THE NAVY'S INTEGRATED OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000300050004-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 17, 2005
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 14, 1965
• Content Type: MF

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14 May 1965
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT : The Navy's Integrated Operational
Intelligence Center
25X1
d ,: e, ' ~ >
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The NPIC survey team and I visited the Columbus Division of
North American Aviation on 11 May to see and be briefed on the
Navy's Integrated Operational Intelligence Center (IOIC). The
briefing was conducted by
The initial planning for the IOIC began about 1958 when the Navy
decided that it needed a capability to continuously update its tactical
estimates. Neither Navy nor the Air Force had the means for
immediate processing and interpreting of sensor-derived information
in a tactical situation.
The design concepts settled upon in advance were that the s stem
25X1 should be capable of multi-sensor acquisition
25X1 and the Initel igence
(.;enter should capable of integrating the products from these sensors.
Optimum use was to be made of machine language to permit rapid
information handling within a Center and for ease of communicating
between Centers. Most important: the components should be either
already in existence or within the state of the art.
The system was built around an existing aircraft: North
American's AU. now designated the RA-5C. The RA-5C is a mach 2
aircraft capable of carrying the bulky and heavy equipment packages
needed. The critical feature of the system is a machine readable
binary data block imaged on each frame of photography. which is keyed
by an inertial naviggtion system. The IOIC has its own photo processing
laboratory. When the developed film is placed In a dual screen
projection viewer, the data block drives the IOIC's self-contained
computer and permits a variety of automated manipulation of the
photography. including an line mensuration and automatic film transport.
The data block also enables automatic plotting to be done. The storage
and retrieval aspect of the Center is not automated beyond punched
card sorting and collating.
NAVY review(s)
completed.
I/
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The IOIC is a compact installation that combines all of the
facilities essential to photo interpretation. It is a quick reaction
system that permits rapid readout of photography and its integration
with information from other sources. The efficiencies of the system
derive from the mating of an inertial navigation system with a machine
readable binary data block, plus compatibility among all elements of
the system. The success of the system depends upon a start-to-finish
control of acquisition, processing. and exploitation. North American
has little knowledge of how well the system has functioned on the
Ranger in Southeast Asia. did not know if it had yet
been fully tested operationally.
Although the IOIC has many automated aspects, some of which are
truly ingenious, much of the operation must still be done manually.
The IOIC does not eliminate the human element is film viewing, in
laboratory processing, or in storage and retrieval. We see two
specific weaknesses in the system. The first is that is is highly
inflexible. The exploitation phase will fit only the acquisition
system it was designed to accompany. Second, the system permits
only a crude interpretation of large scale photography. It lacks the
precision needed for interpretation of satellite photography. The
demonstration we saw of the system's mensuration capability suggests
that it may be inadequate oven for tactical needs.
The mating of an inertial navigation system with a Machine
readable data block is an excellent innovation. We understand that
the OXCART vehicle employs the same or a very similar concept.
We intend to explore with NPIC the feasibility of its adapting some of
the IOIC techniques (such as automatic plotting, film transport, and
mensuration) In its exploitation of OXCART photography. The main
stumbling blocks to a broader application of the ZOIC concept by NPIC
are that Nl"IC must exploit photography in a variety of formats, each
with its own unique data reduction scheme. and that NPIC has limited
influence on the design specifications of the acquisition systems.
Officers at NPIC have followed the development of the IQIC and are
thoroughly familiar with it. We spoke with officers at FTD and at
SAC who know the system well. None with whom we have spoken foresees
for the near future an application by NPIC of the IOIC concept. It
must be borne in mind, however. that the IQIC is a first generation
system, and it would appear that IOIC-like systems will produce a
growing volume of film for NPIC exploitation. In this event we believe
that NPIC will want to apply some of the IQIC concepts.
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Notwithstanding our view that the IOIC has a limited immediate
application to NPIC's problems, t still think there would be much
to be gained from a cross-disciplinary examination of photo inter-
pretation technology. I was much impressed by
approach to problem solving. U he were available. he would be
an excellent candidate to serve on any panel that might look into
the matter of possible new approaches to photo interpretation.
knowledgeability of intelligence systems and his common sense
25X1
ILLEGIB
J. S. Farman
Inspector General
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1964
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