LETTER TO LT. GENERAL D. L. PUTT FROM ALLEN W. DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001200040082-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2003
• Sequence Number: 82
• Publication Date: February 27, 1958
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2003/09/02 : CIA-RDP80B01676R001200040082-7
SECRET
Lt. General D. L. Putt
Deputy Chief of ate'; Lower
United States Air For"
Re" W32i*, The Pwtagen
Washington 25, I.C.
25X1
25X1
Intelligence Laboratory at Rome Air Levelarpeesnt Center.
Our interest In a machine translation capa li-ty ha been
c n$ _ since feaaJ.bi3ity of suech tranh1atlcn eras aasta#~lishsd
called x' attentie* to the program ter U. S. Air Yarcohad been
Sam ng in the a sveZo t or a Iangreage translation denies. We
have been foli the development of the Photfteapi a wry
n4 1..14 -A.
Thank you for your letter of 17 1-e rv 1 jr,
tbie t tease "We we have supported research in this
field at
The present prognosis of our sponsored research is for an
operation.], capability by aid-1950 in the field at pi tiles and
by late 1956 in s stay . Ue have already discussed branching
out into Czech a w Serbe-Creatian as it result of * su*ceasful
'
test '
languages by the t* 011=14000 de ed at
for ~Freach, Chinese and Arabic are on the test
agenda
In the light of our prevent commitments for research in
oecha teat traaaeslatia I do not feel that we can offer funding
sit to your ai*. We chill, of course, conti>aae to watch
the development of the Pbotascopic wry Disc as a high density,
rap d cess device net only for mechanical translation application
but also any application where lairge quantities of. digital infor-
USAF nation meat be stared with si.ni access or **& rob time.
review(s)
completed. Distributions
Orig. & 1 - Addressee
1 - DCI Allen v". Lulleae
1
1
-
11I _ Director
25X1 AID Imttc (60D (26 Feb gm }l : '$F-1 - 1
S hr`s,
V3 Red
CCU'
t. g Fft T'Ae
25X1
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17 February 1958
This aaaw~4t z'
14 t)OWWOO te1 w,,
. ^ ' ,~3 . uvb reeo at
2 ra e nood letter doserib*s the tinwAial hiet r it VA
3. &Itho & the chin was called a aaerarchaaaad a , tr'a nalatic
dasvloa, it v not a * iea traan#latea' nut rather a .>a ha ,o,i
ieUOA4r7- It t not renal as nt*etieal r Utions ip s but es 1d
us anther OMUA (the etorate of the td e a volume of s c1.a1
late .ligeatea iaf'erw^t In 'We Special 4Xtor)?
do
our
device and
the Air Iasaaaah and
that Jeot to c0maeti4sa.
.,.., ... Sa w 4WFWVI
fig the belanoo of the a a th,, a poa tien with ae -
job f-hsar
1
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 Approved For Release 20'03/09/02: CIA-RDP80BO1676R001200040082-7
5. The .AaLZ aA,e
tra n fs red to the Air te11 :eni
further t std. #%r. xuw left International TO:
and Jai A*s"gvh in Jaen y 1958. nr.
iae hi. idea Lor attaching Izis photomopic :'
ter to do tinixbod taraaaetst*tion, t h* basis of
Utionsi DOMau of ; tandoeft I do not belies sush a
~~ .
is xeoeww7 for mechanics-, translation purpose** Awshwagi* the ioux STAT
devela nt period enfls ed by go Mx j t Is t a sorste 4dt t
- t re of our pari a i . researeberss,
ftawkrwl -
.
6. the u 6b% of the vas recitation of the b.a a
Let fa .U# I that you sign the atuabod
STAT
Addressee 4ri & 1
AAD/CR 2
Extra a
P IH:dr
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 Approved For Release 2003J0,d rl G
-RDP801301676R001200040082-7 .
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
Mr. Allen W. Dulles
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
7ashington 25, D. C.
For more than four years, the U. S. Air Force has conducted
a program to develop a language translation device aimed at trans-
lating printed Russian into English. In connection with the USAF
Intelligence Data Handling System (l.38L), representatives of many
departments and agencies have attended progress briefings during
this period. The Air Force realizes the mutual interest held by
the various departments in machine translation, and this letter
attempts to describe the status of this program, to indicate esti-
mated date for attainment of an operational capability, and to
point out means of achieving this capability at a much earlier date.
During the course of this program the Air Force has supported
the effort to the extent of $1,250,000. Programs for FY 1958 and
FY 1959 schedule further support of $1,400,000. At this rate, the
first operational capability is estimated for January 1962.
In recent months a breakthrough has occurred which indicates
a way of obtaining an earlier operational date provided additional
funds can be applied and contracts initiated during March or April
1958. The breakthrough is the 100-fold increase in storage density
of bits of memory without loss of access or search time through the
development of the Photoscopic Memory Disc. This advancement and
the further study and analysis of syntactical relationships of the
two languages now make it possible to accelerate this development
program. The amount of additional funds required for this ac-
celeration is estimated at $500,000 needed immediately, and approxi-
mately a similar amount in FY 1959. As a result, the improved opera-
tional date is estimated to be between January and June 1960. The
estimate of additional funds does not include models of this equipment
for participating agencies though this could be arranged.
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In view of the mutual interest in this program, the Air Force
desires to explore the possibility of funding support from your
Agency. Should more detailed information be needed during the
course of your evaluation of this information, such will be
furnished promptly.
Sincerely,
t 4
2- 7
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