REF ID:A2794097 \ ! ' .. - ~\ .f!~ DARD FORM NO, 64 ', • / \ - e - /- , Office Memorandum • uNrTED sTATEs GovERNMENT 

TO 

FROM 

SUBJECT: 

"Due_ 

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eclassified and approved for release by NSA on 05-14-2014 

ursuantto E_O_ 13526 

DATE: 

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1 NAME OR TITLE 

ORGANIZATION AND LOCATION 

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REF ID :A27940971 

USE FOR APPROVALS, DISAPPROVALS, 

CURRENCES, OR SIMILAR ACTIONS 

INITIALS 

DATE. 

CIRCULATE 

COORDINATION 

FILE 

INFORMATION 

NECESSARY 

ACTION 

NOTE AND 

RETURN 

SEE ME 

SIGNATURE 

DD FORM 9 5 Replaces DA AGO Form 895, I Apr 48, and AFHQ I FEB 50 Form 12, 10 Nov 47, which may be used. ~ GPO : IHI - 0 915584 
REF ID:A2794Q97 

e;w;r?RET 

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M~mo for the USCIB Security Committee 

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OCT 1951 ) 

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SUBJECT: Development of Safe Carrier for Conveyance of 

COMINT Materials by Air Transport. 

1. USCIB recently authorize~ on an interim basis, the 

conveyance of COMINT materials by air over third party territory 

to certain U.S. commanders in Europe. In connection with this 

authorization, the Dir_ector, AFSA,. was requested to ini~iate a 

project to develop a safe carrier which would minimize the 

risk of compromising classified materia.l in the event of a 

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plane crash or forced landin~, and at the same time would not 

involve extra jeopardy to the plane through malfunctioning. 

/ ~ In order to ensure that the problem is correctly 

presented to the development engineers, the Secur ~~ommittee 

is reques~orm{ilate a statem~nt of spe 

which must be me~~rovide consumers w· ha practical carrier 

for the dissemination -~OMINT pro cts by air. The statement1 

in addition to other specif~cati ns considered appropriate >::" 

by the Committee, should indicate~ the type of documents 

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which must be convey;ed, the minimum "s,ife of the carrier; 

and whether or n~hotographic process~c~n be utilized. 

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Careful comfideration should be given to the latter question / ~- ~ 

as previous investigations have indicated possibilities that 

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reduce hazards to this plane. 

D cJC . SECRET 

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REF ID:A2794097 

• • 21 September 1951 

Reconnnendations 

I. Microfilm. 

a. Material to be transmitted would be photographed on microfilm, 

but not developed at point of origin. 

b. Undeveloped film loaded in courier box in dark room. 

c. Microfilm courier box provided with film blanldng means (photo 

flash bulbs) triggered 'by: 

1. Excess'i:Ve shock (plane crash). 

2. Unauthorized opening, i.e., without working combination. 

3. At will of courier. 

d. Film removed at destination in dark room and developed and printed. 

e. Special courier box must be developed and procured. 

Advantages: 

1. Any type of copy possible. 

2. Multiple prints at destination possible. 

3. Most of equipment standard - courier box simple and light - no physical hazard to personnel or materiel. 

Disadvan~ages: 

1. Requires processing, time, materials, facilities, personnel. 

2. Unauthorized reading difficult, but possible, especially 

with coilni vance of courier. Would require trustworthy 

courier. 

II. Magnetic Tape. 

a. Material.to be.transmitted would be recorded on magnetic tape, 

from a teletype, (or voice) • 

. b. Courier box provided with erasing means triggered by: 

1. Excessive shock (plane crash). 

2. Unauthorized opening, i.e., without working·combination. 

3. At will of courier. 

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Enclosure #2 with AFSA~03 DF dtd 21 Sept 51,SE:G~E•fonveyance of COMINT Material by Ai~" 
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REF ID:A2794097 

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c. l'1agnetic tape played back irito teletype copy at destina~ion. 

d. One 7ri roll of 1/4 in. tape would take 40,000 words. 

e. Special courier box must be developed and procured • 

.Advantages: 

1. ~~st of equipment standard - processing does not require 

dark rooms· and chemicals, etc. 

2. Courier box simple and light. No physical hazard to 

personnel or materiel. 

Disadvantages: 

1. Requires preparation, time, materials, facilities, personnel. 

2. Type of copy limited to teletype, voice, and possibly 

facsimile. 

3. Unauthorized reading difficult, but possible, especially 

with connivance of courier. Would require trustworthy 

courier. 

III. Dissolving Paper. 

a. Material would be recorded on special paper, by typing, etc. 

b. Courier box provided with solvent-which comes in contact with 

paper when triggered by: 

1. Excessive shock (plane crash). 

2. Unauthorized opening, i.e., without combination. 

3. At will of courier. 

c. Special courier box must be developed and procured • 

.Advantages: 

1. Any written copy possible. I 

2. No special processing equipment required, courier box would 

be simple and light - relatively little physical hazard to 

personnel or materiel. ~ 
------REF ID-:A2794097 ---

~ SECRET ~ 

Disadvantages: 

1. Requires processing all data on~o special paper • 

. 2. Destructor action might take 10-15 minutes. 

3. Unauthorized reading difficult, but possible, especially 

with connivance of courier. Requires trustworthy courier. 

4. Requires manufacture and procurement of special paper. 

5. Requires reproduction on receiving end since special paper 

cannot be handled in normal fashion. 

IV. Incendiary. 

a. Ordinary paper of all types interleaved with sodium nitrate and 

set off by thermite triggered by: 

1. Excessive sho'ck (plane crash). 

2. Unauthorized opening without combination.· 

3. ·At will of courier. 

b. Special courier box must be developed and procured • 

.Advantages: 

1. No processing required except for packing courier box. 

2. Any paper, plus a reasonable number of non-paper (burnable 

or meltable objects) can be transmitted. 

Disadvantages: 

1. Unauthorized reading difficult, but possible, especially 

with connivance of courier. 

2. HAZARDOUS. Even if a special fire proof box is built to 

house the paper and destructor, there would be a positive 

danger to personnel and aircraft especially during emergency 

landings ·which would not be a security risk; i.e., landing 

gear collapse at an· authorized stop. 

v. Cryptographic. ' 

a. The material is enciphered at the sending end and recorded on 

teletype tape. 

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RE_E:_ ID; A27 9409_7 

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b. Teletype tape is deciphered automatically at destination. 

c. One· roll of teletype tape holds 20 1 000 words. 

Advantages: 

1. No new equipment or facilities need be developed. No 

special courier box necessary. 

2. If properly enciphered using a secure machine or one-time 

tape, the material is tamperproof and a courier in the full 

sense of the word is not necessary .• 

3. System could be effective as soon as key tapes and machines 

are distributed. 

Disadvantages: 

1. Requires processing, time, material, personnel and equipment. 

2. Only data reducible to teletype signals can be transmitted. 

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