PHOTOGRAPHIC RECONNAISSANCE OF AREAS OF INTELLIGENCE SIGNIFICANCE OBTAINED OUTSIDE OF KH AND T CHANNELS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP92B01090R002700030032-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 2, 2008
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: August 20, 1963
• Content Type: MF

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Approved For Release 2008/05/02_ CIA_RDP92B0l090R002700030032-0
20 August 1963
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Committee on Overhead Reconnaissance
SUBJECT: Photographic Reconnaissance of Areas of Intelligence
Significance Obtained Outside of KH and T Channels
1. It has come to light from time to time that a significant
amount of photox reconnaissance intelligence is procured by sources
other than those under the cognizance of COMOR. It is not too difficult
to tap other known sources such as the JRC but clandestine efforts,
photography taken by other nations, and even some attache photographs
are not always readily available. The immediate objective of this paper
is to explore how to devise a cooperative system for identification and
for notification.
2. In the past several months, in addition to the sta.ntlard
need for photography of the Sino-Soviet bloc and Cuba, a need has been
expressed for photographic reconnaissance of various countries in the
Middle East,
southeast Asia. Such demands could result in the deployment and use
of a U-2, failing knowledge of availability of photography from other
sources which might satisfy the requirement.
3. In our estimation, the community requirement for
photographic intelligence could be met better with initial cooperation
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along the following lines:
a. Establish NPIC as the focal point for
receiving reports of photographic activity capable of pro-
ducing intelligence on the Sino-Soviet bloc and the areas
listed above. Initially this means that COMOR members
would report to NPIC any knowledge they had of impending
photographic activity or of the existence of photography.
Additional information on tracks, even though rough, and
type of camera used would help NPIC gauge the potential
value of the photo reconnaissance program in question.
b. NPIC to establish a central file of such
information and institute a reporting procedure. This
report to be in the form of a monthly report to the members
of COMOR. It being understood that in the interval between
reports NPIC through its central file could be responsive
to questions as to whether an area of interest were being
photographed.
c. Upon an expression of interest by COMOR
in receiving photography, NPIC would take steps to procure
it. In the execution of this, it is expected that individual
members of COMOR could be most helpful.
4. It is not felt that the foregoing should become a charge on
NPIC to obtain masses of photography which might be of little value or to
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retain files of photography it does procure if again the photography
proves to be of marginal value. The primary purpose is to learn of
the existence of photography so it may be procured to serve an immediate
intelligence purpose or to obviate unnecessary use of the U-2 asset.
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ROUT ING,,IP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
INITIALS
DATE
Asst/?ps/NPIC
2.
3
4.
5.
6.
7.
RETURN TO SENDER
ACTION
CONCURRENCE
INFORMATION
COMMENT
FILE
SIGNATURE
REMARKS Per our telephone conversation this morn-
ing. This is pretty rough and may violate some
of your roc d res. If it does, I would appreciate
coming up with some constructive
alternatives or the meeting6n Thursday, 20 Aug.,
I personnally feel that this is a serious gap which
we ought toable to plug with some cooperative help
and the minimum of bureaucracy. At least it is
preferable to start out formally rather than to
create a bureaucratic monster that does not reall
y
meet the problem.
FROM
NAME AND ADDRESS P E NO.
32 6B21,
DATE
za; 9 G.
Approved For Release 2008/05/02 : CIA-RDP92BO1090R002700030032-0