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Warsaw Pact Forces opposite NATO, NIE 11-14-79, Volume II, the Estimate, CIA/NFAC, 31 January 1979

Central Intelligence Agency · 201 pages · text from the file's own layer

This is Volume II of National Intelligence Estimate 11-14-79, Warsaw Pact Forces Opposite NATO, issued by the Director of Central Intelligence and dated January 1979. The National Foreign Intelligence Board concurred with it. It was the first comprehensive estimate of Pact forces facing NATO since 1971. It covers Pact doctrine, the ground, air, naval, nuclear and chemical forces, command and control, and campaign plans for war in Europe. It judges that Central Europe would be the decisive arena, and it lists Pact weaknesses in pilot training and antisubmarine warfare. The document contains no UFO material.

  • p. 25 …and subsidiary systems such as command and control, radioelectronic combat (REC), and reconnais- sance data link…
  • p. 31 …Some of these submarines might alternatively have missions of minelaying near NATO naval bases or patrolling…
  • p. 33 …The Soviet Union views control of its East Euro- preparerd for any mission, froni defending against…
  • p. 42 …The USSR attributes a littoral of Europe have significant capabilities in either broad range of missions…
  • p. 51 …Improved models of the radio-controlled The SA-9 and ZSU-23-4 are probably with…
  • p. 55 …All Pact countries have well-organized mobili- direct control of the VGK to tactical-level missions…
  • p. 58 …These have pervasive control over the soldier's activities and commanders are expected to be closely…
  • p. 59 …Frontal Aviation missions include counterair, ground attack, Warsaw Pact Fixed-Wing Tactical Aircraft reconnaissance, electronic warfare…
  • p. 62 …Pilot Training and Proficienc. 3Y US stand- facilities, hardening command and control facilities, and establishing pipeline…
  • p. 66 …control system which is designed to provide the coordination necessary to conduct close-in missions when…
  • p. 68 major ground formations is used by tactical controllers conventional weapons or to have an operational weap…
  • p. 71 …countries, are tailored primarily for control of guished by missions: antiship strike, reconnaissance those two seas…
  • p. 75 …missions of the Warsaw Pact's general purpose naval forces are to exercise sea control 110…
  • p. 84 …this mission. The combat radii of Soviet ASM-equipped naval Capabilities for Exercising Sea Control in…
  • p. 85 …signed missions; submarines would not neces-" The holders of the second view are the Director, Defense…
  • p. 87 …the Soviets, Poles, and East Germans other missions. Most bombers would be required for have the…
  • p. 118 …would be detached from national control. Re- - The Western TVD. This theater would include, sidual forces…
  • p. 122 …and control functions is central to Soviet control and integration of Pact military operations. Such groups…
  • p. 134 …against HEAT ammunition, the Soviets have incorpo- control and combat support communication links. rated composite or…
  • p. 135 …The Air Operation have been ascertained from classified missions assigned to the NSWP forces are intended…
  • p. 141 …Pact air forces to perform their primary missions in poor flying weather. ould be the preferred…
  • p. 143 …Others believe that no judgment with flying combat missions at low altitudes or over long any…
  • p. 158 …The establishment of control of the Norwegian drastically the likelihood of a major, preemptive at- and…
  • p. 163 …aircraft carrier probably would be unable secondary mission of antiship attack. The Kiev prob- to cope…
  • p. 175 …be building a mand and control and electronic warfare missions. force capable of siniultaneously lifting much…
  • p. 176 …The Pact's early warning network is scheduled current roles of sea control in limited areas…
  • p. 178 …We do not know how the Soviets assess the achieving sea control and in providing support…
  • p. 182 …subma- to control Pact forces once they are released from rines with peripheral missions declines, some…
  • p. 186 …Soviet sea control capabilities gravity to require an early Soviet counteraction. The against US carrier and…
SCOPE NOTE
National Intelligence Estimate 11-14-79 is concerned with Warsaw
Pact forces that are available for use against NATO.* It assesses the
present and future capabilities of these forces for conventional,
chemical, and theater nuclear warfare. It generally covers a period of
five years in its future considerations but extends to 1.0 years where the
information allows. This Estimate does not provide detailed treatment
of Soviet forces along the Sino-Soviet border, the Soviet Pacific Fleet, or
other forces in the Soviet Far East. Soviet military operations in distant
areas during a NATO-Warsaw Pact war are considered in an annex.
The Estimate treats the following elements of the Pact's military
forces:
- Ground Forces. The ground forces (including airborne and
heliborne forces) of the USSR, East Germany, Poland, Czechoslo-
vakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria and their organic air
defense and tactical nuclear systems.
- Air and Air Defense Forces. Soviet Frontal (tactical) Aviation,
Military Transport Aviation, and the bombers of Soviet Long
Range Aviation, as well as the tactical air and national air
defense forces (including ground-based systems) of the non-
Soviet Warsaw Pact (NSWP) countries.
- Naval Forces. The general purpose submarines, surface ships,
aircraft, auxiliaries, and amphibious forces of the three western
Soviet fleets and the NSWP navies.
- Soviet Ballistic Missile Forces for Peripheral Attack. Those
Soviet land-based (MRBMs, IRBMs, and ICBMs) and submarine-
launched (SLBMs) ballistic missiles which are available for use
against NATO in the European theater.
- Support Functions. Those activities and organizations which
support and integrate Pact forces, such as command, control, and
communications systems and logistic services.
*For the purpose of this Estimate, Pact general purpose ground and air forces available for early use
against NA'T'O include those located in the non-Soviet Warsaw Pact (NSWP) nations and in the USSR's
Baltic, Belorussian, Carpathian, Leningrad, Odessa, Kiev, North Caucasus, and Transcaucasus Military
Districts. Forces in the Moscow, volga, Ural, and Turkestan Military Districts could be used against NATO
or elsewhere. Also included in this Estimate are Pact general purpose naval forces in the three western
Soviet fleets, including the Mediterranean Squadron, and the NSWP navies, as well as Soviet strategic forces
which could. be enployed against European targets in a peripheral attack role.
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FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 201 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.