AFSA.C1 66/46 

24 December 1952 

)'OP S!!.CRJi11' • Sl!X:URI'l'! IIR>BMATIO! 

J@!)RA&'iDUM £"l>R THI: MilmEBS OF AFSAC: 

Subject: Replac-..nt or the Cambined Cipher Machine., 

Th• inelcsure ia rorvarded tor your information .. 

Incloaure - 1 

Memo tor Secret.ar.r, JCS, 

cltd 23 Dec 52• Serial - 000417 

(less incl) 

AFSAC1 66/46 

M. C. FISHl!R 

LT.JG• USI 

Sooretar.r. AFSAC 

~ --

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 01-28 2014 pursuantto E.O. 1352a 

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·-..i. .... 

RATIONAL SIEURM AGDC! 

Waehillgton 2'1 D. C. 

Ser.Lal: 000417 

a Decsber 1952 

'l<P SQET - SBCDBITY INFOB!ATIOtf 

JllM)lWfDtJI( FOR THE SECllE'r.AB.Y;t Jom CHIIPS OF STAW 

SUBJECTs Beplaceent ot the CCllllbimd Cipher Jlaabim 

The incloaure is .torwarded1 .in accordance with 

SJl..2788....,21 tor conalderation bJ' the J, 

Bt&tta 

Inell 

Memo bJ' DlmlSA tor the 

JCS, aab.,1. as aboYe 

CCI DDI 

DDS 

CONS 

c/s 

AG 

P/P 

LOG 

sa~ 

<~>. 

m 

R/D (2) 

C/SF/J (3) 

lf/R1 SeU-explanator.r. 

' 

Col. .l.L. Pa~eld.,Comeec, 

Ext. 501 

ma SJIJB!l! CONTROL RWIBlB 52 ... UJ4 

00P7 __j__£ ~ 35 aopiea 

Page -Y- of 1 pages 

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~lUNDUll BY THE OIRECTOR1 UATIOUAL Sl.£U.:UTY AGENCY 

tor the 

JOINT CHI.EFS OF STAFF 

on 

REPLAC~!.~"l' 01 nm CO~INED CIPfilR MACHIN,t; 

Reterences: a. J. C .s. Z74/9 

b. J.c.s. 2U/4/14 

c. J.C~S. 2Ul4/'ZJ. 

1., The U.K. Chiefs of Staff h&ve replied (.Enclosure t~ J.C.s. 

2074/ZJ.) to proposals made by the u.s. Joint Chiefs ot ~'t.att (i.rlclosure 

n A" to J .c.s. 2D74/lJ+) pert.aining to replacement of the existing 

Conbined Cipher ilachine (CCM). The proposals by the U.S. Joint Chiefs 

ot statt were made in light or a request by the u .K. Chiefs ot Staf't, 

dated 4 January 1952 (Enclosure to J.c.s. 2<Tl4/ll), tor the U.S. to 

provide equipments (either Al"SAM: 7 or AFSAM 47) on a tree loan basis 

tor Commonwealth and NATO use, regardless or whether the c:eyptoprinciple was ADONIS or BRUTUS. The U. K. Chiefs or Staff now urge 

selection of the Bltl1l'US system to replace the CD.! in accordance with 

a UK/US agreement, made in September 1950 and approved by the U.S·. 

Joint Cbiets ot Start in July' 1951, to use this C17ptoprinciple {~closure 0B" to J.c.s. '2D74/9). 

2. The reJ>lT to the u.r.. Chieta ot St.alt contained in the enclosure 

confirms the urgenc,. of the problem. and recanmenda that a f'inal agreement be reached on the cryptoprinciple tor the new Combined Cipher 

Machine. Thia approach to the problem avoids compar:laona or apecitic 

equipments, not all ot which are sufficiently advanced ror auch comparison, but opens the ~ for pranpt and concert.ed action b7 both the 

U.S. and U.K. tor replaeing t.he CQI by ending vacillation in the making 

ot a choice between two at.rang oryptoprinciples. The reply recommends 

that the ADO.~IS cryptoprinciple be agreed upon, lists the advantages 

which it otters operationally and logi.atical.]1', and presents a practicable means ot implementing it. 

'f0¥ d CONTROL NU!JBER 22-123# 

Cow ot _li_ copies 

Page 1 of' ~ pages 

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3. Separate action will be taken later with respect to the question 

ot release ot the new Combined. czn>t;opd.ncipl.e to the Union ot south 

Africa raised 1n mclosure "B" to JCS '1J74/2l (ACT 97). 

4. It is recommended that the drat't memorandum in the »icl.oeure be 

forwarded to the Representatives ot t_he U.K. Chieta ot statf. 

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.. 

' 

.J 

- ·--

IBCLOSUB.& 

D&AP! 

sa>.aAR:a: iOa Tts UPRIS.llft'ATIYIS °' THI mrrm URGOOU CHIJWB or mur 

Sabject1 lepl.acs int ot the Cad>lnad Cipher Jladd.ne 

1. Tm magnttacle and caapl.md.'7 ot thl Jft81'Ul tor nplaclng the 

p1'9881S Co8id.ned oz:rptopr.lnciple LUCin:R with a mw prina:lple, pa.11-

tiaalarJ..r trhm it. 1e atmcled ta IATO, •ku it ....U.al that; our 

~..._.. be bawl an ~jeotin wSMratlaa ot tot.al amt, total 

pl'Odlactton capabtlftiee, total logl8t1cal eappart, and l.ang-\erm 

-un.tr. With the• CGQlll.deratlcne 1D ldnd, the ladted states Jo111t 

Cid.eta ot Statt haft etadied. tba. tmited K1qplm Cbiaf'• ot start 

·11emnma Ai:t 96, dated 5 .o.o-ber 1952, md ngret; that. tile, GlllllOt 

...... to the pnpaeal.• la parapapb 6 tblNOt. 

· 2. ·the U.S. Joint Chieta ot Staff apwe u to t.ba v.-. aad 

illportance in NaddDR qrss1rmt an tld.• prob].-.. '1lrt.ber delqa can 

be &'ftlf.ded tr our Mkfng a ftm and a.nal dllalaioa u ta th• orntOpr.lnc:lple to be mp1oJed 1n tbt mw Caai>:lmd Cipbar .iiachlm. Thl• 

•ill then pend.t our NllJMICU:n 'teclmlcal. arganlsat.1aa.11 to take rap1c1. . 

oance~~- 9'aA!taa1221 ·..uaa to obtain ti. equipmnt wblch 

.+odl• u. ao-d pr1na:lple. Aac:arclln81.F, the ·u.s. Ja1m Chi.re ot 

st.art~~~: ,t : ,f." \, .. ) Lo.- I~\ 

.!• !bl ~l"J.nalplll ADOllIS tie dee1 pated u the mw ra.l:d.aad 

md 111\) atpber 11711tm; L I , 

';){ ~AA- {J.N '\ -. u .,4..-;;,. \N--l. '-·. . t . . I · < l ~ • • 

l· ft. umtec1 ~ ms a.1t.s a.. •• -~--~ ~ plm 

tor tbe Jba• introclact1on or .A.DORIS to begin cm 1 J11DUU7 1955. 

!.• !lie U.S •. ..am aallable to tbl U.K. 1 mder ~ta to 

be dnel'lllned latier, u.s. ADOKIS •'-talrmmt• mt.11 811Cb U. u 

ti. u.1. am prcnJ.de tor it• e1111 'nNlaa ot A.IXllIS. . . 

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• 

3. Agreement on the adoption ot A~IS is urged tor the tollord.ng 

reasons: 

• 

a. '!'be United States Joint Chiefs ot Statt consider that 36-point -

?. _______ ,_ 

wired rotors wred in ADO:Us otter greater fiexibillty and opport.unit7 

tor the uae ot secure cryptopr.incip1es than do 26-point rot.ors. 

The United States has standardised on a tamil.v' ot developments, including teletype, atilizing 36-point rat.ors. The U.S. Joint Chiets 

ot start desire, therefore~ not to project into the future a Cl"J'Ptoequipment tor Combined and NATO use which would be incompatible 

with the rest ot the United states cl'7¢odevelopnents. In view or 

the tact that the United Kingdcm is compelled to use a single 

machine to met both Comm.onrealth and Combined requirements, it 

seems that it would be to its immediate advantage also to standardize 

-\ 

on a machine capable ot wdng 36-point rot.ors. · ,,,,, 

.... --- c_ ~/The United states Joint Chiefs ot St.aft consider that gradual 

introduction of AOOUIS begirming on l January 1955 is a practicable 

program which minindzes the possihil1t7 that adoption ot AUONIS 

would result in further del.q in replacing the C~ until the total 

requirement tor A.OONIS equipments can have been produced and distributed. · This is supported b,y the status or production lines tor 

mass productic:in ot_an aquiprl8n\i capable ot operating AOONIS. 

o. Anaqaes 11h1ch haft been made on the beat data obtainable as 

-to the total cost or purobaaing tor U.S. , Comnomrealth, and tl ATO 

requirements tor equi:cments, parts, and rotors f'or ADONIS as 

compared with the same tor Bt1UTUS show that ADONIS is not. onJ¥ 

slightly' cheaper tran the standpoint of initial coat but also is 

considerab.]¥ less expensive frail the long-tenn standpoint. i;1th 

the adoption ot AOONIS ll8ll1' thousands ot 10-lS year old, badlT 

worn equipaits which are slow and coatl:f to maintain will be replaced b7 new equi~nta, whereas with BRUTUS Jll8DY' of these old 

equipnent.a will have to be kept in operation through the uae or 

adaptors. In order to enable the U.K. to met the l JanU&1"7 1955 

mclosure 

'IGP SB6ft:1' CO!lTROL NU?,'.BER S2-1S34 

Copy !!?5_:/:_ ot __JS__ copies 

Page 4 of ~ pages 

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' 

G:/ ,. 1V 1, 

~·tr'<_ 

date tor the initiation of the program, the U.S. )A"" prepared to 

make oailabl• to the u.r.., under arrangements to be determined 

later, U.S. AOO?lIS equipaents, at least until the U.Y.. ~rovide 

tor its own Teraion ot ADO?lIS. 7-

,L 4- LogistJ.cally, AiX>NIS otters ID8l\Y advantages. 

( 

\ __ _ 

(1) AOONIS makes it possible for a sin,·le machine, td.thout 

adaptors (baskets), to be ueed b.Y' all countriee in otticea, 

Tehicles, aircraft, submarines., and amall Teasels. Obvious]¥, 

this means that standardiza;tion of operating and maintenance 

procedures, publications, ke)"ing material•, per supplies, 

and. spare parts would be tair]Jr simple. Although the same 

ia techiiicall;r possible with Bml'l'US., it is not possible 

within the time proposed (Januarr l9SS). 

(2) It btters the poeaibil.it7 tor one t.ype of rotor to be 

used throup,hout u.s./u.K. National, Combined, and NATO Commands. 

Also, u preY.loual.y stated, the 36-paint rotor used 1n ADONIS 

is used in certain U.S. teletype security developnents which 

are under study by U.K. cryptographic experta tor posalble 

Con:bined usage. 3xtens1n dewlopnent engineering vould be 

needed before t.be ABB could be true of BRUTUS. 

(3) The power requirements, weJ.«ht, and size of the version 

of ADONIS now in production makes it an acceptable i::r,ptomachine tor the lowest as well as the highest ot Command 

echelons. 

(4) ADONIS u:akes it posalble tor the distribution and 

accounting problema to be reduced to the m1n1mum because or 

a reduction in the number and t,pea ot ditterent registered 

items (rotors, adaptora, equipments, publications, spare 

part,s, and ccmponent.s) • 

(5) Perf'ormance of and production capabilities tor ADONIS 

equipnant. haw reached the.point where rapid expansion ot 

imclosure 

T6I' 7 COlrlliOL llllMBJ!H S2-1S3!t ~PY ..2. or--"--- copies 

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.. 

production is warranted and f°easib~e ., _~s equ1prr.e~t~ have . _ 

· ~ 

~;reached ~~ this 

\'9_S-'\'. 

stage~~/~ M044·~~~ ~ 

c:v- ~ o. ~ 

~ ~~ ~ ~ 

"'- -fe.... et~A\-~A•'1 .. ""t~~:t"~No ~ ~ ~t'\5"4. 4. Tlieretore, lt l.s urged that 7ou accept the proposals iri paragraph 

2 and that you inform ws or 7our acceptance as qidckly as possible. 

Fn.closure 

:rot' ~ CO!l'rltClL N1ll!Blll! 52-15'4 Cow or 35 copies 

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