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/specialCollection/MissileGap/1961/1961-04-25.pdf

Central Intelligence Agency · 101 pages · text from the file's own layer

This is National Intelligence Estimate 11-5-61, Soviet Technical Capabilities in Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles. It was submitted by the Director of Central Intelligence and concurred in by the United States Intelligence Board on 25 April 1961. The estimate assesses Soviet surface-to-air, antimissile, air-to-air, air-to-surface, ballistic, ICBM, naval and space programs. It concludes that the first Soviet ICBM unit was probably operational around 1 January 1960. It also says there is no evidence the Soviets are developing offensive space weapons. It contains no UFO material.

  • p. 94 …under the Astro- nomical Council of the Academy of Sciences probably has the prime responsibility for…
Summary Table V
PROBABLE OVIET DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR NAVAL LAUNCHED SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILES SYSTEMS •
Arbitrary
Reference
Designation
Initial
Operational
Capability
Date h
Maximum
Operational
Range (n.m.)
Guidance Operational
Accuracy (CEP) •
Maximum
Warhead d
(lbs. and type)
Configure-
tion REMARKS
SS—N—I
SS—N-2
SS—N-3
SS—N-4
SS—N-5
1958
1958
1981
1958—Z class
sub.
I959-0 class
sub.
1962-1963.
100 assisted by heti-
copter.
60—S0 assisted by
forward ship.
30-40 unassisted.
30-40 unassisted .
60-8.0 when as-
slated.
300
150 or 350
500-1,000
Programed posal-
bly with radar
track/radio coin-
:nand over-ride
with terminal
homing against
ships.
See paragraph 137,
page 31.
. A supersonic cruise missile
Radio/inertial
Inertial
150 ft. against ship.
1-2 n.m. against
land targets.
150 ft
designed for launching
1-2 n.m
.
1-3 n.m
1,000 HE or Nu-
clear.
, .
1,000 HE or Nu-
clear,
from surfaced
1,500-2,000 Nu-
clear.
1,000 Nuclear
Cruise
Cruise
submarines.
Ballistic.
Eeiistic
Destroyer and possibly
cruiser launched. High
subsonic used against
land or ship targets.
1000-10,000' altitude,
Destroyer and possibly
cruiser launched. Low
supersonic for use
against ships only 200'
altitude.
Not launched submerged.
Modified "Z" class carries
2. "0" class can carry
3-4•
0-12 missiles per sub.
Launched submerged or
surfaced.
OTHER: The Soviets now have operational a short range missile, guided or unguided, for use n patrol craft.
Based on requirements and our appreciation of Soviet state of the art, we estimate that the USSR may be developing a missile for use in ASW. Assuming
that an active development program is underway, we estimate that a ballistic-launch ed depth bomb could be available for use by surface ships in 1962 -1904
and that a ballistic -launched homing torpedo to be fired from a submarine could be available in 1963-1985.
• We evaluate this program as "probable" with varying degrees of confidence concerning detailed characteristics. Each missile listed will probably go
through various stages of development which are not necessarily reflected in this table.
b The date when the first operational unit is trained and equipped with a few missiles and launchers.
• CEP is the radius of a circle in which, statistically, one-half of the impacts will occur. Inherent missile accuracie.s are I omewhat better than the accuracies
specified in the table which take into consideration average degradation factors, and for naval systems include the error in the location of the launching ship.
d Warhead includes the explosive device and Its associated fusing and firing mechanism.

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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 101 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.