REQUEST FOR APPROVAL TO CONTRACT FOR THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A DUAL FORMAT DATA BLOCK READER WITH FAIRCHILD SPACE & DEFENSE SYSTEMS DIVISION (SANITIZED) FROM FY-1972 R&D FUNDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 49
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1 xi
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-MORAND FOR: Deputy Directorof Central Intel
THROUGH
ECT
Ce
Executive D recter-Comptroller
Director, Office of Planning; Prograrming
Budgeting
Assistant Deputy Director for Intelligence
Request for Approval to Contract for the
Design and Fabrication of a Dual Format
Data Block Reader with Fairchild Space
& Defense Systems Division at a Cost of
from FY-1972 RO Funds
This mem randum requests approval for the commit-
t of RD funds for an NPIC contract. The specific,
uest is stated in paragraph nine.
2. The National Photographic InterpretationCenter,
through NSCID tS and the National Tasking Plan s charged
with providing the most effective, timely, and economic
exploitation of photography and remote sensory products.
The Center is also charged with providing certain additional
support to the intelligence community, such as updating
and maintaining the National Data Base and ' ?
a back-un ephemeris capability. The manual
Octobe
Page 9 states: "NPIC will maintain a back-up c
to the Uission Performance Report (MPR). In the
the MPR cannot be made available, NPIC will develop
ephemeri and frame data based on telemetry tapes provided
from the Hand actual film
formats. This information will then be made available
to all NPR recipients.
3. While NPIC has been aware of this general "back-
up data" requirement for quite some time, a new responsi-
bility has recently been introduced. Latest reports
indicate that the MPR, which precedes each missionp will
not contain the time data readout reeuired for data reduc-
tion of the Mapping Camera System in
I---UFFT--1
Excluded from 'automatic
downgrading and
decl assif leaf inn
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1_3x1
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R quest for Approval to Contract for the Design and
Fabrication of a Dual Format Data Block Reader with
Fairchild 6 ace 6 Defense Systems Division at a
Cost of from FY-1972 R&D Funds
this informa ion is containec
recorded on the film. Therefor
WPIC to read the time data from
photography after receipt of the
information will enable NPIC to:
a. Accurately update
b. Provide Center compono
for positioning targets.
C4 Provide the mapping community idth data of
the accuracy required in charting and mapping.
y in the binary data block
it will be necessary for
ach frame of Stellar/Terrain
film in the Center. This
nal ta Base.
th precis?ata
In this regard, the main camera system time readout (which
is included in the MPR) will not suffice for the Mapping
Camera System since the two systems are separately operated,
and it is possible that the conjugate imagery can have as
much as 1004, Or as little as Ot, common coverage between
the terrain camera and the main panoramic cameras
4. Investigation Into the process of manually providing
this readout has shown that, for the 4000 frames of informa-
tion involved, it ay be possible (through interpolation) to
provide this data within one working week. However, the
inherent accuracy provided by the attitudinal system (time
readout to 0.1 millisecond) cannot be maintained through
an interpolation of the data. Additionally, approval has
now been granted to replace the 3400 type film with ultra-
thin base film in the fourth stellar/terrain package; this
will increase the frame count from approximately 4000 frames
to approximately 7000 frames--virtually an impossible task
for manual readout. It is anticipated that Center operations
will require, and make the utmost use of, this refined
accuracy inherent in the Stellar/Terrain system, as it will
furnish target positional information an order of magnitude
more accurate than current systems. Additionally, the
Mapping, Charting and Geodetic (MCG) groups in the intelli-
gence community will use the data for position refinement
in their exploitation.
S. The proposed Dual Format Data B1 ck Reader (DFR)
provide the capability of rapidly and accurately read-
e data from both the stellar and terrain camera formats
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1 )xl
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ECT: Request for Approval to Contract for the Design and
Fabrication of a Dual Format Data Block Reader with
Fairchild Space 4 Defense Systems Division at a
Cost from FY-1972 R&D Funds
This electromechanical device will read
the data from either of two predetermined formats--on nega-
tive, or positive film--while the film is transported at a
rate of 12 inches per second. The DR will locate, read,
organize, and place the data on magnetic tape--with appro-
? priate recognition patterns--for subsequent processing by
the Nprc central computer. The data from the stellar data
block will be combined with that from the terrain data block
in the NFIC computer and: in turn, integrated with the
existing MPR of the mission. An operator will be able to
select a mode of operation, initiate signals, monitor, and
exercise controls through the front panel assembly of the DFR.
6. The effort is felt to be fairly straightforward with
a minimum of technical risk involved due to the fact that
the selected contractor has, int-he past, built similar
readers for the Center. The first reader was built to accommodate
the ICH-4A, data block, while the second handles both the KB-4B
_tavostilation
into a modification of the second reader to handle
material revealed that it would be more expensive to modify
the existing equipment than to build a new reader specifically
7. -The contractor iioffered NFIC two optional apuroaches.
Under the -first option, the *Contractor will build the reader
and supply both the magnetic tape drive and the printer.
Under the second option, the contractor would supply only the
reader; the, magnetic tape drive and its electronics, and the .
printer andassociated electronics would be supplied as GFE.
The second option is the most desirable. First, it saves
and second, the equipment can readily be supplied
as GFB nsingamrponents from the previously completed systems.
of these systems is currently being utilized by NPTC.
There s AO anticipated follow-on to this procurement, since
One instrument will handle the anticipated workload.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP79B00873A001800020049-1 xi
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SUBJECT: Request for Approval Contract for the Design and
Fabrication of a Dual Format Data Block Reader with
Fairchild Space & Defense Systems Division at a
Cost From FY-1972 RD Funds
?9.ft i requested that approva
nogotia e a contract with Fairchild Spac
for the design and fabrication
Reader at a cost net to exceed
funds.
At
hments.
Proposal
Form 2420
CONCUR
AP 0
Distribu
Copy 1
2
4
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grant
and Decnz Systems
Format Data Block
from FY-1972 RIP
ARTHUR C. AHL
Director
ional Photographic Interpretation Center
t
Tepl?Try "
afl
NPIC/SS &PB
DDCI
ER
Exec.
PPB
ADDI
NPIC/ODir
?PIC/TSG
NPICiTSG/RED
a?
appreva
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP 9B00873A001800020049-1