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

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an executive authority would be headed by a
Council of Ministers' Presidium member.—
probably D. F. Ustinov, a Deputy Chairman
of the Council of Ministers and a full member
of the Party Central Committee, who has an
extensive background in weapons production.
It would probably include the Chairman of
most of the State Committees, the Minister of
Defense or the Commander-in-Chief of Rocket
Troops, and the heads of the planning and
financial staff organs. The functions of this
executive authority would be to coordinate
the work of tile p.articipating organizations,
to make the necessary day-to--day decisions
using the USSR State Planning Committee as
its administrative arm, and to submit key
problems promptly to the Presidium for review
and decision.
5. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for
the military aspects of the guided missile pro-
gram: formulating strategic and tactical doc-
trine, specifying military requirements, fund-
ing within the framework of military expendi-
tures, participating. in design and testing,
military acceptance of finished hardware,
troop training and construction, and mainte-
nance of operational facilities. Coordination
of this activity with development and produc-
tion organizations is probably effected through
an executive authority with the Council of
Ministers. Within the Ministry of Defense,
the Chief Artillery Directorate is the principal
organization designated to carry out responsi-
bilities that apply to the procurement, quality
control, and maintenance of equipment for all
the force components. The force components
(ground, air, rocket, naval, PVO) of the Min-
istry of Defense, organize the forces for the
employment of guided missile systems.
6. The research and development phase of
the program is centered in research institutes
and desigit bureaus subordinate to and man-
aged by the State Committees, the Ministry
of Medium Machine Building, and the Defense
Ministry. The production of hardware for
missile systems probably is carried out in
plants under the guidance of the State Com-
mittees and, for nuclear matters, under the
TO P
Ministry of Medium Machine Building. Many
plants under the jurisdiction of the Councils
of the National Economy, however, perform an
essential subcontracting role.
7. In addition to operation of the test
ranges, the Ministry of Defense is responsible
for the training of the troops for the guided
missile systems. Part of the troop training
program is carried out at the test ranges. Re-
sponsibility for the administration of test
ranges, and probably for troop training as well
is divided between the force components of the
Ministry or Detense and higher technical or-
ganization. This division of responsibility
seems to be based upon the mission of the
particular missile system and the component
to which it is primarily assigned for opera-
tional use. Responsibility for the construe-
tiort of operational facilities for surface-to-
surface and surface-to-air systems probably
is centered in the Ministry of Defense.
8. In May 1960 the USSR announced the
formation of a new missile command, the
"Rocket Troops of the Soviet Army," which
has been designated one of the main com-
ponents of the Soviet armed forces. Like the
other major components (ground, naval, air,
and air defense), the new command is con-
cerned with the organization, doctrine, train-
ing, administration, and logistic requirements
of its forces. In addition, according to So-
viet statements, the Commander-in-Chief of
' Rocket Troops is in the direct chain of opera-
tional command, at least with respect to long
range ballistic missiles.
Organization and Control of the
Space Program
9. The Interagency Commission for Inter-
planetary Communications under the Astro-
nomical Council of the Academy of Sciences
probably has the prime responsibility for
planning, programing, and coordinating
space research. Administrative responsibility
for the program appears to be divided between
civilian authorities who direct scientific re-
search and military authorities who conduct
the present launching vehicle program.