NSCID NO. 8, 'PHOTOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00269R000200060103-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 22, 2006
• Sequence Number: 103
• Publication Date: January 24, 1961
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2007IQ2/03s7AT86B00269R000200060103-9
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USIB-D-69.2/ 1 (Rev)
(As Approved by President on
13 January 1961)
24 January 1961
UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD
MEMORANDUM FOR THE UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD
SUBJECT NSCID No. 8, "Photographic Intelligence"
REFERENCES . (1) USIB-D-1. 5/ 3, 19 January 1961
(2) USIB-D-69.2/ 1 (Rev), Approved by USIB,
4 January 1961
1. At its 12 January 1961 meeting the NSC took the following
action with respect to Recommendation No. 16 of the Joint Study Group
and draft NSCID No. 8 ("Photographic Intelligence")-.
"Concurred in Recommendation No. 16 and approved
draft NSCID No. 8 as submitted, with the provision that
the National Photographic Intelligence Center (NPIC) should
be under the Central Intelligence Agency; and noted the
President's statement that there should be no other center
duplicating the functions of the NPIC, and that the military
services and other departments and agencies should state
clearly to the NPIC their particular requirements. it
2. Since this action was approved by the President on 18 January
the new NSCID No. 8 should be considered effective as of that date.
Accordingly, we are forwarding the attached copy of NSCID No. 8,
as approved, for information and appropriate implementation.
3. The Secretariat is also making arrangements to have this
directive reproduced and distributed to holders of the "Intelligence
Directives" Handbook. Board members or other elements of the
community desiring rd the copies of this
are requested to advise theey may
receive as no later
Secretariat L.
than close of business 31 January.
Attachment
(NSCID No. 8, classified SECRET)
TOP SECRET
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Not to be Distributed NSCID No. 8
Outside the U. S. (New Series)
Attachment
USIB-D-69. 2/1 (Rev. )
(As approved by President on
18 January 1961)
24 January 1961
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL INTELLIGENCE
DIRECTIVE NO. 8
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION
(19 January 1961)
For the purpose of ensuring the most effective, timely and economic
exploitation of photography as a source for foreign intelligence relating
to the national security, and pursuant to section 102 of the National
Security Act of 1947, as amended, the National Security Council hereby
directs that the following policies, responsibilities, and procedures
shall be recognized and established:
1. Policies
To ensure that the capabilities of the departments and agencies
represented on the Intelligence Board are most efficiently utilized for
the foreign intelligence exploitation of photography the following basic
principles shall apply:
a. No complete separation of interest is possible or desirable in
photographic intelligence activities.
SECRET
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Not to be Distributed NSCID No. 8
Outside the U. S. (New Series)
Attachment
USIB -D-69. 2 /1 (Rev.
(As approved by President on
18 January 1961)
24 January 1961
b. Departments and agencies represented on the U. S. Intelligence
Board shall continue to be individually responsible for photographic
interpretation and the production of photographic intelligence in support
of established departmental or agency responsibilities and the utilization
of such photography and related collateral information in the production
of intelligence, such as, warning intelligence, orders of battle, estimates,
technical intelligence, precise geodetic data, targeting, maps, charts,
matrices or other targeting materials and related research and development.
c. To promote an integration of effort and to avoid unnecessary duplica-
tion and expense, a coordinated interdepartmental approach to the exploi-
tation of photographic intelligence shall be established.
d. Subject to applicable security measures and. on a "need-to-know"
basis, there shall be full interchange of all pertinent photographs and
photographic intelligence analysis among the departments and agencies
concerned.
e. Certain photographic intelligence functions can be best performed as
a central service df common concern, for the maximum benefit of the
entire intelligence community.
SECRET
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NEW
Not to be Distributed NSCID No. 8
Outside the U. S. (New Series)
Attachment
USIB-D-69.2/1(Rev. )
(As approved by President on
18 January 1961)
24 January 1961
2. Centralized Responsibilities
a. A National Photographic Interpretation Center (NPIC) shall be
provided as a service of common concern by the Director of Central
Intelligence in consultation with the interested members of the USIB.
(1) The Director of the NPIC shall be designated by the Director
of Central Intellligence after consultation with the interested USIB members
and with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defense.
(2) The Intelligence Board departments and agencies engaged in
photographic intelligence production shall jointly provide appropriate
personnel and other support for the Center, as agreed by them with the
Director of Central Intelligence. Such supporting personnel shall be
functionally under the direction of the Director, NPIC, for joint activities,
but shall remain ad.minsst:ratively responsible to their parent organizations.
(3) The administration of NPIC in time of war shall be transferred
to the Secretary of Defense.
b. Foreign intelligence related photography shall be made available
from photographic processing facilities to the Center and to designated
SECRET
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Not to be Distributed NSCID No. 8
Outside the U. S. (New Series)
Attachment
USIB-D-69. 2/1 (Rev.
(As approved by President on
ll8 January 1961)
24 January 1961
photographic intelligence units of Intelligence Board departments, agencies
and commands simultaneously, and without delay for preliminary analysis,
within the bounds of any special security controls required.
c. The NPIC shall provide on a selective basis for the preliminary, rapid
interpretation of photographic detail, including where possible tentative
identification of such detail; and shall make appropriate distribution of
such preliminary interpretations, with supporting references to appropriate
related collateral information, to interested elements of the community.
d. It is the intent of this directive that NPIC not engage in the production
and dissemination of finished intelligence. Photography which appears
to be primarily of departmental or agency significance shall be the primary
exploitation responsibility of the department or agency concerned. The
Center, itself, shall produce and disseminate NPIC photographic interpre-
tation reports (based on an analysis of photography using other sources
to assist in this interpretation) and provide other materials and services,
in support of the national intelligence effort and approved Priority National
Intelligence Objectives.
SECRET
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Not to be Distributed NSCID No. 8
Outside the U. S. (New Series)
Attachment
USIB -D-69. 2 /1 (Rev.
(As approved by President on
18 January 1961)
24 January 1961
e. The NPIC shall also furnish such additional support to departmental
and agency interests as can be provided without degradation of activities
already specified in paragraph 2. c. and d. , above.
f. The NPIC shall maintain on a selective basis a consolidated central
file of photographic data as a service of common concern. It shall make
arrangements for the exchange of photographs and photographic data with
other photographic collections in the Intelligence Community, and shall
make appropriate recommendations to facilitate the coordinated develop-
ment of compatible codes, indexes, and mechanized systems for the
efficient recovery, selection and collation of available photographic data.
g. The NPIC shall engage in or sponsor, as appropriate, the develop-
ment of specialized equipment for the intelligence exploitation of photography,
and shall provide information about such specialized equipment to interested
elements of the intelligence community for their own possible use or further
adaptation.
h. The NPIC shall examine and make recommendations to the U. S.
Intelligence Board, as appropriate, as to any special security controls
required.
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Not to be Distributed NSCID No. 8
Outside the. U. S. (New Series)
Attachment
USIB-D-69. 2/1 (Rev. )
(As approved by President on
18 January 1961)
24 January 1961
3. Coordination
In discharging its responsibilities the NPIC shall consult, as
appropriate, with individual departments, agencies and. committees of the
U. S. Intelligence Board. The intelligence chief of each department or
agency represented on the U. S. Intelligence Board shall coordinate
photographic intelligence activities within his parent organization with
the National Photographic Interpretation Center.
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