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

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period 1963-1966 the Soviets will begin
at least limited deployment of an anti-
missile system designed for use against
both ICBMs and IRBMs. The earliest of
these dates is contingent upon a Soviet
decision to assume the high risks of start-
ing production and deployment prior to
full system tests, and therefore is con-
sidered the earliest possible date. If de-
ployed early in the period, the capability
of the system against IRRMR probably
would be the more thoroughly tested. It
should be noted that continuing success
in research and development will be nec-
essary if the USSR is to achieve any opera-
tional antiballistic missile capabilities in
1963-1966. It is unlikely that systems
which could be deployed during this time
period would have discrimination capa-
bilities against sophisticated decoys. So-
viet research and development in anti-
missile defense, perhaps including un-
conventional techniques, will undoubtedly
continue as long as there are ballistic
missiles. (Paras. 60-62)
9. In the course of its program to develop
an antimissile system, the USSR could
achieve a limited capability to destroy
satellites after they have made a number
of orbits. However, we believe that for
some years to come the Soviets are likely
to have only a marginal capability under
most favorable conditions for interference
with US satellites. (Para. 63)
Air - to -Air Missiles
10. We estimate that the Soviets have
three types of short range (up to six n.m.)
air-to-air missiles with HE warheads for
employment with their interceptors.
There is good evidence of the deployment
of air-to-air missiles in the Soviet and
European Satellite air forces, and possibly
in the Chinese Communist Air Force.
Soviet development of improved air-to-air
missiles over the next few years is con-
tingent upon trends in Soviet fighter and
Western bomber forces and in Soviet
surface-to-air missile defenses. (Paras.
65-68)
Air- to-Surface Missiles
11. A 55 n.m. air-to-surface antiship sys-
tem which has been operational since 1955
is believed to be widely deployed in naval
medium jet bomber units. Two addi-
tional systems are now estimated to be
operational. The first is an improved
antiship system which has a range of 100
n.m. The second is a 350 n.m. system, be-
lieved to have been designed for delivery
by heavy bombers primarily against land
targets. Both antiship missiles can be
used against land targets with reduced
accuracy, and the 350 n.m. system pos-
sibly could have an antiship role as a
secondary mission. (Paras. 71-77)
Surface -to-Surface Ballistic Missiles
12. The USSR has developed a family of
ground launched ballistic missiles whose
ranges and other performance charac-
teristics probably satisfy most current
Soviet requirements for iong range nu-
clear attack and for support of theater
field forces. Two short range missiles,
with maximum ranges of about 150 n.m.
and 350 n.m., and two medium range mis-
siles, with maximum ranges of about 700
n.m. and 1,100 n.m., have been available
for operational use for the past few years.
• An IRBM of about 2,000 n.m. range, now
under development, will increase Soviet
coverage of distant peripheral targets and
permit greater flexibility of deployment
within the USSR. The ICBM develop-