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

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41. Since the late 1960s the Pact has adopted a for ammunition and fuel imposed by changed tactical
standardized command and control doctrine and has organization and doctrine and partly to increase the
begun to modernize its command and control proce- combat endurance of the forces in either nuclear or
dures and equipment. Providing impetus to Pact conventional war.
efforts to improve command and control are the
technological improvements in communication sys- 43. Pact theater forces have emerged from a dc-
tems andt thete growingcomleit ofegefutur combattes and the growing complexity of future combat ade of change with their fundamental orientation on
caused by the proliferation of modern weapon the tank intact, but with a more balanced structure for
systems. conventional war and with both conventional and
42. Pact ground force logistic capacity has also been nuclear firepower greatly increased. These changes,
improved, notably by large additions to motor trans- along with an infusion of more modern technology,
port and the development of improved support organi- have made Soviet theater forces competitive with
zations and equipment. These improvements have leading Western armies in sophistication of organiza-
been made partly to support the increased demands. tion and equipment.
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