INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR AERIAL PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT AND IMPENDING INTERNATIONAL SITUATION

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79B01709A003500030025-5
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RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
9
Document Creation Date: 
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
October 22, 2004
Sequence Number: 
25
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
September 19, 1961
Content Type: 
MF
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Nvp~ Approved For Rele`' 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5 25X1 COMOR -D-47/ 3 D R A F T 19 September 1961 25X1 MEMORANDUM FOR: United States Intelligence Board SUBJECTS Intelligence Requirements for Aerial Photo Reconnaissance Relevant to the Current and Im- pending International Situation to The Committee on Overhead Reconnaissance has recently reviewed the critical needs of United States intelligence which should be satisfied in order to provide the intelligence support for anticipated policy decisions which will face the United States Govern- ment during the current international crisis o 2. The COMO ecommends that U-2 photography looked most critically at the targets which it recommends and the Justification which it submits a be obtained on certain highest priority targets (See Attachment A). The COMOR has recognized in making its recommendation for over- flight at this time that it is a matter of grave risk and has accordingly NGA Reyriew Completed. Approved F Release 2 05/04/22: CIA-RDP79BO1709AO035 25X1 25X1 Approved For Rele a 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5 3. The COMOR has also taken into account the needs of policymakers for intelligence which will be directly related to the Berlin situation, These targets relate to the following assumptions and the intelligence needs confronting us under the assumed conditions: ae Assuming no near-term settlement of the Berlin crisis. our knowledge of the military situation in East Germany needs to be completed and brought up to data. b. In the event that access to Berlin is closed to the Allies. it is essential to determine the status of Soviet and satellite forces adjacent to Berlin, elsewhere in East Germany. and possibly in certain European satellite countries. Effective determination of the status of these forces would probably require periodic overflights. C. Depending on the course of the Berlin crisis after access routes are closed, periodic coverage may be required of those targets capable of attacking Allied Forces in Europe as well as those capable f attacks es Q. Rebe Chairman on Overhead Reconnaissance Attachment: Justifications for U-2 Operations Against USSR Copy 2--State TCO b--OM TCO 3--OSD i t 7, 8, 9--AFCIN TCO 4--JCS_TCO_ _ 10,11--NSA TCO Approved F Release 2 05/04/2 25X1 Approved For Rele se 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79B01709A003500030025-5 Justifications for U-2 Operations Against USSR Policymakers of the United States Government will require the firmest possible knowledge of the Soviet military power position during the critical period of international tension. It is recommended that U-2 photography be obtained of certain highest priority targets at the earliest feasible opportunity to answer these questions e 2. ICBM: The most important intelligence problem is that of the operational deployment of the ICBM. We believe that the Soviet Union can now fire operationally against targets in the United States only its first generation ICBM. 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved F Approved For Rele a 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5 3. Also through satellite photography we have established the existence of sites a :::]which appear to be designed for the deployment of a second generation Soviet ICBM. The photography, however, is not adequate to establish whether or not these sites might be adaptable for use by the first generation missile. We are left in the position of not having established firmly the exist- ence of any operational launch site for the only Soviet ICBM we believe to be ready for operational use against the United States at this time. Therefore? it is recommended that priority targets on this question of operational deployment of the ICBM be 0 in that order, It should be noted also that coverage of the latter two sites would undoubtedly provide valuable information on the opera- tional status of the new second generation missile system as well as technical details on the system itself. 4. There are other locations which we suspect for ICBM deployment, However. the evidence on which our suspicion to based is insufficient to warrant the employment of the U-Z at this time. 5. MRBM and IRBM We have identified) 1ndi viduall launchers for MRBM or IRBM, though we cannot distinguish from the photography whether these launchers are for 700 1100, or 2.000 mile range. 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1, Approved Forl Release 2 05/04/2 2 : CIA-RDP791301709A0035 00300 5-5 II Approved For ReI61006 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79B01709A003500030025-5 25X1 6. We have proposed a selection of each type of launcher from four geographic areas from which CORONA Operations could select, depending upon operational feasibility, (N. B. Members are requested to propose these items. ) 7. Anti-Ballistic Missiles: We cannot obtain from present or immediately prospective satellite photography the answers to de- tailed technical questions concerning the nature and expected opera- tional date of the Soviet anti-ballistic missile program. We have examined whether photography of the quality of the U-2 will provide the answers to our technical questions and are Persuaded that this is no. Such information, we anticipate, will likely be highly critical in regard to policy questions. within the year. Although on the basis. of our present evidence. it is. not likely that the Soviet Union will have an operational anti-ballistic missile system within the immediate Approved For Release 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79B01709A003500030025-5 125X1 i4 Approved For Rele 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79B01709A003500030025-5 future. the approximate date by which they acquire such an operational system would likely have an important bearing on the relative strategic power of the U. S. and the Soviet Union, The planning of our courses of action during the next year might be strongly affected by the date at which we expect the Soviet Union to acquire an operational anti- ballistic missile system. Our priority targets 25X1 25X1 9, Submarine: The technical characteristics, size, and operational readiness of the Soviet submarine launched missile forces will have an important bearing on the military power position of the Soviet Union during the forthcoming crisis. These submarine forces pose a serious threat to the continental U. S. and its allies. Available intelligence confirms the existence of Soviet guided missile, ballistic missile. and nuclear powered submarines. U-2 photography of bases Approved For Releas 25X1 Approved For Releb4W 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79B01709AO03500030025-5 where these forces are known to be deployed could give us photography which would provide the detailed information on the technical cbarac- teristics. It would also establish the -number of such- submarines in port at that time. In the northern sector. a flight along the Kola Peninsula facing the Barents Sea could provide such answers on that portion of the Soviet submarine fleet. The situation in the Far East is of quite a different order of difficulty be- cause we wodd have to cover four ports. namely, Petropavlovsk. Sovetskaya Gavan, Vladivostok, and Vladimir, only the latter two being proximate to one another. High resolution photography can provide the characteristics from which offensive capability may be estimated. Approved For Release ~ 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For ReIe a 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5 II? A number of new Soviet fighters and bombers were dis- played at the recent air show in Moscow. Targets would almost cer- tainly provide photography of soma of the key airfields at which these planes might be deployed. Photography of these would aid in deter- mining whether or not these planes are being produced in sufficient number to indicate an operational role, 25X1 25X1 Approved For Releose 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5 25X1 Approved For Release 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5 Approved For Release 2005/04/22 : CIA-RDP79BO1709AO03500030025-5