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CONTROL SYSTEM 

~TIONAL RECONNAISSANCE OFFICE 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

THE NRO STAFF September 27, 1968 

MEMORANDUM FOR DR. FLAX 

SUBJECT: Range Ship Support for Recovery Operations 

Problem. 

General Martin has prepared an "H-Hour" plea for the retention of 

the Military Sea Transport Service ships--the Sunnyvale and Longview--

to support photographic satellite reconnaissance missions. 

Background. 

Initial justification for the Sunnyvale and Longview Surface 

Recovery Units (SRU) was predicated upon the high risk, low reliability 

satellite programs. The ships were dedicated to surface recovery of 

satellite capsules. Presently, the two ships, under the operational control of the Air Force Western Test Range (AFWTR), are being employed 

on a "common user resource" basis and are not primarily dedicated to 

satellite recovery operations. The SRU availability to support satellite 

recovery operations is deteriorating and 10 percent of SAFSP's requested 

support during January-June 1968 was denied by AFWTR. 

The two ships and the CH-3B helicopters which are carried aboard. 

each ship provide the surface recovery backup that cannot be attained by 

the employment of shore-based helicopters. Two SRU ships are required 

due to combinations of the following four factors; 

a. The requirement to be able to recover a photographic payload on any day of a mission's active life. 

b. 

concurrent. 

The condition wherein CORONA and GAMBIT missions are 

c. The impossible requirement for one SRU to steam 1,200 

nautical miles in one day back across the recovery area (the ground tracks 

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"walk" across the recovery area each day at a rate one ship can follow 

until they walk out of one end and begin to retrace themselves across 

the recovery area). 

d. The normal maintenance of the vessels. 

Available ships, such as destroyers and ocean-going tugs, 

"borrowed" from CINCPACF LT are n<;>t considered adequate substitutes 

for the specially configured SRU's because they lack the embarked helicopter, telemetry equipment and re-entry vehicle recovery tackle. 

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General Martin attacks the premise that elimination of surface 

recovery support is an acceptable risk. Eight water recoveries of reconnaissance capsules have been accomplished since 1960. Quite a number 

of air recoveries have been marginally successful and in the next 14 months 

approximately half of the experienced recovery flight crews will be transferred. New recovery capsules which will enter operational use over the 

next few years will present different descent characteristic.s than the 

present recovery packages and will require even more expertise for successful air recovery. Thus, the requirement for surface recovery 

capability will actually increase. 

No attempt is made to estimate the intelligence dollar value of a 

lost photographic capsule, but it is pointed out that their relative value is 

increasing due to the stretch-out of the schedule and the additional days of 

coverage provided by each bucket. Independent analysis by the SOC on 

the successful surface recovery of CORONA Mission 1042-2 indicates that 

the intelligence community was provided with the following informatlon: 

a. Vital post-war photography of the UAR/Israeli conflict. 

b. Interpretable photography of 47 percent of the entire 9.6 x 

106 square nautical miles of the Sino-Soviet Bloc. 

c. Readout of 381 high priority COMIREX targets. 

The $3. 7 million annual cost of the two surface recovery units is 

analyzed in terms of photographic systems costs. Sharing this cost 

equally among the 22 capsules scheduled for recovery in FY : q69 shows 

a charge of $168, 000 for each event. If this is viewed as ar:. 'insurance 

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premium!1 J it amounts to 4.8 percent of the $3.5 million cost of a 

CORONA capsul e and O. 76 percent of the $2.2. million GAMBIT unit. 

The Program Director views this as inexpensive insurance against 

the loss of a capsule. 

Recommendations. 

The introduction of the unproved double-bucket GAMBIT in July 

1969 and the HEXAGON in October 1970 justify: 

a. That both the Sunnyvale and Longview continue in active 

service. 

b. That both ships be designated as exclusively in support 

of projects under the management of Genera l Martin. 

;f~~~ Colonel, USAF .~ ~ tJ 

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