MEMORANDUM FOR: GENERAL MARSHALL S. CARTER FROM JOHN A. MCCONE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001300020001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 11, 1963
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2004/00A.
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11 April 1963
MEMORANDUM FOR: General Marshall S. Carter
1. Attached is a copy of a confidential memorandum that
I have written on the Future Reconnaissance Operations.
2. The reasons for my raising the questions posed in this
memorandum and establishing a requirement for a study as pro-
posed are outlined in the closing paragraphs of the memorandum.
3. I would like your recommendations concerning the
membership of the panel and the time required for such a study
and report. This latter question will be controlled to some extent
by work which has been done to date in this area, all of which can
be made available to the panel.
4. It is my opinion that the panel should be chaired by
someone outside of government, that members should be drawn
from CIA, Department of Defense, NPIC and NASA and from the
outside as well. Appropriate facilities and staff support should be
provided principally by CIA, but by the other agencies as well.
5. If you have views to the contrary with respect to the
composition of the panel, I hope you will discuss your views with
me immediately. Frankly I am afraid that if this panel is chaired
by CIA, parallel studies might be initiated in DOD.
6. It is my intention to discuss this matter with
Secretaries McNamara and Gilpatric at the first opportunity.
NRO review(s) completed.
This document may be
downgraded to SECRET
when detached from
attachment.
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11 April 1963
FUTURE RECONNAISSANCE OPERATIONS
We are on the threshold of bringing into being developments
which will provide substantial improvements in our reconnaissance
capability in the following areas:
a. Manned aircraft -- the A-12 or OXCART will be a
vast improvement over the U-2 with respect to speed and altitude
capabilities. Camera improvement insures resulting photography
of higher resolution than U-2 photography.
b. Drones: One type of drone capable of carrying a U-2
type of camera is now in existence and operational. A new drone
to be launched from an A-12 and with flight characteristics similar
to the A-12 is under active development and will be available in
about 18 months.
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c. Satellites: The CORONA operates satisfactorily;
resolution of the photography leaves much to be desired. The
LANYARD is operational and should produce photography mid-way
between CORONA photography and U-2 photography. /
It is to be noted that the LANYARD - while ready -
has not been flown successfully.
I Nevertheless,
the outlook for substantial improvements in satellite photography
are sufficiently promising to raise the following questions in my
mind:
1. Will the improved photographic satellites
produce reconnaissance photography adequate to
meet our needs ?
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2. What further developments are considered
feasible and should be undertaken in the interests of
developing a system which would be an improvement
over both the LANYARD
3. What is the vulnerability of the satellite
and what steps are being taken to protect it?
4. What are the applications of A-12 drones,
what quality photography is expected from them,
and would their operating characteristics be such
as to provide useful coverage in areas important
to the security of the United States?
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These questions are raised because of doubt in the
minds of some as to the political realities of A-12 manned
aircraft flights over the Soviet Union. It is apparent now that
such flights would be detected; they would create international
incidents of such serious consequences, they might be vulnerable
to ground interception, and most certainly would be vulnerable
to malfunctioning while over enemy territory.
There is a strong possibility that international political
consideration would militate against the use of the OXCART over
the Soviet Union and this raises the question of alternative
means of securing photographic intelligence, the principal source
of which would be improved satellite photography.
Because of understandable policy questions relating to the
use of the A-12 over Soviet territory I, as Director of Central
Intelligence, must seek a considered answer to the above questions
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and to do this wish to empanel a small group of the most knowledgeable
people both from within the government and from the outside, who are
versed in the disciplines which control the answers to the above
questions and to seek from them a report on the feasibility of
improving the quality and resolution of satellite photography, the
immediate steps that we should take to reach the ultimate goal, and
finally the security of our satellites against interception by the
Soviets.
An important part of this study will be a judgment as to
just what resolution of photography is necessary to provide
meaningful intelligence and a precise determination of the
resolution now attained in the U-2 photography, the expected
resolution from the A-l2 and the probable resolution obtainable
from presently programmed satellite photography, and finally
from feasible improvements in satellite photography.
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 I M
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