SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMMING SUPPORT TO NFAC

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00890R000500030070-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 27, 2006
• Sequence Number: 70
• Publication Date: March 6, 1981
• Content Type: MF

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ODP 81-296
6 fa!.[".I'll 11;:111
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Administration
FROM: Bruce T. Johnson
Director of Data Processing
SUBJECT: Scientific Programming Support to NFAC
1. The attached memorandum is a thorough discussion of the
history of scientific programming support. It is quite clear
from the memorandum that our present capability to support sci-
entific applictions is considerably diminished. However, this
was not done purposefully, but as a painful byproduct of the
growing workload of mandatory requirements that confronted this
office during the late 1970's.
2. The Office of Data Processing undertook to support the
CAMS (COMIREX Automated Management System) for the Intelligence
Community and the MAP (Management Assistance Program) for the DDA
from a resource base of 80 professionals that was inadequate to
handle these two requirements alone, let alone the ongoing work-
load. There was no higher management support (DDA level) for
additional slots, indeed our applications workforce was actually
reduced. Something had to give and we opted to reduce our in-
vestment in scientific programming. This action was consistent
with the growing decentralization of scientific programming
taking place in the Agency at the time.
3. Most scientific programming in the Agency is done under
contract to DDS&T and NFAC components. The central investment in
scientific programming support in ODP has never been large.
However, we have always provided the computer resource for DDS&T
and NFAC staff and contractors' scientific endeavors. In fact,
the second largest use of our batch service is in support of
scientific programming.
4. Over the years the Office of Scientific and Weapons
Research (OSWR) has been impacted the most and continues today to
feel the effect of our reduced investment in staff scientific
programming support. We have already increased significantly our
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investment in contractor support to OSWR and are presently nego-
tiating for the creation of additional slots in OSWR into which
we can place resident specialists with the requisite scientific
skills under our rotation program. We believe these are the
proper actions on our part to answer the NFAC requirement.
13ru o nson
Att: a/s
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FROM: I
Chief, Division
Office of Data Processing
SUBJECT: Scientific Programming Support for OSWR
1. Summary: The nature and extent of ODP's scientific program-
ming support to NFAC and other Agency components has changed dra-
matically over the last seven years. ODP reorganizations and the
transfer of ODP from the Directorate of Science and Technology
were part of a conscious change of emphasis in ODP's data process-
ing services. In applying data processing technology throughout
the Agency, ODP scientific analysis skills have been necessarily
displaced by data processing skills. As a result ODP analytical
support for scientific applications has almost disappeared though
scientific programming support remains viable.
Discussions with OSWR have emphasized ODP programming and systems
support which can be provided efficiently and with a good cost-
benefit justification and have de-emphasized analytical support
which can not be provided with current personnel and hiring/train-
ing limitations. The ability to provide analytical support to
OSWR has recently been severely weakened by the termination of a
contractor team.
2. Background: Prior to June, 1973 the applications staff was
organized on a functional basis. Support for scientific applica-
tions was provided by the Scientific Applications Division (SAD)
which was staffed by some 34 staff employees and an average of
eight co-operative program students and resident contractor
employees. SAD personnel were primarily mathematicians, statisti-
cians, physicists, engineers, and so forth who became competent in
scientific programming in order to use computers effectively in
their professional activities. A good number of Division members
held advanced degrees in their discipline or obtained such degrees
subsequent to their assignment to the Division.
ODP, then the Office of Computer Support (OCS), was in the Direc-
torate of Science and Technology. The demand to support S&T oper-
ating elements was high, and the applications were pushing the
state of computer technology.
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In 1973 the functional basis for organizing applications was
changed and the office was transferred to what is now the Direc-
torate for Administration. With the subsequent advances in data
processing technology the emphasis for ODP, then the Office of
Joint Computer Support (OJC S) , was to apply this technology more
widely throughout the Agency. Data Processing training for non-
OJCS personnel was provided, users in every office were provided
with computer terminals, and many Data Base Management Systems
(DBMS) were developed.
Although the shift in ODP support emphasis was not a direct attack
on scientific analysis, it was perceived as such by some profes-
sionals. Skilled personnel transferred to the offices they had
previously supported and were eagerly welcomed by these offices to
provide a continuation of the support received from SAD. OD&E and
FMSAC (today's OSWR) were the main beneficiaries of these trans-
fers.
Since the mid-seventies most of the remaining people who were in
SAD have been promoted to jobs in management. They have not been
replaced by junior people with comparable skills.
3. Applications Support Today: The ODP applications organization
today consists of two functionally organized divisions, A and C,
which support non-scientific, and DBMS applications and two heter-
ogeneous divisions, B and D, which support a variety of non-scien-
tific, DBMS, and scientific applications.
The personnel in B and D divisions are more likely to have Com-
puter Science degrees and/or experience rather than degrees in
mathematics, the physical sciences, or engineering.
Within B Division one group is organized to support scientific
applications. This group consists of five staff employees, two
co-operative program students, and one contractor. Additionally
one B Division senior analyst and twelve contractors support the
TADS (Telemetry Analysis and Display System) for OSWR. One B
Division senior analyst supports statistical applications Agency-
wide, and one part-time senior analyst provides support to an ODP
sponsored linear programming development project. Fourteen pro-
grammers in B Division are proficient in FORTRAN, the language
commonly used for scientific applications.
D Division support to scientific applications is limited to
short-term projects, mainly the conversion of contractor written
software. One staff member who has a degree in mathematics cur-
rently provides this support.
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4. Effect of Contractor Termination: Until mid 1980, ODP had a
contract with the Geodynamics Corporation for six persons to sup-
port trajectory, aerodynamic vehicle and missile analysis, and
programming for OSWR. One of the contractors was the key person
for analysis using the Multiple Vehicle Simulation (MVS) program,
a keystone in OSWR's analysis efforts.
The contract was terminated in 1980 at the direction of the
ADD/NFAC because of security breeches by the contractor. The loss
of the contractor personnel and the analytical skills they poss-
essed was a crisis. ODP cannot replace the skills of this group
except over a long term.
5. Discussions with OSWR: Meetings with OSWR regar
su ort have been held with the Deputy Ch
I I and the NFAC ADP Control Officer, In adds- STAT
tion to the Geodynamics contract termination, a oss o key peo-
ple in the Computer Applications Branch of AVAD (AVAD/CAB), and
the increasing need for scientific applications support throughout
OSWR made the level of ODP support an even more important issue.
In one meeting I said that ODP could provide maintenance support
and limited development for OSWR programs. We could not provide
test case analysis of the MVS program since the contractor with
the required expertise had left. And we agreed that ODP could and
would continue TADS support and development at the current level.
An effort to replace Geodynamics was planned for FY-81 but these
contractors would most likely not be able to provide analytical
support. Initially the contractors would be used for maintenance
thus freeing up staff personnel who could then concentrate on pro-
gram development.
One area for support that has a very high payoff - conversion of
existing programs from other government or commercial sources -
was mentioned. B Division had several requests from OSWR for pro-
gram conversion at that time and since has received one other.
ODP would provide this support although I asked that ODP not be
requested to convert programs developed under an OSWR contract.
I lagreed that ODP would be consulted to avoid OSWR devel-
oping programs that would not run on Agency computers.
Rotations from ODP to OSWR were also addressed in light of the
critical shortage of skilled programmers in the Computer Applica-
tions Branch. I agreed with the concept and benefits to be gained
by both offices but added that a new rotation position during a
hiring freeze would hurt ODP's ability to handle its already large
workload.
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6. Actions: B Division has developed a RFP for six contractor
personnel for maintenance and development of scientific and non-
scientific applications to replace the Geodynamics personnel.
B and D Divisions have agreed to transfer the OSO telemetry appli-
cations (and the one contractor doing these applications) from D
Division to B Division. B Division thus has responsibility for
telemetry related systems from the tapes entering the Agency, to
batch programs processing the data, to the TADS and other analysis
programs. This move, forced to a degree by the rotation of a key
person to OSO, will hopefully allow the analytical process to be
treated as a single system so that ODP resources can be allocated
for the maximum benefit. One additional staff employee was
assigned to work with the contractor.
B Division has also received a CDC-IBM FORTRAN conversion program
from the Federal Software Exchange. This program, if it proves
satisfactory, will make the conversion of contractor or government
software more efficient.
7. Prognosis: Scientific applications support to OSWR and other
Agency components will not reach the level previously provided by
Scientific Applications Division. Although ODP has strength in
its data processing expertise, the number of personnel supporting
scientific applications is too low to sustain other than a minimum
hold-on effort over the long term.
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