COMPLETION DATES OF CHINA'S DEPLOYED STRATEGIC MISSILE SITES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04759A010300010035-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 18, 2002
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: April 16, 1973
• Content Type: MF

II
25X1
TCS-6385/73
16 April 1973
Copy 5
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Strategic Forces Branch, Asian Communist
Forces Division
ATTENTION
THROUGH
SUBJECT
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Chief, Requirements Branch, Reconnaissance Group, IRS
Completion Dates of China's Deployed Strategic
Missile Sites
REFERENCE CIA Requirement C-SR3-87,770
(NPIC Project 251903)
1. This memorandum is in response to your requirement for
a graphic presentation of negation dates, first seen dates, and
a chronology of construction for each SSM launch site in China.
This report is based on the study of all known photo coverages
of each site.
2. A chart, containing the above dates and a chronology
of construction for each launch site, accompanies this memorandum.
3. The SSM launch sites are grouped by launch complex and
further subdivided by physical characteristics: soft sites and
silo sites are grouped separately. Soft site missile complexes
which have underground storage areas for propellants and missile
ground support equipment are grouped separately.
4. The construction chronology of each site is depicted
in as many as four stages. Stage 1 (represented by small dots)
consists of initial road construction and contruction of workers'
housing and support buildings. Most of these buildings were
temporary and later torn down. Stage 2 (represented by cross
hatching) is characterized by the construction of ad.its leading
to underground storage for propellant and missile ground support
equipment. Stage 3 (represented by larger dots) consists of
the construction of propellant lines. The construction of a
launch pad is accomplished in a short time--from as little as
three months to about six months. Pad construction takes place
during the period of propellant line construction and is depicted
separately with stage 3. At those sites without propellant lines,
the launch pad is constructed during stage 2 very near final
completion of the site. Stage 4 (represented by diagonal lines)
begins at the time when the site is first usable. A conditional
completion date of a launch site was based upon completion of
the launch pad and unrestricted access to it. A firm date of
completion was dependent on observing the completion of the
launch pad and apron, road access, and any adits or propellant
lines. Camouflage activity, observation of missile GSE, removal
of construction support buildings, and completion of underground
cable lines to the site were other corroborating factors for
completion of a site but were not necessary for the site to be
judged complete.
WARNING NOTICE
I Sensitive Intelligence Sources
and Methods Involved`
Declass Review by NIMA/DOD
Classified by 013170
Exempt from general declassification ached-I
ule of E 0. 11652, exemption category:
5B(l), ~, (3) or (4) (circle one or more)I
Automatically declassified on
Date Impossible to Determine
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ase 2002/06/05 : CIAFRBP74T04759A010300010035-5 25X1
TOP SECRET I TCS-6385/73
16 April 1973
SUBJECT: Completion Dates of China's Deployed Strategic Missile Sites
5. Not all of the launch sites have the four separate stages
described above. Not all of the launch sites have propellant lines
or adits; however, the symbolism used in the chart is consistent.
If, for example, stage 3, consisting of propellant line construction
is not shown in the site chronology, no pipelines-have ever been
observed at that site.
6. Because of the limitations of low-resolution (KH-4)
photography and the lack of timely photographic coverage of
many sites, launch pad construction and propellant line con-
struction were not always observed in progress but were
determined to have taken place between photo coverages. In
such cases this construction activity was shown in its most
likely time frame or if a large gap in photo coverage existed,
is represented by broken lines.
7. Finally, a tapered symbol was used on the bar graphs
instead of arbitrarily fixing an exact end point to show the
start and completion of a stage of activity. Another alternative
was to show what stage was observed at each time of photo cover-
ages which, because of sparse photo coverage in most cases, would
be grossly inaccurate in showing true time frames of special
activity. The tapering of each segment of the graph represented
a best estimate of the start and end of each stage of activity.
Such activity was confirmed by the next photographic coverage
and represented by "full width" symbols.
8. The first identification of any missile ground support
equipment and subsequent observations are represented on the
chart by a triangle at the date of photo coverage.
9. This project is considered to be complete. Any questions
regarding this project may be discussed by contacting
I on extension
Chief, Imagery Exploitation Group_
NPIC
Incls:
1 Table
Distribution:
Cy 1-5 - SPEC CTR
6 - CIA/CRS (Index)
7&8 - CIA/FMSAC
9&10 - CIA/OSR
11-24 - TCO/DIA
25E26 - HQ USAF/INA
27 - HQ SAC/IN
28 - HQ PACAF/IN
29-31 - HQ FTD
32 - HQ 5th AF
33 - DIA/DT-2A
34 - DIA/DI-4A
35 - DIA/DI-4A
36 - DIA/DI-6G
37 - DIA/Pentagon ('
38 - DIA/MIA (Attn:
39-41 - TCO/NSA
42-43 - TCO/STATE
44E45 - IAS
46 - SPAD
47 - COMIREX
48 - IEG
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Approved For Release -51/( SGT(A-RDP78T04759A010300010035-5
 Approved For R lease 0 /06/ A T04759A0103000 0035-5
0 S ~t TCS-6385/73 25X1
16 April 1973
SUBJECT: Completion Dates of China's Deployed Strategic Missile Sites
Distribution:
49 T51 - IEG/EGD
52 - IEG/ SD
53 - IEG/SGD
54 - IEG/MSD
55-57 - R&RD
58 - RD/PB
59 - VITAL REC
60-70 - REC CNTR
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TOP SECRET
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