ARMS DELIVEREIS TO CUBA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005742785
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2011
• Case Number: F-2011-02056
• Publication Date: September 26, 1960

4I~ D~[e-mail].F~ T4 CUBA
2b September 2960
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
1. This memorandum io in response to a request for a aunmary
of arras d~311varies to Cuba frog bot2~ bloc and nan-bloc sauresa n.ztd
m general evaluation oi'tha numerous reports receivesd on thus subject.
2. The confirnad bloc areas nas+ in Cuba are as folla~rss
a. Five i~ti-2t (Hf~tT~?D} he7,lcoptsrs. Qrue of these was
left in Cuba when tt?? Soviet axpositian Closed last
All the holicoptere arEr noH believed
to be otationed at the Playa l3arncoa a2rfi,eld near Havana, after bein{~
asserablad tt:ere by Csach and Soviet tectniciana.
b. An unlmopn quantity of Czaoh 7.62 mrn svs-i-automatic
rifles (possibly as mar0- ea 10,000).
Nur~roua zeportg
wcsre being received about arrival of bloc arms at this tLne, non+a
oP ~ ich Were acce,~ted until
photographed a
group oP Cuban militiamen with the Ccoch rifles at s. military
cer~-orq an 21 August.
submachine guns and aa~unition any have beon deliv?red along Leith
c. Ton tanks-possiUly T-5~+8--104 antiaircraft guns,
machine guns, large quanti.tl.es of various caliber amr~znition, and
APPROVED FOR RELEASE^ DATE:
10-26-2011
 unlder-tiSied quantities of various calit~er em~aunitian, and unidentified
quantities and tygos o% electronic ~ui}~aent.
f~3LIfiARY ~QUIFI~:hYf YU~iG~,D BY CTIHAti G7VERfiMLI~~T
FRGS t~DIi- ~T flLnC SOUS3CI~:S
3. the Castro regiae fell heir Lo sQilitary quiy~nt held by
the Batista r~gima ,auificiexit to equip an arrt~r of 25,Ei0G men. In
addition, the Castro forces already poeseaaed a considerable quantity
of sreapona, ravtstly small ez~. the Castro re~i~a also received
shi~ant of 3,T~s~ ro~da of small arms ecmnu~ition cram ~~vr~ray
o~ersd by Batista prier Lo hie fall ~d give HriLi3h uea Fury
fighter aircraft, th? remainder of an order oY l7 paid foir by
F.atiath~ were turrsed aver to Ca~-tro isa iray 1959.
 ls. Lre~edlat;ESly after assuming paa~ar, Gastzro launched into
detern~ined efforts to eecuro additional m17.itary equipment--efforts
which increase in lnt,~nctity throughout 1959 and into 1960. H? met
xith most BuGCp68 frcxn Bc3lgitun erd Italy. In February 1959, a Cuban
azms purchasing mission contracted Px~ PrxDr3que Naalam~l. to L1oge,
Bolgium, for the follo~ring equipsaent, which was delivered to Cuba
over a pwriod beginning in harsh 1959 and eadittg about Ju],y 196ot
25,000 FA1. rifles, ?.b2 cal. (Standax+d I~tTO type )
52,OO0,oo0 cartridgas ~r above riflos
105,000 anti-personnel grc~nedes
2,500 gronade laUachers
2,,000 Aelgia:~ cnachir~ stns, 7.62 cal.
500 IIZI (pat. Israeli ,wade in E3elgina- attbmachirteguna
3,000 9 mra pistols
Tvtal value of thct ~?elgian contract, according to
was ~7,151,3Q0.
Ths Castro regime has also made large military purchases Pram
Italy. Q Cubat~?Italian Contract sigrHId in July 1959 called Yor
shipmont of rcateriQl valued at sgproximately $2,500,000. Delivery
began in Decenbor 1959=
~2 81 rma mortars eud lt0,000 mortar shells
16 120 rim mortars and 8,000 ohalls
 12 105 mm hoxit~ere and 14,000 105 mm shells
50 c~achineguns
70 rocketlavnchera and $000 roc~sots
~'
? 7 Elam?throxers
1,504,400 50 cal. cartridges
Hiscellaneoua co-~municatiorus equipment.
5. The oA8 and Cuba were negotiating in early 1960, but
there iB still no indication that Cuba has received any military
equipment Pram the UAR. Some, includir~ used aircraft, may be
forthcoming, hover.
Cuban efforts have often failed, however. A Cuban effort to
eaccMange the pirston-type sea Furies it had obtained fro~a Britain
for an equivalent number of British Hunter Dark V Sets fell through.
Several ideste~i~n ~uropoan countries, ic~duding the UK, Norway, Tho
~Tethrarlrunds, and Test OermAr~-, have cooperated with US efforts to
restrict tho sale of cilitary equipment to tho Caribbean area. Zn
July 1960, Bolgiua~ finally atoppesd 3.ssuing licensoe for the export
of rttilitary equipment to yobs. '
Ea June 1959 the Cuban government budgeted ~9,90D,040 for. the
gnrchasa of 1,5 cca~st guard Unitas three motor torpedoboats, and ts~o
buoy Lendors. Cuban purchasing missions are still vainly trying to
secure the era!`t in Weat Cernar~r, after similar efforts in the
United Kingdo~a and Italy and Frrince f?11 through.
 I1RI~S UEI,IV21tTG5 Tfl CLAN
26 5ept~ber 1,960
1. This arernorandum is in response to a request for a su~amary
03'. ara~s ddlivorice to Cuba Prom troth bloc and non-bloc sourcos nztd
a general evaluation of the numerous reports received on thin sub~oct.
2. The confirmed bloc nrais now in Cuba are as folla~reo
a. Five tali-!t (FOUND} helicopters. Cne of thfles vae
lel:'t In Cuba when the `soviet axpositfan c]osed
hll the t;olicopters a:~ nt)tnr believed
to ba stationed at the Plays Paracoa alrfirsld near Eiava~, ai'tor bc~irig
asae~abled there by Caech atsd Soviet tadnicians.
b. Aq unkaasn gtu3ntity of C2ech 7.G2 nun s~zs~i-auto~etio
rfflas (possibly as ~aar~y as 10'000}. t,'u~roup reports
mere being received about arrival of t~1oc anus at thin t1rs~e, Wane
of which oars accepted until
photographed a
soup oP Cuban n-111tianiean Frith the C~eeh riil~,e at a rai2itary
cere~ox~ on 21 ~u6~t. ether m~atariol such as
submachine guns arc3 a?munition ~~ 6ave been delivered along with
the ritlES.
c. Ton tax~lss-possiblly T-51t~s-.-100 antiaircraft gone,
nsachiae gone, large guantitiee oP various ca7,it:e~r a~~unition, sad
 unidentified quantitges of variotu; calitser acittzuuitisan, and unidentified
quantztiea and typos oY electronic squi~w.,pt.
3.
MILST'AAY ~gUZFM~:13T' PU?~.CP~AS~J F!7[ CtiBA~ GOVEkt~NT
~~! IdOIi-5(7"J TMf Bi.OC S~1i3AC ;
the Castro re~i~e Poll heir to military qui~tent held by
the 83tista rogime sufficient to equip an arrgY oY ~~,~G men. I'n
additioa~ the Castro forces alreasiy possoesod a aonsizierabls quantity
of weapons, mostly small arcs. 'fhe Castro reCtaas also received
mhip~ant oY ~,700~~ rcursls of small areas ~aurtition Yrorn i~oruay
orclsred try Eut3sta prior t4 Ais Ysll and five British Sea I'Vry
~iQhter o~rcrpSt, the re+~inder of 8a order oP 17 g~ti~i for ty
!?atista, ~rere turned over to Castro in I4ay 1359.
 !~. ~edietcsly after ae~aumin~; posactr, Cestra launched into
d?tersinod efParta to secure additional r~ilitaxg aqui~rsent--ef7Parts
which increase in 9ntt;~ity throu~,hout 195q cued into 1.960. Ae wet
with most euccc~ss ~ Belgitua end :Lta.ly. Ta T~ehruary 1959, a Cuban
amts purchasing rni~siob contracted Prow Fabriqua rilaci,ana]. in Liebe,
&31gium, yor the a