• 

USCIB: 13/349 

REF ID:A65943 

8ECRE'f1 9 

SEetlRfT'f lt1FeRMNfl0tl 

9 July 1953 

SEeRE! - SEetJffii'Y INPORMA'f I0N 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIBEC: 

Subject: Secure Film Carrier. 

24 

1. The enclosure describes what action has been taken 

toward the development of a secure film carrier since the 

problem was referred to the Director, NSA, by USCIB. 

2. Based upon the information contained in the enclosure, it is requested that the members be prepared to discuss this matter at the next meeting of USCIBEC with a view 

to recomm.ending, £or USCIB approval, appropriate action by 

the Director, NSA. 

Enclosure 

NSA Serial 0092-S 

dtd 2 July 1953. 

USCIB: 13/349 

SECRET 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 02-18-2014 pursuant to E. 0. 1352B 
REF ID:A65943 

SECRET 9 

8i:Q,IRR¥ J~IFQRMATIQ~I 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

WASHINGTON 25, D.C. 

SECra!:'l - SECttR!TY Momq'f !OM 

MEMORA..'t®UM FOR THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, USCIB 

SUBJECT: Secure Film Carrier 

Serial: 0092-S 

2 July 1953 

l. The problem or providing a secure carrier for use in air 

transportation or COMINT material over non-allied territory was 

discussed at the 68th, 69th, and 72nd meetings of the United States 

Communications Intelligence Board. At its 69th meeting the Board 

requested that this Agency reopen an earlier Army- investigation of 

possible methods of incorporating a destruction means, and at the 

72nd meeting the Board requested further investigation and development of a secure carrier for microfilm incorporating a destruction 

means outlined in the first of five recommendations previous1y 

prepared for the Board by this Agency. 

2. During the course of subsequent investigations it was determined that destruction of the film record could best be accomplished by a contained combustion process rather than by the 

erasure method which had previously met with the Board's approval. 

The Deputy Director of Intelligence for Collection and Dissemination, 

U. s. Air Force, in reply to a request by USCIB has advised that the 

in-flight hazard inherent in a contained-combustion emergency 

destruction device is acceptable to the Air Force from the safety 

viewpoint on condition that the built-in protective provisions 

specified in this Agency's proposa1 for suoh a device are realized. 

Accordingly, development efforts have been concentrated on a carrier 

device containing a combustible emergency destructor. 

3. The development work has been conducted by the Physical 

Security F.quipment .Agency (PSEA) in accordance with requirements 

.t'urnished by NSA, and NSA engineers have maintained close liaison 

with PSEA from the outset. In addition, this Agency has offered 

and furnished drafting and machine-shop support as requested by PSEA. 

The Director, NSA, has been advised that the project has been given 

precedence over all other work in the chemical laboratory 0£ PSEA, 

and that every effort has been ma.de to expedite development. It is 

anticipated. that, if no unforeseen difficulties are encountered 

during the development period, completion of PSEA1 s laboratory model 

should be accomplished during FY 54. Tentative NSA estimates of the 

cost of a number of prototype models sufficient for evaluation amount 

to approximately $501 000. 

Enclosure with.USCIB 13/349 dated 9 July 1953. 

SECRET 
REF ID:A65943 

8EC1'tE1 9 

iJiQJRl=rY li"JFORl\12\"FIOP' 

Serial: 0092-S 

2 July 1953 

4. Notwithstanding the efforts by both Agencies to maintain 

development at an accelerated rate, the Director, PSEA, has advised 

that the earliest possible date at which he now anticipates completion 

of the laboratory model is l January 1954. This represents a delq 

oi' six: months in the development schedule prepared in March 195.3. 

5. In view or the possible requirement for fiscal support oi' 

the program in order to provide models i'or evaluation, and in view 

of the recent reduction in funds available in FY 54 to the Director, 

NSA, for Research and Development, it is requested that the Board 

advise the Director, NSA, whether continued development of the 

Secure Film Carrier on a high priority is warranted. On. the basis 

of the Board's decision, the Director, NSA, will make any necessary 

arrangements i'or funding the program and will advise the PSEA 

Policy Board of the priority assigned the development. 

FOR THE DIRECTOR: 

2 

(Signed) 

ALFRED R. MARCY 

Colonel, Signal Corps 

Chier of Staff 

8ECRET