OSR Contribution to NIE 11-14-68, Soviet and East European General Purpose Forces, CIA/DI/OSR, October 1968.

TOP &ER 4:
In an emergency, the Soviet Front in
Germany would probably absorb the two East German
armies-and their _ix C_ateaorv I division s_. Th
Although the East German divi-
sions are combat ready, some mobilization of vehicles
and personnel would probably be required to complete
the armies.
With its East German allies, the
Front organized from GSFG would have about 350,000
men and 6,500 tanks. It would be supported by 730
aircraft, 150 nuclear-capable missile and rocket
launchers, 1,600 artillery pieces (mostly of light
or medium calibers, none of them self-propelled) and
300 multiple rocket launchers.
GSFG units train rigorously, although
some aspects of this training, such as tank gunnery
and small arms tactical firing, appear unrealistic.
Their training exercises are designed to approximate
as nearly as possible the emergency roles of the
participants and thus serve as rehearsals. Practice
alerts are held frequently, and divisions are re-
portedly required to be capable of assembling outside
their garrison areas in combat-ready condition in
two hours. To meet these standards the Soviets follow
such practices as maintaining full combat loads of
ammunition and POL on vehicles, and strictly con-
trolling the whereabouts of troops during off-duty
hours.
On the whole, GSFG is a large and
powerful force with a good potential for penetrations
with massed armor in areas suitable for tank movement.
However, its infantry strength is low, and it does
not yet have armored personnel carriers (APC's) in
sufficient numbers or of appropriate design to match
the speed and flexibility of the tank forces. Al-
though Soviet tactica. doctrine emphasizes infantry
combat in moving APC's, the current low allocation
of APC's to GSFG motorized rifle battalions tends to
destroy small-unit integrity and crowds the riflemen
inside the vehicles so as to hinder their weapons
firing. Furthermore, about half of the APC's are
still of the old BTR-152 type, which are not amphib-
ious and have poor off-road mobility.
- 32 -
TOPSEGRET