United  States  Air  Force 
FOREIGN  TECHNOLOGY  DIVISION 
AIR  FORCE  SYSTEMS  COMMAND,  WRIGHT-  PATTERSON  AFB,  OH  45433  (513)  257-2917 
FOREIGN  TECHNOLOGY  DIVISION 
The  Foreign  Technology  Division  (FTD)  of  the  Air  Force  Systems  Command 
(AFSC)  at  Wright-Patterson  AFB,  Ohio,  is  responsible  for  producing  scientific 
and  technical  (S&T)  studies  on  the  current  aerospace  capabilities  and  poten- 
tial threats  of  major  adversary  powers.  This  information  supports  AFSC 
research  and  development  (R&D)  efforts  to  develop  militarily  superior  aero- 
space weapon  systems,  provides'  the  Defense  Intelligence  Agency  (DIA)  and 
Assistant  Chief  of  Staff,  Intelligence,  HQ  USAF,  S&T  information  for  inclusion 
in  national  intelligence  estimates  and  satisfies  the  technical  intelligence 
needs  of  Air  Force  operational  commands. 
FTD  develops  S&T  intelligence  by  analyzing  all  available  data  on  foreign 
aerospace  weapon  systems  to  determine  their  performance,  characteristics, 
capabilities  and  vulnerabilities.  The  Division  also  evaluates  surprise  to 
the  United  States.  Analysis  responsibilities  cover  the  full  range  of  aerospace 
systems  but  primarily  involve  aircraft,  ballistic  missiles,  space  systems, 
radars,  lasers,  electronic  countermeasures ,  communications,  air  defense 
systems,  industrial  resources  and  new  technological  advances  with  potential 
military  applications. 
HISTORY 
FTD  traces  its  beginning  to  the  Technical   Data  Laboratory  formed  in  1942 
at  Wright-Patterson  AFB  with  a  small   technical   intelligence  element  of  25 
people.     Its  primary  mission  was  to  evaluate  captured  foreign  documents,  air- 
craft and  associated  equipment.     Since  1942,  FTD  has  greatly  expanded  its 
mission  and  resources   to  meet  the  challenge  of  worldwide  technological 
developments  and  the  accompanying  national   need  for  aerospace  technical 
intelligence.     Currently,  FTD  is  comprised  of  approximately  1,600  people 
occupying  a  facility  totaling  about  460,000  square  feet  of  office  and" 
laboratory  space. 
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THE  INTELLIGENCE  NEED 
Today,   foreign  S&T  intelligence  assessments  are  an  important  factor  in 
shaping  national   security  and  defense  policy.     A  key  input  is  FTD's   techno- 
logical  threat  projections  which  assist  various  national   defense  agencies   in 
planning,  developing  and  producing  aerospace  systems   to  ensure  US  air  superi- 
ority. 
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The  combat  survivability  of  advanced  weapon  systems  and  development 
of  aerospace  support  equipment  are  greatly  dependent  on  the  accuracy  of 
FTD's  assessments  of  the  current  and  projected  foreign  threat.  With  these 
analyses,  AFSC  engineers  can  design  systems  and  equipment  to  counter  and 
neutralize  enemy  capabilities.  A  close  interface  is  maintained  between 
FTD  and  all  other  AFSC  R&D  divisions  and  laboratories.  FTD  also  provides 
S&T  information  on  advanced  foreign  technological  developments  for  evaluation 
by  AFSC  design  engineers  to  enable  them  to  assess  and,  where  applicable,  apply 
any  unique  scientific  data  to  R&D  projects. 
COOPERATION  AND  LIAISON 
As  the  primary  producer  of  foreign  aerospace  scientific  and  technical 
intelligence,  FTD  maintains  close  liaison,  coordination  and  cooperation  with 
all  members  of  the  US  intelligence  community,  USAF  operational  commands  and 
DOD  R&D  organizations.  Additionally,,  it  manages  the  centralized  DOD  automated 
S&T  intelligence  information  data  base  for  all  other  DOD  intelligence  pro- 
duction agencies. 
FACILITIES 
The  completion  of  the  Foreign  Technology  Division's  current  facility  in 
1976  culminated  many  years  of  planning  and  effort  to  consolidate  all  of  the 
organizations 's  resources  and  activities  which  were  previously  located  in  nine 
other  buildings.     Coupled  with  the  modernization  of  FTD's  specialized  labora- 
tory and  computer  facilities,  this  building  provides   the  appropriate  environ- 
ment in  which  the  Foreign  Technology  Division  can  satisfy  the  constantly 
growing  need  for  foreign  S&T  aerospace  intelligence.  I 
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