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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…
Selected Warsaw Pact Transport Aircraft Figure 11-17
AN-12 BP Cub IL-76T Candid AN-22 Cock q
if
Year operational 1959 1974 1967
Maximum payload (kg) 20,000 40,000 80,000
Cruise speed (knots) 320 415 355
Range with maximum 750 3,420 2,250
payload (nm)
579022 ,e c-
Table 11-6 against NATO along the shores of and at the entrances
NSWP National Air Defense Forces to these seas. For operations in the Mediterranean Sea,
January 1979 the Black Sea Fleet furnishes most of the surface ships
and the Northern Fleet the submarines.
Fighter-
SA-2 Sites SA-3 Sites Interceptors Force Composition and Readiness
East Germany 24 4 270 101: Warsaw Pact general purpose naval forces
Poland 36 12 330 include submarines, surface ships, and aircraft. The
gslovakia 2 15 general purpose submarine force consists of cruise
Romania 17 - 225 missile and torpedo attack submarines. The principal
Bulgaria 18 7 65 surface combatants are about equally divided between
Total 130 30 1,210 frigates and larger ships of missile frigate, destroyer,
ota --3 - 30 120and cruiser size. The role of sea-based aircraft is
SC clearly emerging in the Soviet Navy with the construe-
tion of three Kiev-class aircraft carriers, following the
NATO are from the Northern, Baltic, and Black Sea two Moskva-class helicopter ships which entered the
Fleets. (See figure I-18.) The Northern Fleet carries inventory in the late 1960s. Smaller surface combat-
the major burden of operations in the Barents and ants include mine warfare ships, submarine chasers,
Norwegian Seas and in the Atlantic. The fleets in the and missile-armed patrol craft. Soviet Naval Aviation
Baltic and Black Seas, together with navies of four (SNA) has three principal combat components distin-
NSWP countries, are tailored primarily for control of guished by missions: antiship strike, reconnaissance
those two seas and for the support of land operations and electronic warfare, and antisubmarine warfare
11-28
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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.