Security Awareness Bulletin 1-97
Mike said to himself, "Well here's something I've never seen before," as he opened the Open Skies Treaty Data Call package that had arrived with the morning mail. It contained a computer disk and information from the Pentagon and the On-Site Inspection Agency. Mike had recently taken over as site manager for Defense Tech, Inc., so his first reaction was to forward the package to Larry, his facility security officer and newly designated point of contact for information about arms control treaties. But, as he placed the contents back into the envelope, part of the Pentagon's memo caught his eye: "It allows for unarmed aerial observation flights, unrestricted...with a variety of still photography, infrared and video cameras and an all-weather radar system to record the ground...." He decided to call Larry instead, "I just received a big package from the Defense Department, come and tell me what you know about observation flights carrying cameras."
Early in 1994, at the direction of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, the On-Site Inspection Agency mailed thousands of packages to defense contractors in the U.S. The memo offered a special service - early warning notification of foreign observation flights, cost-free. You may have received one too. More importantly, if you took the time to fill in the requested information and subscribe to the service, you could have already received early warning notification of U.S.-foreign joint observation training flights occurring over the United States.
This is the sixth in a series about the Open Skies Treaty prepared by the On-Site Inspection Agency (OSIA) to increase Readiness Through Awareness within the defense contractor community. It is intended to increase awareness among site and facility managers, facility security officers and senior company officials of arms control activities that can affect defense industry sites in the United States. The purpose of this article is to introduce procedures established by the Defense Department to notify vulnerable sites about observation flights conducted under the Treaty on Open Skies. Forewarned defense and industry sites can then take appropriate measures to protect sensitive and proprietary information.
The United States took another step aimed at increasing confidence and security in the world when it ratified the Treaty on Open Skies in December 1993. Originally proposed by President Eisenhower in 1955, the Treaty was reintroduced by President Bush in 1989 and signed in Helsinki on March 24, 1992. The Treaty promotes transparency in military arms and acts as an important confidence building measure by permitting its members to overfly each other's territory using aircraft equipped with cameras, synthetic aperture radar and infrared sensors.
As a Treaty member, the United States may receive as many as 42 Open Skies overflights per year. Because all areas are subject to overflight, during daylight or darkness, some operations at defense industrial sites could be affected. However, because Treaty members requesting to overfly U.S. territory must provide 72 hours notice, the Defense Department can provide early warning notification to vulnerable sites. Furthermore, the duration of a site's vulnerability is limited because each overflight must be completed within 96 hours after the observation team arrives in the U.S.
As soon as Mike hung up, Larry reached for a growing folder on the corner of his desk labeled Treaty Security Information. Luckily, he had just received something about Open Skies - a DTIRP security information bulletin. He grabbed the bulletin and hurried over to Mike's office, re-reading it as he walked. Larry handed the bulletin to Mike saying, "I received this just yesterday, it's from the Defense Department's On-Site Inspection Agency in Washington. As Mike read the bulletin, Larry noticed the package on Mike's desk was also from OSIA, "Just as I hoped" he said to himself. Mike finished reading the bulletin then exclaimed, "Airplanes fly over everyday, and there probably are satellites too, why should I be concerned if a few more planes fly over?" Larry began to explain the sensors that are permitted by the Treaty and how the collected data must be shared with any signatory willing to pay the cost of reproduction. Larry was concerned about potential impact to the DX-5 program's research, development, test and evaluation activities at Defense Tech ...
Three types of devices - optical cameras, synthetic aperture radar, and infrared sensors - are permitted on board Open Skies aircraft to record objects on the ground during the observation flight. However, in recognition of each signatory's need to protect highly sensitive information, the Treaty places limitations on the capabilities of the sensors. This is accomplished by limiting the "ground resolution" of the image that the sensor can collect. Simply defined, ground resolution is the minimum distance between two objects at which an observer can tell they are separate objects.
For example, the maximum ground resolution of images recorded by optical panoramic, framing and video cameras may not exceed 30 centimeters. Moreover, this resolution cannot be obtained at a distance greater than 50km or roughly 31 miles. So, the Open Skies aircraft must come within 50km of your site to obtain the permitted resolution and therefore the best possible images. Images can be incidentally collected beyond the 50km limit, for example if the aircraft tipped due to air turbulence, but the images will have degraded resolution and therefore be of less use to the observing party. A simplified example of this kind of image occurs when an ordinary camera is focused on a subject three feet away; an image of the background scenery is also captured in the photograph, but it appears out of focus and somewhat blurred. In this example, the optimum camera range is three feet.
While panoramic and framing cameras are likely to be the most common sensors used during the first three years of the Treaty, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) may also be used. The resolution of SAR for Open Skies overflights is restricted to 3 meters. The third type of sensor is an infrared line-scanner. But, these are not allowed during the first three years of the Treaty except by mutual agreement of both Treaty members. When it is used, the ground resolution is restricted to 50cm.
Despite these restrictions, imagery collected during Open Skies overflights will provide a significant amount of information that cannot be acquired by commercial satellites. Open Skies sensor limits were established to allow observation teams to distinguish a tank from a truck, and to identify large military equipment and aircraft during an overflight. Consequently, the sensors can also detect a range of outdoor industrial equipment and vehicles, and reveal facility layouts and security arrangements. Moreover, unlike satellites, some Open Skies sensors can be mounted obliquely to image at an angle sideways from the flight path, thereby recording some objects that are covered or just inside large open doorways. Likewise, with simultaneous use of multiple cameras, the combination of vertical and oblique photographs can be overlapped to provide three-dimensional images which may also reveal the height and side characteristics of objects.
In addition to the optical sensor's capabilities, SAR and infrared sensors present added challenges to some facilities because both sensors can image through certain materials and thin coverings, such as wood, canvas, etc., and both work equally well night or day. Finally, synthetic aperture radar even performs well during inclement weather.
"Well Larry, you make it sound like something from a Star Trek television script," Mike said, "but, what does it really mean to us here at Defense Tech? You know I just got the Test and Evaluation Master Plan approved for the DX-5, and the prototype will be ready to begin outdoor testing in less than ten weeks." "I'm no expert on these sensors Mike," Larry said, "but I have some other information I picked up last month at our annual security convention. Give me some time to pull it all together and get you a better answer." Fortunately for Larry, representatives from OSIA and the Defense Investigative Service were also at the convention to provide information about the potential impact of arms control activities. Larry had picked up several items and put them in his new Treaty Security Information folder. "Here it is, Open Skies Treaty-The Impact," Larry said aloud as he opened the pamphlet from OSIA.
As you would suspect, Open Skies overflights will primarily affect activities that occur outdoors, such as research, development, testing and evaluation or modification programs. But plant and facility layouts will be readily observable, including such items as new construction, power sources, ventilation systems, physical security arrangements, external storage areas, shipping containers, parking lot and road capacity and use, cooling ponds, thermal pollution of waterways and pollution of vegetation. Thermal images from infrared sensors may also reveal information on production activities and the level and scope of heat generating activities inside of a facility.
All of these items could be useful in creating an intelligence mosaic of a facility and its operations. This type of information can also be valuable in filling in the missing pieces of an intelligence picture that has been created from other sources. This is particularly important for defense industry because of increased emphasis on economic intelligence collection by many countries.
Finally, the Open Skies Treaty will provide many nations with their first opportunity to conduct aerial observations over the United States. Consequently, a considerable amount of information could be collected which may not have been previously available to them. Additionally, other Treaty members who previously relied upon commercial satellite imagery purchased abroad, can purchase copies of all imagery from Open Skies overflights.
The next day Mike was more concerned about the DX-5 project's vulnerability to Open Skies overflights. He saw Larry in the hall and asked, "Could you take a look at the Test & Evaluation Master Plan and find out if the prototype DX-5 test schedule will be affected by an overflight? Let me know what you come up with as soon as possible." Larry got back to his office and thought for a moment. It must have seemed like a daunting task for Mike to give, but Larry knew just who to call for help on arms control treaty implementation issues...
Established by the Defense Department, the Defense Treaty Inspection Readiness Program (DTIRP) provides assistance to the Defense Department, and the defense contractor community in particular, in protecting national security, proprietary and other sensitive information during arms control activities like Open Skies overflights. The Defense Department's Executive Agent for DTIRP, the On-Site Inspection Agency, created a system to notify any site or facility that may be imaged during an observation flight. OSIA can help managers at facilities like Defense Tech to minimize the security impact of Open Skies Treaty overflights. Representatives from the Defense Investigative Service (DIS) can also provide valuable assistance.
Larry opened the Open Skies Treaty Data Call package Mike had received the day before. It was exactly what he hoped for - the Passive Overflight Module Data Preparation Instructions he requested from OSIA only last week. Larry knew that by filling in and submitting the data call package, Defense Tech could subscribe to a cost-free service and have their site entered into a notification database within the Passive Overflight Module (POM).
The POM allows the On-Site Inspection Agency's Security Office personnel to analyze the flight path of a proposed Open Skies overflight and determine potential sensor coverage and resolution along the route. This is then provided to OSIA's 24-hour Operations Center to notify those facilities which might be affected by an impending overflight. This is done through the Telephone Notification System or TNS - an automated system which sends POM-generated notifications to all sites which may be imaged along the flight path of a proposed mission. The initial warning of an intent to fly is provided to facilities at least 96 hours before the observation flight begins, with regular updates on site vulnerability including the time of possible sensor coverage. Messages are transmitted over standard phone lines, but can include a variety of formats including facsimile, modem, pager, answering machine or voice mail. TNS messages can also be transmitted over the Automated Digital Network (AUTODIN) message system. Of course, you cannot receive the notifications if you haven't subscribed to the service.
One week later... "Well Larry, what have you come up with?" Mike asked. "Mike, what would you say if I could give you advance warning of every Open Skies overflight that could image our site?!" Larry said enthusiastically. Before Mike could answer, Larry continued, "I've added all Defense Tech facilities to a database and notification system developed by the Defense Department. From now on we will receive...."
The Treaty on Open Skies will allow many nations to obtain imagery taken over any part of the United States and its territories. But, with advance warning through OSIA's Passive Overflight Module and Telephone Notification System, concerned defense sites and industrial facilities can take appropriate measures to preclude the loss of sensitive or proprietary information. For more information about U.S. Government assistance that is available, call the On-Site Inspection Agency's Industry Outreach Program Manager at 1-800-419-2899, or contact your local DIS representative.