USCIB: 29.17/17 

21 February 1955 

'POP 889RB'P EO 3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

llJlORA,NDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIBE:C: 

SUbject: COONT Relations with!,___ _ ___, 

1. Circulated herewith are three enclosures stemming from the Special 

Keeting 0£ USCIBEC held to consider subject problem on Wednesday, 16 February 

1955. 

· 2. Enclosure l is a draft message to LSIB which the Emcutive Secretary and the NSA :Ue.mber reel would best convey our current position to the 

U.K. 

3. Enclosure 2 is a version ot enclosure l as modified by the .Air 

Force Member to accommodate the views of his department. 

4. Enclosure 3 is a draft memorandum. to USCIB based on general considerations brought out at the above mentioned Special Meeting of USCIBEC 

and on the assumption that some combination of enclosures 1 and 2 will be 

recommended to the Board by USCIBEC. 

5. Please inform this office of your vielvs and comment by telephone 

prior to the USCIBEC meeting scheduled for Friday, 25 February so that such 

parts of this problem as may remain unresolved at that time can be considered as au extra item of business and an ear4" conclusion reached. 

Enclosures 

a/s 

USCIB: 29.17/17 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 05-01-2014 pursuant to E.O. 1352e 

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FROll: 

. TO : 

INFO: 

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 

SUSLO_, LONDCN 

DmNSA 

c'Eo 3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

P~ASE PASS THE FOLLOONG TO THE CHAIRMAN., LSIB FROM THE OHAIEWAN., USCIB: 

l. j USCIB HAS CAREFUU.Y CONSIDERED THE LIST OF. ~UIPUENTS. CO'.NTAINED IN YOUR 

SECRETARY'S NOTE OF 21 JANUARY 1955 lLSIB/2S/55) AND BAS ASKED THAT THE 

C<J4MENTS SET FCRTH BELCW BE CONVEYED TO YOUR BOARD. 

2. USCIB IS PREPARED TO PROVIDE ITEUS .3fB)_, {D) .AW (E).AS LISTED. ITEK 

.3(E) IS_, HCl'lEVER_, Nor CURRENTLY W HAND. THE DIRECTOR_, NSA HAS BEEN 

DIRECTED TO ARRANGE FOR PROCUREMENT A,ND DELIVERY OF TH$$ ITEMS AND WILL, 

IT IT IS AGREEABLE TO YOU_, HANDLE THE MATTER DIREC.TLY W!TH TltE DIRECTOR., 

GCHQ • 

.3. ITEK (F),, THE SCR-291 HF/DF~UIPMENTS., IS UNAVAILABLE AND IS_, AS YOO 

ARE NO DOUBT AWARE., C~ BY OUR PEOPLE TO .BE OJ3SOLETE. ·•• WAS THERE A 

PARTICULAR REASON ~UESTED THIS? WE BELIEVE WI!: COULD OBTAIN 

AN/CRD-21' s FCR THEil IF ACCEPTABLE IN PLACE OF /THE s.cn...291. 

4• ITEl&S .3(A) AND .3(C),, THE AN/APR 9 RECEIVERS AND THE SIGNAL GENERA-

'J.'CRS _, ARE IN CRITICAL SHORT SUPPLY AND THEm USE HA$ BE.EN FOR· •. ALL PRAC-

'l'ICAL PURPOSES PREDPTED AS A HIGH PRICRITY IT.Ell FOR CURRENT .ELINT REQUmEMEHTS. USCIB CANNOT UNJERT.AKE TO SUPPLY THOSE I'l*EllS. · 

5. WE JlUST AGAIN POINT OUT THAT USCIB HAS NO COGNIZANCE IN THE ELINT 

FIELD .AND IS MOST RELUCTANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION THAT WOULD INTERFERE' 

UNNECESSARILY WITH THE DIRECT AND TIMELY PROCUREMENT OF lLUCH NEEDED 

Et.INT mFORVATION wmcH IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO OUR TACTICAL COWANDERS. 

MENT 

AS YOU 

TO 

ARE 

SUPPLY 

NO DOUBT 

EI.INT AWARE., ~UIPMENT THE U.~. TO t AI.RE~Y I IN RETURN 

HAS .. A · WEL 

FOR 

... ~GE-ELINT. 

AT THE SAME TIME WE WISH TO DO ALL POSSii.E TO \lRE• VE.···NT 

MENT IN THE CCJlINT ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE ~ ......__ __ 

6. USCIB IS OF THE OPINION THAT IT SHOULD ~ FOR YOU TO 

SUCCEED IN YOUR COJ.!INT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE L__J WITHOUT PREJUDICE 

TO BILATERAL ELINT ARRANGEMENTS• . 

7. TO THE EXTENT THAT ELINT ~UIPMENT NEEDED FCE. COMINT SEARCH IS 

INVOLVED lN ITEM 3(A) OF YOUR LIST_, USCIB IS PREPARED TO OFFER A 

LIMITED QUANTITY OF AN/AP&-4 ~UIPMENTS (OR ITS U.S. NAVY SHIPBCRNE 

comit.ERP.ART THE RDO AND SPR-2) AS MORE SUITABLE FCR UHF COMllUNICATIONS 

SEARCH. EVEN THOSE .ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY BUT WE COULD YAKE LIMITED 

QUANTITY AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU FEEL YOUR COMINT NEGOTIATIONS MIGHT 

OTHERWISE FAIL. 

S. YOUR COMUENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. 

Enclosure l vdth USCIB 29.17 /17 dated 21 February 1955. 

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'.FQP SEISR:E! EO 3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

FI.f: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

TO: SUSLO, LONDON 

INFO: DIRNSA 

PLEASE FASS THE FOLLOWING TO THE CHAIRMAN, LSIB FRGI THE CHAIRMAN, USCIB; 

1. USCIB HAS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE LIST/ OF/EQUIPMENTS CONTAINED 

IN YOUR SECRETARY'S NOTE ClF 21 JANUARY 1955 (LSIB/28/55) AND HAS ASKED 

THAT THE CG1MENTS SET FORTH BELOW BE CONVElED/ TO YOUR BOARD. 

2. USCIB IS PREPARED TO PROVIDE ITEMS/3 (B)., (D) AND (E) AS LISTED. 

ITEM 3 (E) rs, HOWEVER, NOT CURRENTLY/ON HAND. THE DIRECTOR, NSA HAS 

BEEN DIRECTED TO ARRANGE FOR PROCUREMENT AND DELIVERY ClF THESE IT.EMS 

AND WILL, IF IT IS AGREEABLE TO YOU, HANDLE THE MATTER DIRECTLY WITH 

T1iE DIRECTOR, GCHQ. 

3. ITEM (F), THE SCR-291 HF/DFEQU!PMENTS, IS UNAVAILABLE AND IS, AS 

YOU ARE NO DOUBT AWARE, CONS. ffEBED 5/ OUR PEOPLE TO BE OBSOLETE. WAS 

TijERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY_ -~'OFSTED THIS? WE BELIEVE WE 

COULD OBTAIN AN/CRD-2A1S FOR THEM IF ACCEPTABLE IN PLACE OF THE SCR-291. 

4. ITEMS 3(A) AND .3(C),/THE AN/APR 9 RECEIVERS AND THE SIGNAL 

GENERATORS, ARE IN CRIT!CAL SHORT SUPPLY AND THEIR USE HAS BEEN FOR 

ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES PREEMPTED AS A HIGH PRIORITY ITEM FOR CURRENT 

ELINT REQUIREMENTS •. /USCIB CANNOT UNDERTAKE TO SUPPLY TITOOE ITEMS. 

5. WE MUST AGAIN .POINT OUT THAT USCIB HAS NO COONIZANCE IN THE ELINT 

FIELD. FURTHER USCIB IS OF THE OPINION THAT YOUR CGIINT NEGOTIATIONS 

WITH THEI IWILL NOT BE PREJUDICED BY THE EXCLUSION OF EI.INT 

EQUIPMENTS AND CONSIDERATIONS. 

6. TO IBE EX'IENT THAT ELINT EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR COMINT SEARCH IS 

INVOLVED IN ITEM .3(A) OF YOUR LIST, USCIB IS PREPARED TO OFFER A 

LIMITED QUANTITY OF AN/ APR-4 EQUIPMENTS (OR ITS U. s. NAVY SHIPBORNE 

COUNTERPART THE RDO AND SPR-2) AS MORE SUITABLE FOR UHF 000.roNICATIONS 

SEARCH. EVEN '.IHOSE ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY BUT WE COULD MAKE LIMITED 

QUANTITY AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU FEEL YOUR CCMIN'T NEGOTIATIONS MIGHT 

OTHERWISE FAIL. 

7. YOUR CCMMENTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. 

Enclosure 2 with ~SCIB 29.17/17 dated 21 February 1955. 

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIB: 

Subject: 

References: 

COMINT Relations with!.__ _ __. 

(a) USCIB 29.17/13 of 31 January 1955. 

(b) USCIB 29.17/15 of 14 February 1955. 

(c) USCIB 29.17/16 of 15 Februar.r 1955. 

EO 3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

1. Further to the decision of USCIB at its 112th meeting with 

regard to reference (a), USCIBEC has considered the matter in the light 

of the discussion at the 112th meeting of USCIB and other available 

factors. 

2. USCIBEC has also taken note of the below stated unanimous 

technical opinion on the material listed in reference (a) and of the U.K. 

views received in answer to reference (b) as set forth in reference (c). 

3. Referring to the enclosure with reference (a) it is the 

unanimous opinion of the technical advisors available to USCIBEC through 

the Army, Navy, Air Force, NSA and CIA and of the members of USCIBEC 

themselves that: 

a. The AN/APR 9 equipments listed in item 3(a) of reference (a) 

are primarily ELINT but do have limited COMINT uses. They are currently 

in critical short supply in the U.S. an~ those that are available are ~eing monopolized as a high priority item in the ELINT effort. 

b. The SKL chain amplifiers listed in item 3(b) of reference (a) 

may be used for either ELINT or COMINT, principally the latter. They 

are an unclassified item available commercially. 

c. The Signal Generators listed in item 3(c) fall in the same 

category as the AN/APR 9 Receivers listed in item 3(a). They are in fact 

test devices for maintenance of the AN/APR 9 Receiver • . d. The Kay Sonograph (item 3(d)) is a. commercial item used 

extensively for either ELINT or C<JUNT purposes. 

e. The Clark VHF Receivers listed in item 3(e) are used ext.ensi vely for both ELINT and COMINT. They can be made available, but not 

immediately. . f. The SCR-291 HF/DF equipments listed in item 3(f) are solely 

COMINT items and are now considered obsolete in the U.S. They are also 

unavailable. More modern equipment, such as the AN/CRD-2A, is understood 

to be available. It is considered appropriate to offer a substitute 

under the circumstances and the AN/CRD-2A is considered suitable for that 

purpose. 

Enclosure 3 with USCIB 29.17/17 dtd 21 Feb 1955. 

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Subject: 

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CCMINT Relations with I ... __ ___, 

/ EO 3 . 3 ( h) ( 2 ) 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

- --- - -- --- -- - -- - -- - -- - ,~ - -- -- ---- ~ -- - 4. From the evidence available it appears to USCIBEC that those of 

the equi:pments listed which are prima. rily of an ELINT nature (items 3(a) 

and 3(c)) but do have limitec uses are, in the first place, 

probably not intended by th,e f-or CCMINT use and, in the second 

pl8ce, are not the best equipmen s o satisfy the CCMINT uses to which 

they might. be put. Further these equipments are in critical short supp~ 

in the U.S. In this connection, USCIBEC is advised that the AN/APR 4 

or its Navy shipborne counterpart the RDO and SPR-2 is a better equipment 

for decimetric communications search and could be more easi]Jr ma.de available though probably not in the quantity requested. 

5. USCIBEC is therefore of the opinion that USCIB should not undertake to try to supply any of the items listed in paragraphs 3(a) and 3(c) 

of the enclosure with reference (a). 

6. USCIBEC feels that USCIB should be as frank as possible with !SIB 

on this matter. 

7. It is therefore recommended that a message as set forth in the 

enclosure herewith be sent to SUSLO, London for delivery to the Chairman, 

ISIB from the Chairman, USCIB in .reply to the enclosure with reference (a). 

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