POSSIBLE PILOT GAS CENTRIFUGE PLANT AT SIHALA, PAKISTAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01184A000200090001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 1, 1979
• Content Type: REPORT

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Top Secret
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Summary
Report
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
POSSIBLE PILOT GAS CENTRIFUGE
PLANT AT SIHALA, PAKISTAN (TSR)
Top Secret
225X1
SR-025/79
MAY 1979
Copy 13 3
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Warning Notice
Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
Derivative Cl By 647295
^ Decl ? Revw on 20 Yrs Date of Pub
Derived From C. 9c. 8. 7.
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT- Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN- Caution-Proprietary Information Involved
USIBONLY- USIB Departments Only
ORCON- Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL ... This Information has been Authorized for
Release to ...
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Top Secret RUFF
POSSIBLE PILOT GAS CENTRIFUGE PLANT AT SIHALA, PAKISTAN
(TSR)
(TSR) Pakistan's possible pilot gas centrifuge plant is believed to be under construc-
tion near Sihala in a fence-secured facility approximately 8 nautical miles (nm) southeast
of Rawalpindi (Figure 1). The Sihala Suspect Centrifuge Plant is in a
heavily wooded area on the west bank of the Ling River near the point where the Ling and
Soan Rivers converge and is just east of the main highway to Islamabad. The fence-
secured facility and a similar, smaller facility on the opposite side of the river, not believed
to be part of the possible pilot gas centrifuge plant, were seen on imagery of June 1971.
The functions of these two facilities cannot be determined from available imagery, and no
significant changes were observed between June 1971 and September 1977. However, be-
tween September 1977 and January 1979, four new buildings were constructed and at least
three existing buildings were renovated at the fence-secured facility.
(TSR) The fence-secured facility (Figure 2 and Table 1) is divided into three areas
(areas A, B, and C) by fences. A small guardhouse (item 1) is at the main entrance to the
facility. Several single light standards can be identified along the outside perimeter fence.
(TSR) Area A contains five triple-step-roofed buildings (items 2 through 6) in a
semicircle along a dirt loop road. A gate entry to area A was observed, but no permanent
guardpost was discernible. This area has not undergone any significant changes since it
was observed in June 1971.
Sandem
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Top Secret
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Top Secret RUFF
Table 1. Sihala Suspect Centrifuge Plant, Pakistan
(Keyed to Figure 2)
This table in its entirety is classified TOP SECRET RUFF
Dimensions`
(m)
W
1 Guardhouse
2 Triple-step-roofed bldg
3 Triple-step-roofed bldg
4 Triple-step-roofed bldg
5 Triple-step-roofed bldg
6 Triple-step-roofed bldg
7 Triple-step-roofed bldg
8 Triple-step-roofed bldg
9 Triple-step-roofed bldg
a
b
c
10 Triple-step-roofed bldg
a Annex
b
c
d
11 Triple-step-roofed bldg
a Annex
b
c
d
12 Triple-step-roofed bldg
13 Unid bldg
a
b
c
14 Rectangular bldg
15 Walled rectangular pad
16 - 18 Prob stor bldgs
19 Prob support bldg
20 Unid bldg
21 Prob support bldg
22 Poss water storage bldg
23 Poss pumphouse
Width is total
of b, c, & d
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Top Secret RUFF
(TSR) Area B, suspected to be the location of the possible pilot gas centrifuge plant
under construction, contains six triple-step-roofed buildings (items 7 through 12), a re-
cently constructed rectangular building (item 13), and three flat-roofed, probable storage
buildings (items 16, 17, and 18) with probable subterranean levels. The highest section of
each of the triple-step-roofed buildings in area B and of three of the five buildings in area
A (items 4, 5, and 6) abuts the hillside. The highest section of the remaining two buildings
in area A (items 2 and 3) has been backfilled with earth.
(TSR) Between September 1977 and April 1978, a small rectangular annex (item 10a)
was added to one of the triple-step-roofed buildings (item 10) with a pipeline extending
across the roof from the annex to the middle level of the main building. Two horizontal
tanks on a foundation were seen on the north side of the road. When the area was next
observed in January 1979, a small, enclosed rectangular building (item 14) had been built
on the site of the horizontal tanks, and it could not be determined from imagery if the
storage tanks were still in place.
(TSR) By January 1979, a large number of trees had been removed from the vicinity of
items 13 and 20, and it was apparent that renovations and new construction were under-
way. Possible vents had been installed on the roofs of items 9, 10, and 11, and walkways to
the three buildings were observed. An annex (item 11a) was added to item 11. East of item
14, the large rectangular building (item 13) was in the late stage of construction. A large
pile of debris was in the vicinity of the rectangular building. Also by January, a rectangu-
lar pad surrounded by a wall (item 15) had been constructed west of the rectangular
buildin .
(TSR) Area C, just inside the main gate, contains an irregularly shaped building (item
20) and two probable support buildings (items 19 and 21). The irregularly shaped building
and the support building immediately north of it (item 21) were constructed between April
1978 and January 1979.
(TSR) A rectangular building (item 22) is situated on top of the ridge in area B. This
may be a possible water storage building for the entire site. A possible pumphouse (item
23) is on the south edge of the facility near the river. A trench extends from the rectangular
building eastward and downhill toward the triple-step-roofed buildings, but because of the
numerous trees the trench can only be traced a short distance. There appears to be a
pipeline connecting items 9, 10, and 11 and extending along the south side of items 7 and
8; however, the interpretability of the imagery and the large number of trees in the area
precluded a positive identification.
(TSR) A single powerline enters the facility near the main entrance and extends the
length of area B along the south side of the road.
(TSR) One or two buses have been observed just outside the main entrance or within
the fenced area on several occasions since January 1979. No equipment or other signatures
of enrichment activities have been observed.
(S) Comments and queries regarding this report are welcome.
Soviet Strategic Forces Division, Imagery Exploitation Group, NPIC,
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