MINICARD EQUIPMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00878R000800120032-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 14, 2002
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: October 17, 1955
• Content Type: MF

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SAPC -2181
Copy of 6
MEMORANDUM FOR : Project Director
SUBJECT : Minicard Equipment
1. You will recall that the first time we discussed film
25X1A processing equipment with Eastman Kodak the suggestion was made by
that we consider Minicard equipment in order to make the
recovery of information at the Photo Interpretation Unit comparable
with the system under procurement by OCD. Our decision to proceed
along the lines of this suggestion was based upon the philoso hythat
through AQUATONE it was hoped to make available a new fund of knowledge
which would be more comprehensive in some respects than textual fund
of knowledge now in existence in the Agency but nevertheless comple-
mentary so that an analyst in seeking information concerning, for ex-
ample, a specific locality could, in comparable operations, call for
both types of material. Ideally information from AQUATONE would
become part of the normal information files of the Agency so that
in a single operation an analyst could retrieve all information
concerning a particular area of interest.
2. Because of security considerations and the present space
situation it did not appear to us to be possible to provide for the
ideal type system. Some physical separation between OCD and the Photo
Interpretation Unit appears to be dictated by present circumstances.
Furthermore, our investigations reveal that the Minicard equipment
ordered by OCD would have only a capacity sufficient to handle normal
OCD material. As a consequence we decided to procure basic Minicard
recording equipment as part of the AQUATONE system. T--he--b asic equip-
men)-was-intended to-provide-a- capability to produce' iinicards on each
useable photographic frame. The basic card would reproduce the entire
frame and would contain initial information on scale, location) etc:,
which would be readily available at the time of film processing. The
STAT initial quotation wasi o cover one camera, one processor, one
cutter, and one basic sorter.
3. Further-consideration of the.,Minicard system and its potential
use to suss lem . -the- -pac,ity .cf .. e men) being procured by OCD
STAT at a cost o led _to a revision of our Minicard requirements'
2 5X1A which are reflected in a memorandum dated September 21, 1955 by Mr.
ese changes include a substitute of two cameras for
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the single contact type previously ordered, one Minicard duplicator,
one Minicard viewer, and four flexowriters. As a result of this
change the AQUATONE capability on Minicard equipment for preparing
basic Minicards and in produc, w, rmation wou e comp e e
and independent of the 05 -system and could handle a capacity,Qf
1500 frames in an eioht hour day. Information retrieval through
the use of a_ ccxnplex sorter was not provided for. The new total
cost for AQUATONE Minicard equipment was thus brought to
STAT
4. In preparing specifications for the equipment required for
the Photo Interpretation Unit it was originally thought advisable
to provide an additional set of Minicard equipment which would have
the capability of producing basic Minicards on material reaching the
Photo Interpretation Unit from sources other than AQUATONE, repro-
ducing Minicards upon the introduction of new data, and retrieving
desired Minicards through the use of a complex sorter. The cost of
a rather extensive Minicard installation contemplated for this unit
is set forth in two memorandums dated September 27. 1955 byI- 25X1A
and it appears to be in the neighborhood of-I
STAT
5. In order to make a determination on the extent of Minicard
equipment procurement which should be undertaken at this time it'
should be borne in mind that the Minicard system is new and checked
out in?simple prototype form. Resolutions for photographic work are
not certain, operating capacities in the complex systems are not fully
known, and optimum designs for our purposes have not been fully proven.
There is no question that the system works and will, over the next
several years, become an essential part of the intelligence business.
6. Based upon a consideration of the factors set out above, j ,.L
appearg.tWtthe.,Agenc procurement policy on Minicard equipment should
be:
a. Proceed as rapidly as possible with the procurement of
ent for handling textual material at a cost of
for information retrieval.
b. Proceed with procurement of the AQUATONE equipment de-
scribed in the memorandum of September 21, 1955, mentioned
above, which will supplement the capacity of the OCD equip-
ment to an extent sufficient to accommodate the expected
flow of photographic material.
c. Install the OCD equipment as presently planned, i. e., at
the OCD Information Center.
d. Install the AQUATONE equipment initially in R:oalm ster as
an adjunct of the AQUATONE film processing plan inLLorder
to prove out the effectiveness and designs of the Minicard
equipment intended for use for photographic material.
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e. Suspend procurement of Minicard equipment for the
Photo Interpretation Unit until the AQUATONE equip-
ment has been checked out.
f. When the AQUATONE equipment has been proven determine
whether the capacity of this set of equipment is
sufficient to take care of the needs of the Photo
Interpretation Unit and if insufficient procure
needed additional equipment.
g. Institute a research and development program at an
estimated cost of II looking_towad,_,the develop-
ment of Minicard Aerial Photo Stereo Viewers, Minicard
Aerial Photo Comparison Viewers, a Minicard Collator,
and a Minicard Code Printer.
h. Pending the check out of the AQUATONE Minicard equipment
through operation in Rochetster, information retrieval
from the AQUATONE take will be through the use of simple
mission plots overlayed on maps.
STAT
i. Upon check out and approval of AQUATONE Minicard equipment
in Roche/ster move the equipment to the location of the
Photo Interpretation Unit and add such supplementary
equipment as may be required to increase the usefulness
of the Minicard mode of presentation and the use of the
Minicard system by OCD. This additional equipment in-
cludes a document enlarger, a document and graphic index
camera, an aerial photo enlarger, a complex selector,
and aerial photo viewers. These items have been engineered
either in part or in toto and except for the complex selector
would not require extensive check out. Even the complex
selector should not require a too extensive check out since
it would be quite similar to the selector procured by
OCD.
7. The steps outlined above appear to have the merit of providing the
Agency with a Minicard capacity which could handle the flow of material
both to OCD and the Photo Interpretation Unit since ultimately the AQUATONE
product should become part of the information files of the Agency and be
handled as normal incoming material. The AQUATONE Minicard equipment
and the COD Minicard equipment would together define the Agency's
capability in this respect and when ultimately installed together would
not exhibit unnecessary duplication. Additional equipment, as indicated
in 6 i above, might be required for a fully rounded out Minicard prepar-
ation and retrieval system. Additional capacity can be provided by later
procurement of equipment of the type indicated in paragraph-6 f. Pro-
curement of such additional equipment can be started after sxue trial
use of the OCD and AQUATONE equipment. Sufficient lead-time should be
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available especially if one remembers that the flow of AQUATOAE
material will probably increase in volume from a rather modest
start. In this way we can make maximum use of our experience on
volume and equipment capacity to guide us in our procurement program.
Your comments on the above and specifically on the steps
outlined in paragraph 6 would be appreciated so that the contractor
can be advised at the earliest possible date.
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