Documents / FOIA release
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.
“Kapustin Yar”16 pages
17E T C00278407 III. AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES 64. Evidence on Soviet development o( air-to- air missiles is largely limited to reports of early experimental work on a radar beam rider missile. According to German returnees who had worked; on the project, this missile, desig- nated "ShM" by the Soviets, was under de- velopment in 1952. Testing of air-to-air mis- siles probably is carried on at the Vladimi- rovka test range (see paragraph 70). 65. In the past two years, we have received considerable evidence on the deployment of air-to-air missiles. Some Soviet fighters in the USSR and East Germany are believed to be equipped with a radar beam rider missile and to have engaged in operational training. Missiles using infrared guidance principles probably are also operationally deployed in the USSR There is good evidence that Euro- pean Satellite air forces are being equipped with the beam rider missile, and there are some indications of the introduction of air- to-air missiles into the air force of. Commu- „isi (Mina. Thc brain ride; missile. probably is now standard armament for the FARMER E fight- er. This aircraft may also be equipped with infrared homing missiles for use in clear weather. There are indications that some of the new Soviet fighter types—FITTER, and possibly FISHBED C and FISHPOT—are armed with air-to-air missiles. The type of missile has not been determined. 67. We estimate that the USSR probably now has three air-to-air missile systems available for operational use: a. AA-] (Soviet .designation "ShM-122")— This radar beam rider is probably an improved version of the original "ShM” missile. It has a range ot 2.5 n.m. and is limited to use with suitably modified all-weather fighters. Op- erational limitations will probably cause this missile to phase out after the next few years. b. AA-2.--A short range infrared homing missile limited to tail attack under clear air mass conditions. It is usable with most in- terceptors including day fighters. Its range varies from one n.m. with day fighters to about four n.m. with all-weather fighters. c. AA-3—On the basis of requirements, early German reports, and Soviet technical capability, we believe that the Soviets at one time had under development a semiactive radar homing missile with a range of about three to six n.m. for use with all-weather fighters. We estimate that such a system is now operational, but there is no evidence of its deployment. 68. Soviet .development of improved air-to-air missiles over the next few years is contingent upon trends in Soviet fighter and Western oomber forces and in Soviet surface-to-ail missile defenses. improvements could include more sophisticated guidanct-, lunge; range. ;Ind iarger payloads (including nuclear). On; present estimates of the nuclear weapon: available in the Soviet stockpile do not incl ude a warhead of a size and weight suitable for air-to-air missiles, although the possibility cannot be excluded that the Soviets have de- veloped a warhead for such use.'° The need to safeguard the pilot from nuclear effects would require a missile of considerably longer range than any estimated to be now availzWle. 'Clear air mass: Absence of clouds and precipita- tion between missile and target. The terrr% is equally.applicable to day or night operations. In addition, an infrared system is also degraded by bright background such as while clouds and attack angles close to the sun. "Annex E. "Estimated Present Nuclear Warhead Capabilities." (Limited Distribution)
Not linked to a story yet.
FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 101 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.