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MElJ10RANDUM FOR JCS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR RECONNAISSANCE 

SuBJECT: TAGEOARD Operational Mission 

The Tl.'::··OOARD System has reached the stage of development where 

it has cO;l.;?leted all major test objectives. Therefore, the National 

Reconnaissance Office (NRO) recommends a limited operatJ.onal mission 

tor the TAGBOARD System in September 1969 over Southern China or 

North Korea. As outlined in the TAGBOARD Operational Concept, it 

is proposed the mission be directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff with 

SAC executing the approved mission. The mission would be limited only 

in the sense that Program D will maintain the technical responsibility 

for the s;.y"stem, and will make the technical "Go/No Go" launch decision 

for the Urone. 

The TAGBOARD System will supplement satellite operations by pro· 

viding relatively large scale photography over specific objectives, 

and complement conventional aircraft by providing an urnnanned alternative which destroys itself in the event of abort over enemy territory. 

Vehicle survivabilit: analysis studies indicate the highest probability 

of survtvall I for the drone against hostile defensive actions 

on the proposed f;~lSS on. 

Request you prepare the necessary documentation for mission 

approval by the 303 COfllll1ittee. Program D furnished the attached background information and will provide any further assistance you might 

require. 

1 Attachment 

TAGBOARD Background 

5 / c;- /-1 E-..D 

JOHN L. Me LUCAS 

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TAGBOARD BACKGROUND 

System Description 

:.JfWie via BVEMAN 

Control System 

TAGBOARD is an advanced reconnaissance system designed to provide 

detailed photo reconnaissance coverage of hostile territori~s. The 

system is composed of the D-21 high performance drone which is air 

launched from a B-52H aircraft. The system is presently located at 

Beale AFB, California. Tne world-wide capabilities of the system are 

n~de possible by the 3,000 nautical mile range of the D-21 drone and 

tno B-52H extended carryout with in-flight refueling. 

,,.,,, Following air launch from the B-52H, the D-21B is accelerated to 

k.ach 3.3 and an altitude of 80,000 feet by a Bolid prc;?ellant booater 

rocket. The expende& boos'Cer is thlJn jettisoned and the D-21B commencef. 

a 3,000 nautical mile cruise over a course which is pre-progr~~ed in ~h~ 

inertial guidance system at Mach 3.3 and at altitudes between 80,000 

and 95,000 feet. At the end of the pre-determined courSe a con~ro11ed 

descent is w~de to a lower altitude where the hatch containing the 

camera and other high value iteIhs is ejected. The hatch payloa.d 18 

then decel~rated and lOw'ered by a parachute system to an altitude 

,{her\;;! an air retrieval is (;;xecuted. by JC-130 aircraft. The drone 

ci.l:3tro.f-~ itself by an explosive charge after the payload hatch has 

'i..;67c:r.1 ~j~c·t;t:;!d. 

A ~~-~nch focal length, F5.6 lens camera provides the D-21 recon- L'~;~SS&nce capability. The camera may be operated in OI:.e of two modes. 

~'~le first (Mode 3) allows the camera to expose a. photogra.phic swath 

16 111M wide and 3,900 NN in length. When opera.ted 1n the second position 

(r-fcde 5), the camera will expose a swath 28 NM wide and 3,000 NM long. 

Design resolution is two feet at nadir. In-flight data 1s recorded on 

the fihn which consists of latitude, longitude, time, oblique pOSition, 

and exposure number. 

Test Status 

The ~BOARD System underwent a detailed program review and systems 

analysis in November 1968. Since that time there have been four TAGBOARD 

drone test flights. Three of the four flights were successful, range 

distances (trom launch to hatch eject) of 3,026 NM, 3,044 NM, and 3,011 NM 

were flo'#.n respectively. The drones 1~ew at nominal altitUdes between 

80,000 and 95,000- feet and speeds between 3.27 and 3.31 Mach. The hatch 

was recovered by JC-130's in each flight and photographs were available 

for analysis, In the la.st flight, which occurr~d on July 10; 1969, resolution was measured at 1'711 to 3'4" across line of :flight and 1'7" to 3'2" 

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in line of flight from resolution targets placed in the Hawaiian Islands 

chain. The unauccessful test flight toolt place on February 11" 1969. The 

drone's flight control system failed after 161 NM of flight due to problema 

in the autopilot and the drone was destroyed in flight. 

Production Status 

Presently there are three fully instrumented (telemetry system) 

drones available for flight. In addition to the three fully instrumented 

drones, nineteen other drones are available either in storage or the 

final stages of production. Sufficient cameras are available for use 

in each of the drones. 

Justification 

Fbllowing reasons are used to support the recommendation for an 

operational mission: 

1. A need exists for the type of high-resolution photographiC 

coverage which the TAGBOARD System will provide. 

2. The mission can be considered an extremely low risk recon-' 

naissance operation. The drone will be launched from the B-52 and 

the hatch will be recovered by JC-130 well outside of hostile r~~ 

detection lines. In case of drone malfunction while over hostile 

territory, a pressure (altitude) actuated destruct system would au~­

mati cally destroy the drone thereby prevent~ it from falling int..:. 

hos tile hands. 

3. The mission will test the TAGBOARD System's full operational 

capability under a hostile environment. The operational concept including launch, execution, recoveTyI photo processing and intelligence dis. 

semination would be evaluated and SAC's and the 6594th Test Group's 

Operational Plans 'Would be fully exercised. 

4. Valuable engineering data would be obtained iTom the drone's 

systems. The drone 1s fully instrumented, TM Systeml and would transmit 

data during approximately the first ten minutes of the flight at'CdX' 

which it is tm'ned off automatically. The drone can also be dt::stroyed 

by command during initial flight stages if mal:f'unction is detected. by 

the launch control officer in the B-52. The 1M signal 18 turned on 

again to assist in the recovery phase. 

5. The proposed mission will test hostile defensive reactions 

against the ~BOARD drone. The results of threat radar detectio~ 

analysis show that with the drone's operating speed and. slti"Cucie a •• a. 

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Control S~stem 

small mean Radar Cross Sect:l.on I Iror 

a mission over Southern China or North KOrea. However, tnJ results 

indicate the small mean RCS provides a Bufficient target tor the eati· 

mated threat radars to detect a penetrat10n. 

6. The proposed mission would be economical in the sense that 

useful inte1l1gence data would be gathered for the drone expended 

compared to another test flight and use ot a drone over resolution 

targets in PMR. 

7. The mission would provide a comparison of the ~BOARD System 

with other aeronautical reconnaissance ~stems currently in use. 

8. Both the drone contractor (Lockheed) and the payload 

contractor (HYcon) have eA~ressed their confidence in the technical 

capability of the ~BOARD System to perform the proposed mission. 

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