The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974

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Chapter 5
ground force installations .. . would require about two man-years
work, backed up by a larger expansion of photointerpretation ef­
fort.,, S3
Use of Infrared Scanner Over PRC Nuclear Plants
Photographic missions were not the only method used by the Agency
to gather information on the PRC's progress in developing nuclear
weapons. fn fact, standard overhead photography was of little value in
determining whether or not various nuclear-related facilities were
producing weapon-grade materials. Such information could onl1y be
obtained from agent reports or infrared imaging of the targets. which
would reveal the heat associated with nuclear-refining activity. Early
in 1963 the Agency sought special funds from the Pentagon to de­
velop a high-resolution infrared scanner for the U-2 in order to ascer­
tain the operntional status of Chinese nuclear reactors. After this
request was turned down. the Agency decided to fund the develop­
ment of such a scanner itself. In the spring of 1963, the Office of
Research and Development (ORD) signed a contract with the Texas
Instruments C'Jmoration for the :roduction of an infrared scanner that
would operat ~----:---,.~--
~
To conceal the intended
purpose of the scanner, the devices were called forest fire dete,ctors
and assigned model numbers such as "FFD-I ...
Tests conducted in Septe
~3 oro...-ed that model FFD-2
was ca •
f reveal incr activit
·-------- -~~
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Further im­
provements followed, and on 26 October 1964 ORUcleclarecl the
infrared unit operational. In reporting the successful results of the in­
frared testing to DCI McCone. ORD Director Robert Chapman men­
tioned that there was only one such unit in existence. McCone
immediately told Chapman to order more, and the Agency then pur­
chased several for Project TACKLE and a stereo-configured FFD-4
for Project OXCART.
DC[ McCone reviewed these infrared detection developments
with Defense Secretary McNamara and his new deputy, Cyrus Vance,
on 30 October. being careful to point out that the new device was a
E..-ncv-snnnsored R&D because the Pentagon had ref~
'• ORR. M.:moran<lum tor tho: R.:cord. 11 January 1965, OSA records (TS Co<l.:wonJ).
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