area where a new rail spur, an associated= new transloading building, and 8 explosives, storage buildings served by individual roads have been added since the- coverage. In the Factory Area a building under construction in_has been completed, 7 new buildings have been added, and another is under con- struction. The Processing Area, the most' highly secured in the complex, has had the least amount of new construction; 2 suR16FID FIGURE 1. LOCATION OF HSIANG-HSIANG EXPLOSIVES COMPLEX, CHINA. TOP SECRET RUFF Handle .Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only C T 25X1 D 25X1 D Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only 'TOP SECRET RUFF storage buildings were added, 2 buildings were revetted, and the inner security wall was extended. . Approximately 25 new single-story multifamily structures have been added in 2 of the housing areas. No significant changes 25X1 D have been *observed since in the section designated Possibly Related Area. 25X9 FACTORY AREA - 25X1 D I 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X1 D I The Factory Area (Figure 3) is located. in the northern portion of the complex and appears to be entirely surrounded by a wall. Smoke has never been +lobserved coming from the boilerhouse stack this area. The laboratory- type building and construction in the north- west corner of the site in has been completed, but a -nearby large building which was also under construction at that time arently still incomplete in- At least 7 new buildings, 4 of which storage-type structures, have been con- structed in the Factor Area and another was begun between A drainage canal was constructed to drain a number of -small ponds in the section north and east of the Factory Area rail spur; the drained land was subsequently filled and is apparently an area of expansion. The 4 new storage-type buildings and the building under construction are located in this drained and filled area, and existing roads were extended into it. A new road was built along the west margin of the drained area, parallel to the rail spur. A number of new structures have also been built east of the drained area, out- side the security wall. A separately secured area adjacent to the southeast corner of the Factory Area contains a series of interconnected buildings straddling a loop road; this was previously designated as a part of the Special Handling Facilities, I/ but it now appears to be a motor pool for the complex. It is. outside the Factory Area security wall, the separate security provisions are neither complete nor significant, and ye- ,hicles can be observed within the pool on 25X1 D photography of both 25X1D The Burn Area/Proof Yards, located across the stream which borders the western edge Area, have not changed since There is no evidence of any high-explosives test points in this section. = A road from the -Burn Area/Proof Yards now designated Possibly Related Area (9 2) and formerly called New Construction. 1/ There is no apparent secu.Yity around these buildings, and the lengths indicate that the buildings are probably storage structures. The largest of the 4 measures 215 by fry feet; an open portion in the roof area of this build- - ing has not changed since photography of_ 25X1 D PROCESSING AREA The Processing Area (Figure 4) is locat~~edI-11 approximately 1 nm south of the Factox~5A 1 and is connected to it by a rail spur and'a hard-surface. road. There has been relatively little new i n in the Processing Area since th photography. 1/ Although this area was the most highly secured at' the complex in security provisions have 25X1 D been further strengthened since tha2x TOP SECRET RUFF Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only TOP SECRET RUFF NO FOREIGN DISSEM 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X1 D 25X1 D The inner security wall was extended to enclose the south side of the area; this new section of wall was first identified on pho- tography of The fence outside the wall has apparent y not been changed, but the southwest corner of the fence inside the wall was removed. A bridge observed on_photography near this corner of the area was removed prior to photography of and roads serving the bridge were abandoned and the sand returned to cultivation. This would indicate that the bridge was tem- porary and used only to transport construction materials across the stream to the site. Only 2 new buildings have been added to the Processing Area, and both are apparently ? o ,support or storage structures. These build- ings were constructed betwee during the same time period earth revetments were adde to 2 nearby buildings which were present in A feature previously identified as the trans- loading platform 1/ was apparently the early construction stage of an apron for the trans- loading facility. The apron was complete by the time of the most recent coverage, but not as discernible as on previous photography. This darker appearance suggests that the apron has been black topped and therefore blends with the adjacent vegetation. LOADING AND STORAGE AREA The storage capacity of the Loading and Storage Area, which is situated in hills north- east of the Processing Area, has beep increased significantly since (Figure 5). There have not been any changes in the area security provisions. A new transloading building measuring 180 by 45 feet was built near the southern entrance to the area, and a new rail spur was constructed to the building. Both the building and the rail spur were added to the area between during the same l5g I D a new road was constructed around the trans- loading building. Eight new explosives storage buildings of various sizes have been added to the area since ese buildings, which 2 X1D dividually served by new roads, are located in small valleys; this terrain provides good blast protection. Five of the buildings were con- structed between 1 between between last 2 were probably Still under const but the small scale of the photography limits interpretation' of details. The 3 larger build- ings and the smaller building nearest to them are circled by narrow trails Or ditches. New construction began after photography of at a location in the eastern section of the area. This new constr consists of a rectangular scarred are D road construction. The road pattern indicates that additional storage buildings will probably be built in this area. HOUSING AND ADMINISTRATION AREA New multifamily dwellings have been added to the Housing and Administration Area and the Secondary Housing Area'South (Figure 2) since photography of No signifi- cant changes were observed in. the- as il-D istration section, and no additional apartment buildings have been constructed. Three large shops in the northwest corner of the Housin and Administration Area, ob- served on hotography, wee(i and 9 single-story-multifamily struct ~v11 placed them. Additions were built on 8 near- by structures, doubling their size. Approx- imately 16 single-story multifamily structures have been added to the Secondary Housing Area South. Handle Via `TALENT-K-EYHOLE Control System Only TOP SECRET RUFF NO FOREIGN DISSEM A ILLEGIB Approved For Release 2001/07/12 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000400390029-8 Next 1 Page(s) In Document Exempt Approved For Release 2001/07/12 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000400390029-8 Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only TOP -SECRET RUFF TCS-80248/65 ILLEGIB ILLEGIB ILLEGIB 25X1 D PRIY.RY Ro.D SECONDARY ROAD - - TRAIL OR DITCH I- RAILROAD FENCE ~~ -~- POSSIBLE FENCE BUIL4-UP AREA ILOCAL HOUSING) POND TOP SECRET RUFF NO FOREIGN DISSEM Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only 25X1 C , 25X1 D ACIC. USAF Operational Na'%igation ('hurt, Sheet ONC-H-11, 3d classified ed, 3:i %far 63, scale 1:1,000,000 (CONFIDENTIAL) 1. NPIC. R-1039.'63, //slang-/i.siang Explosives Complex Near //.tiiany-Pan. China, Jul 6? (SECRET/No Foreign Dissem) TOP SECRET RUFF TOP SECRET RUFF NO FOREIGN DISSEM Handle Via TALENT-KEYHOLE Control System Only