CAESAR - (USA)

Cover Name for SOSUS.

CAT - CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT

CAT - CIVIL AIR TRANSPORT Far Eastern airline formed by legendary 'Flying Tiger's' founder Claire Lee Chennault and Whiting Willauer in 1946. Later owned by the CIA. Used for covert operations across the region. Reorganised into AIR AMERICA 1959.

ABOVE: CAT label

BELOW: CAT aircraft in operation

 

CKTAW

CKTAW - (CIA) Operation to tap communications cables between the Krasnaya Pakhra Nuclear Weapons Institute, Troitsk to the Soviet Ministry of Defence, Moscow. 1981. Personnel for the operation were carefully selected, trained and rehearsed in the US before deployment in the USSR. Exceptionally successful, but later betrayed by disaffected sacked CIA officer. Known as BILLIARD BALL by the KGB after compromise.

CORONA

CORONA - (CIA) First-generation Spy Satellite launched by USA. Development started in 1956 on a low-orbit photo-reconnaissance platform that used 70mm high-resolution film before ejecting the canister for mid-air retrieval. After multiple launch failures, a reliable system for launching Corona in just 24 hours was established by 1965. Satellites designated with a 'KH' prefix - 'for Keyhole' - ie KH-1, KH-2 etc.

ABOVE: A cutaway of the Corona

BELOW: schematic detailing the system

BELOW: The launch and deployment sequence

BELOW: The recovery sequence

ABOVE: Sept 25th 1967. Corona photographs the Pentagon (on the day I was born.)

 

CHICKADEE

CHICKADEE (CIA) Codename for personal observations and opinions of Soviet Agent Oleg Penkovsky.

CUT-OUT

CUT-OUT
A group or person used to transfer information, funds etc between agents. Often they only know basic details to avoid compromise of a network if identified and interrogated.

CODE CRYPT

CODE CRYPT - code name and control of a SOURCE in encrypted form.

CHICKEN FEED

CHICKEN FEED

Western term for accurate, but harmless information released to a hostile agency. Such material is carefully chosen to convince the hostiles that the source is genuine.

COIN/COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE

COIN/COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE

Protection against espionage, sabotage or assassination attempts. COIN Operations may be passive - such as listening to and decrypting hostile communications or active - such as bugging or other forms of Intelligence Gathering. Offensive Counter-Intelligence measures may include 'turning' Agents or deliberate campaigns of misinformation.

CANARY TRAP

CANARY TRAP - SEE 'BARIUM MEAL/CANARY TRAP'

CASE OFFICER

CASE OFFICER

An INTELLIGENCE OFFICER assigned to a particular operation.

COMINT

COMINT
Communications Intelligence Gathering - part of SIGINT.

CLIPEUS

PROJECT CLIPEUS - (UK)

Clipeus (Latin for 'Shield') was a 1971 project to develop a suitcase sized nuclear weapon.

COAT-TRAILING

COAT-TRAILING

The practice of enticing an approach by a hostile agency to either force their exposure or plant a DOUBLE AGENT. From the old practice of prostitutes who used the literal technique to advertise their trade.