CURRENT NEED FOR MIDDLE EAST PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 29, 1973
• Content Type: MEMO

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Approved For Release
SUBJECT Current Need for Middle East Photo Reconnaissance
1. Intelligence community components have identified the follotivinr.
specific substantive problems ai-rainst which a recommended GIANT REACH
mission would be directed
2. No information has been identified in the satellite materials which
generates an urgent need for immediate follow-up photography. The main
substantive problems which Would benefit from current GIANT REACH
photography are the' following:
NRO REVIEW COMPLETED
a. Coverage of the Duzna area near Damascus continues
to be inconclusive as to the presence or absence of Soviet combat
units. H_.igh-resolution coverage with the SR-71 tech objective
camera plus the additional comparative coverage that would be
obtained may provide insight on this question, although it cannot
be guaranteed.
TC C
Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6
 Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6
c. The satellite coverage continues to be inconclusive
on SCUD activity. Additional coverage would provide some
possibility of providing data on this problem.
3. The primary value of the GIANT REACH mission at this time
would be to provide a very current update of the region at a time when conditions
in the region remain fragile. The next increment of satellite photography will
4. On balance, if there are no political reasons for avoiding reconnaissance
overflight of the region, community components would recommend a GIANT REACH
mission during the coming week. DoD elements are pressing hardest for such a
mission. There are, however, no identified specific problems for which there is
an identified current critical need for GIANT REACH coverage.
Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-R DP80B01495R001200080008-6
 Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6
Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80BO1495R001200080008-6
 Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6
MEMORANDUM FOR:
National Intelligence Officer
for the Middle East
Attached is a review of the current need for
Middle East photo reconnaissance. As you will
see, it boils down to a question of whether there
are political reasons for avoiding an overflight in
the region. If these are minimal, the community
concensus would be to have a GIANT REACH
mission to provide current information at a time
when there are many uncertainties about the
situation in the area.
25X1
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29 Na har 1971
(DATE)
Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80BO1495R001200080008-6
 Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6
FYI attached is the memo sent to
I I this morning concerning
need for Middle East photo recce. I
also discussed it with him. We also
reviewed its content at today's COMIREX
meeting.
2q-Nbaen
(D TE)
I
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FORM AUG N 54 'vl WH I CH REPLACES
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Approved For Release 2007/01/24: CIA-RDP80B01495R001200080008-6