PROPOSED GROUND WEAPONS SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR CIA IRREGULAR FORCES IN LAOS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02353689
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2018
• Case Number: F-2016-01079
• Publication Date: July 23, 1970

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CENTRAL'IN-rELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON!, D.C. 20.505
MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT:
WSAG. PAPER
I DD/P
Ext-mul.;vo 1:iztry
23 JUL 1970
The Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
The Honorable U. Alexis Johnson
Under Secretary of State for
Political Affairs
The Honorable David Packard
Deputy Secretary of Defense
Admiral Thomas H. Moorer
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Proposed Ground Weapons Systems
Improvement Program for CIA
Irregular Forces in Laos
1. On 17 July 1970, Dr. Kissinger requested that a
memorandum be submitted to the Washington Special Action Group
outlining the requirements for upgrading the ground weapons systems
of the existing CIA special guerrilla unit (SGU) battalions in Laos.
This memorandum discusses the necessity for this improvement
program, the allocation availability of the individual weapons
included and a cost estimate for the additional funding required.
2. Faced with a severely limited manpower reserve in Laos
from 'which to recruit additional combat persorinel, there are
essentially three measures which can be taken to improve the combat
effectiveness of the existing CIA irregular forces. These are a -
,reorganization and retraining program which is currently being
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undertaken, a continued program of combat leadership training
and an improvement of the individual weapons carried by the
guerrilla in combat. The North Vietnamese enemy is armed
with the latest family. of Soviet weapons. For the most part, the
CIA irregulars arc still armed with World War II vintage ground
weapons. In late 1969, a general weapons improvement program
was undertaken by the Department of Defense which resulted in
,some 6, 000 M-16 rifles being issued to CIA irregulars who were
heavily engaged in combat. The introduction of the M-16 rifles into
the irregular ranks was particularly effective in placing these
, guerrilla forces on a more even footing with the North Vietnamese
and'Pathet Lao who were armed with the Soviet AK-47.
3, Our Vientiane Station is currently engaged in a
comprehensive retraining and reorganization program. In north
Laos this is being done piincipally with General Vang Pao's forces
involving the retraining, reorganization and. re- equipping of 16
SGU battalions. In the so,uth.the Station has, completed the
recruitment of and is currently training an additional five SGU
battalions to augment the ten existing SGU battalions deployed out
In the north the irregular forces must
be ready for the inevitable enemy dry season offensive which will
commence as it has over the years by December. In the south the
irregular forces are faced with an intensified enemy effort to
expand its control over the principal supply routes and waterways.
As a consequence, it is our responsibility to mount a sustained
harassment and interdiction program to prevent the enemy's
effective use of south Laos to supply its combat forces in Cambodia
and South Vietnam.
4. Qur Vientiane station was recently requested to identify
clear shortfalls in 'Min:in-nun. Support requirements and make
recommendations for increases or improvements where these
recommendations stood a reasonable chance for improving the-
performance or effectiveness of the irregular forces. Included
within the Station's responses were a number of recommendations for
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additional ground weapons systems. These weapons requirements
� arc 12,000 M-16 rifles, 500 M-60 light' machine guns and 3,000
additional M-18A1 Claymore mines per month. The total cost
for the weapons and a one year's supply of ammunition for these,
weapons. is , A detailed budget schedule providing the (b)(1)
unit cost, quantities and ammunition cost equations is attached in (b)(3)
support of this total cost estimate.
. 5. The allocation of the 1-16A1. rifles 'and the M-60 light
machine guns must be approved by the Department of the Army.
We understand that the current stocks for the M- 16A1 rifles and
the M-60 light machine guns are currently allocated to designated
.units up to production capacity. The availability for our increased
use., .therefore, must be achieved through a reallocation. An
initial exploration indicates that this problem can be favorably
resolved. The current allocation of the M-18A1 Claymore mine
is sufficient to support the increased field request.
6. The principal problem, therefore,: is the funding require-
ment. The funds for these weapons are not included in the
FY 1971 budget now before Congress. It is estimated that the
Laos paramilitary program for which CIA is now responsible will
cost
in the FY 1971 budget. The CIA contingency reserve is low and
cannot begin to finance this and the varibus other projects currently
under consideration by WSAG: It is requested, therefore, that
the Department of Defense be asked to examine the feasibility of
providing the M.-16A1 rifles, the M-60 light machine guns, .. -
ammunition for these weapons, and the M-18A1 Claymore mines.
The alternative is to provide the necessary funds-from-some-source- --
external to CIA.
Attachment
Budget Schedule
'fsj ilicraas 11. Karnm.e.ssincs
Thomas H. Karames sines
Deputy Director for Plans
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F..The ammunition cost equation for the M-16A1 is based on:
(1) 20 rounds pp'r day per weapon.
(2) 180 days of combat per year.
(3) 3.6 million rounds per month for 12,000 weapons.
G. The ammunition cost equation for the M-60 light machine gun
is based on:
(1) 80 rounds per day per weapon.
(2 360 days combat per year (defense/offense).
(3) 1.2 million rounds per month for 500sweapons (requested
.at 1.5 million peF m.onth). .
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Memorandum for the WSAG Principals
SUBJECT: Proposed Ground Weapons Systems Improvemefit Program
for CIA Irregular Forces in Laos
DDP:CFE /TBL
Distribution:
A -,Ea Addressee, w/att
= DC1 w/att
� I - DDC1, w/att
1 DDP, w/att
1 - ADDP, w/att
2 - CFE, w/att
2 - CFE/TBL, w/att
FE/TBLL, w/att.
jmw (22 July 70)
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(b)(3)