Take 2 of 2-- Air Defense Forces Chief Interviewed

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

UNCLAS 3P/PMU STV/SU MIS

RECONNAISSANCE PLANES. EVERYDAY THERE WERE UP TO 10 OF THEM. THEY WERE THERE ALL THE TIME WATCHING IRAQ COMPLETELY. THEY WERE COMPLETELY IN CHARGE OF THE SITUATION. AND NATURALLY, OF COURSE, THINGS WERE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DEFENDING SIDE. THE CONCLUSION FOR US IS, OF COURSE, TO HAVE HIGH COMBAT READINESS AND SUCH AIR DEFENSE ASSETS AS CAN FIGHT AGAINST THE NEW, MOST ADVANCED AIR AND SPACE MEANS OF ATTACK AT ANY MOMENT. ((PASSAGE OMITTED: TRETYAK SAYS NO UFO'S HAVE BEEN RECORDED BY THE AIR DEFENSE FORCES))

((VOVNENKO)) DO YOU YOURSELF BELIEVE IN UFO'S?

((TRETYAK)) AS YET I DO NOT. I BELIEVE SOMETHING ELSE, THAT MODERN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ARE CAPABLE OF CREATING SUCH SPACECRAFT THAT COULD APPEAR ABOVE US.

((VOVNENKO)) THAT IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE IN TOO.

((TRETYAK)) THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON.

((VOVNENKO)) YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN MAN'S INGENUITY.

((TRETYAK)) SDI IS A COMPLICATED THING, AND THE PLATFORMS THAT THEY ARE PROMISING TO MAKE IN THEIR THOUSANDS ARE GOING TO APPEAR IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD. AND, THEY CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO BE AT ANY ALTITUDE. SO, WE HAVE TO WATCH THIS CAREFULLY.

((VOVNENKO)) WHEN THERE IS TALK ABOUT CUTBACKS IN WEAPONS, ABOUT CONVERSION, EVEN MORE AND MORE OFTEN ABOUT CUTTING BACK THE ARMY, HOW IS ALL THIS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTRY'S PVO? WHAT ABOUT THAT?

((TRETYAK)) IF I AM TO BE UNEQUIVOCAL, THIS IS PAINFUL TO US. THEY SAID THE RIGHT THING, THAT QUANTITIVE CUTBACKS SHOULD BE MADE UP FOR IN QUALITY, THAT IS, WEAPONS. THAT IS CORRECT. BUT, THEY HAVE TAKEN MONEY AWAY FROM US. I CANNOT BUY FROM THE STATE AS MUCH OF THIS EQUIPMENT AS I NEED TO MAKE UP THE QUALITY. AND ALL WE HAVE IS THE MONEY THEY ALLOCATED TO THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND WHICH HE PASSED ON TO US, THE COMMANDERS IN CHIEF. CONSEQUENTLY, THE RATES OF REEQUIPMENT ARE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER AND THIS WILL EFFECT COMBAT READINESS.

OF COURSE, OUR SCIENCE HAS TO KEEP UP. THE CUTBACKS IN MONIES FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH WORK IS ALSO GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECT. AND THESE HAVE BEEN CUT BACK A LOT. THINGS THAT ARE FINE NOW WILL BE OBSOLETE IN FIVE TO 10 YEARS. THEY HAVE TO PRODUCE NEW, ADVANCED THINGS.

((VOVENKO)) OF COURSE, OVER 10 YEARS ANY PROGAM WOULD...

((TRETYAK, INTERRUPTING)) SO HERE TOO IT IS A QUESTION OF MONEY. BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY IS NOT EASY. AND FOR THE TIME BEING, HOWEVER MUCH WE MIGHT WANT IT, THE COUNTRY CANNOT GIVE ANYTHING EVEN TO THE PVO TROOPS WHICH ARE ON THE VERY FRONT LINE AND ARE THE FIRST TO GO INTO BATTLE, IN THE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS WE ARE IN NOW. CONSEQUENTLY WE WILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN HIGH COMBAT READINESS WITH WHAT WE HAVE, MAINTAIN THE TECHNICAL STATE OF ALL EQUIPMENT, KEEP IT WELL MAINTAINED, AND BE READY TO CARRY OUT OUR TASKS. ((VIDEO SHOWS TRETYAK, INTERCUT WITH SHOTS OF PLOTTERS, RADAR OFFICERS, RADAR SCREENS. END CAPTION CONGRATULATES PVO TROOPS ON THEIR DAY OVER SHOTS OF TRETYAK WELCOMING VETERANS AND CADETS))

(ENDALL) 140945 14/2141Z APR

BT

#3034

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