NIEN-TZU-SHAN ARMAMENTS PLANT NO. 123

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 25, 2003
• Sequence Number: 36
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/09/03 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
Approved For Release 2003/09/03 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
 TOP SECRET?
CIA PIR-530 5
I
S~etion C. This separately secured portion of the plant consists mostly of
h~avily revetted and protected structures. An area containing warehouses and
o~en storage, s small administration and support area, and a probable boiler
h use-with adjacent piles of coal and ash is also present.
(1-) Administration and service buildings
(2) Boiler house with coal pile along nearby rail line and a large ash
pile -
(?} Area of general warehousing with some open storage, rail served
(~+) Group of small revetted building, prcbable~?service magazines for
the nearby loading operation s ,
(5}.~. Probable buried water line ~"=- ? _
(6) Area of unidentified structures, possibly not connected with the -
.plant operation, the building nearest the munitions plant may be
used for storage
(7} Possible initiator processing and loading area
(8) Two possible high explosive processing lines
(9) Large probable loading line, possibly for melt loading
(10} Three similar revetted or partially revetted buildings, probable
.component loading lines
(11) Building possibly used for final assembly of the various shell
compDnents.
Section-C. consists of several complex apparent explosive processing areas and
leading lines. The probable function~of this area is the production of various' ,
types of munitions from explosives manufactured elsewhere.
S~etion D. This section is made up of thirty-six storage buildings divided into
_fdur groups. Twenty-six of these buildings are revetted and dispersed, while
? tY~e ten buildings in the south portion of this area are dispersed but not revetted.
Ar~ additional small unidentified building is preset near building group ~.
a The ftZ~iction of this area, is the storage of high explosives for use in the
e plosives processing and probable munition s_ 1o.ading plant (Section C.), and
p~obably fo~ storage of finished ammunition-prior to shipment.-
Test Facilities - Two separate testing-areas located in this region are
p obably associated :with the N~en-tzu=sha.n Munitions Plant No. 123.
';25X1 B
A. Ballistics Test~Fa~ility. - A secured ballistics testing and experimentation
1 i
facility is~located approximately ~+ NM south-southeast of Plant No.;123
_
`~25X1B i es 6 and 7 Included at this installation are firing ranges;
1 acilities which are possibly for
i. ivi ua s e componen s, reve ted explosive storage magazines, a
testing cf
boiler house,
ar~d administratioe and possible storage buildings.
I
I I
TOP SECRET
 25X
i ground scars are apparent on later coverage. However, on all later photography,
ZJX1U Construction was in progress at this site in Additional
TOP SECRET
CIA PIR-5030 5
~ B. Munitions Test Installation - A probable munitions test facility,
a proximately;5 TVM north-northeast from Plant No. 123, is located on a .
w 11 maintained !road leading from the plant. This installation is unidentified
a to type. However, its general appearance suggests an elaborate munitions
t st site (figures 8 and 9).
cable trenching, and several unidentified structures.
Features pr'IIesent at this site include explosive storage magazines, admin-
i~tration and sefrvice buildings, an elaborate appearing test facility, possible
r
a
y .. _ ~ en- zu- s an ~a nt Ido . 12 ~ ha s
P
been of a fairly minor nature between when the first good coverage
was obtained and when the. a es~ sa e ite photography of this instal-
. nr_v.~r~_
the-s'cale is eit~er too small or the quality too poor to tell whether the site
his been-~omplet~ed or not. _
- Level of Activity. .
~ 25X1b A ~ Constru~Ction Activit - Con=truct~ or
t I7- t h
~ ~
The onlyRapparent change in Section A cf this plar_t has been the addition
0 one warehouse
25X1 D
c anges _include
cavation.was i
s rued warehouse
25X1 D
nnw anri
s
2X1 Dt
.u
m
a
type structure in Area 1 0f this section. Iz: Section B, minor
he addition of a building in Area 2 near the boiler house.
n progress at this location in The long rail
in A_nea 3 of Section C, which was un er cons ruction in
ars complete.. Tz?:o smaller but similar appearing structures have
his same area since the date of earliest coverage. In an apparently
patately secur~d area within this section, .adjacent. to the main fence. line, near
e location who e the probable buried water line enters the plant, two small
~
identified bui
dings have been erected. Ne changes have been observed _n .the
in processing area of Section C during the period of photographic coverage. Ids
parent cnange
'~ 25X1 D
d ring this Seri
n
rth-northeast
as taken place in the explosives and munitions storage area
d of time. Some new ground scars are r_oted_at the test site
pf the plant, since
i 25X1D ~ B. Level oif Production Activity - On photography of activity
at the Nien-tzu- han Arrriaments Plant No. 123 appears to be at a moderate level.
A~though, only t roe of eighteen stacks are emitting visible f~zr"_es, several trucks
_ ar~d numerous oth~r small ;unidentified vehicles are visible on the well maintained
reads in the p1a~t area, six rail cars are on a siding in the munitions production-
a~{ea (Section C~;, considerable amounts of materials are apparent at several locations,
.arid .two 1'arge coal piles are present. Roof stains and two large waste piles show-
~ - frig on this- photography, indicate that at least a portion of the plant had been
~- -ir~ operation-.f or: some time.
TOP SECRET
 1
number of rail cars or other vehicles in the plant could be made; nor could-
cY~a.nges in the configuration of coal or waste piles be determined on any of the
m?re recent photography.
? ~ .
- 5X1D No changes in the level of activity are apparent on later coverage.
H wev~er, the small Scale-a.nd poor quality of material since this earliest
g od photogra.ghy precludes an accurate estimate o activity.
25X1 oke or~steam visible in from-several
~c~ints within the plant, wo pro a. e ocomo Ives present nri enverauP of
-I
25X1 D
TOP SECRET
and some materials present in open storage areas indicate that
t e p an as probably been active throughout .this period. No estimate;of the
Probable vehicles?are present at both test areas o~ photo-
g aphy. No indication of the level of activity could be determined at either
o these sites from later coverage, except the previously noted additional
ground scars at the test site north-northeast of the plant.
-- Because of the plant layout and building configurations, it appears that
Nien-tzu-shan Armaments Plant No. 123 includes an explosives loading operation,
probably for both propellants and bursting charges. The lack of visable tanks,
pipes, and acid production units makes the-manufacture of explosives at this
installation unlikely. The elaborate nature of the test site north-northeast of
Plant No. 12~-indicates that possible research and development in fairly sophis-
tiated weaponry fields is occurring. Very extensive metallurgical and metal work-
i g facilities present in this installation indicates that work in addition to the
manufacture and fabrication of metal components of shells is possible.
A11-measurements have been made by the CIAjIAD/IB project analy"st. They
s ould be considered as approximate and r.:ust not be taken as official NPL~-
--mensuration data compiled by the, Technical Intelligence Division, NPIC.
TOP SECRET
 25
TOP SECRET
1
25X1 D ~~~'~
MF~'S OR CHARTS
General Locator. Map,
China.
- ~89?6 12-6~ (UNCLASSIFIED)
AC IC.
US Air Target
1st edition,
Chart,
October
.Series 200 Sheet 0284-5
1959 (SECRET)
REQUIREMENT
cIA: C-SI5-82, 609
CL4~Tnn PROJECT
~~ ` 3oZ19-5
TOP SECRET
 Approved For Release 2003/09/03 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
Approved For Release 2003/09/03 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
 i;I ~;-TZU-S::AI: f~_?af:J".u"~' Pi..:dS =1..
25X1A
 Approved For Release 2003/09/03 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
Approved For Release 2003/09/03 :CIA-RDP78T05439A000500240036-5
 25
25
 25X
25X