SATELLITES SPOT A SOVIET BUILD-UP FOR ATOMIC ARMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000200220010-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2000
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: October 11, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

a .. A ivy r YORK TIMES
Approved For Release 2000/0/ C -f DP73B00296R000200220010-5
SA1ELLI![S SPOT
A SOVIET BUILD-UP.
FOR AiOIC ARS
Many Silos Ceported as Well
as increased Facilities to
Build Missile Vessels
SUBMARINE TALLY IS 41
U.S. Officials Cite Urgency
of Reaching an Agreement
on Weapons Control
By WILLIAM BEECUER
Special to The New York Tames
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10--
Satellite photos of the Soviet
Union have uncovered evidence
of a substantial build-up of
more and better strategic nu-
clear weapons.
The new information shows
that the Russians are continuing
to build two new classes of
silos, or emplacements, for large
missiles, are constructing yet
a third type of new silo, and
are doubling the production
facilities for Soviet missile sub-
marines.
Some officials in the State
and Defense Departments and
the White House say ? this
'build-up increases the need to
secure at least a first-step arms
control agreement as soon as
possible.
the arms-control talks were at Publicly, the Administration,! it intended to install much im-'
such a delicate stage that the through th President, has em-1, proved versions of the SS-9 and
Defense Department did not in. phasized the hope for early SS-11 ICBM's or even new gen-
tend to provide details of the success in tk~ talks to limit erations of missiles with im-
build-up until its next annual strategic arms, which have proved accuracy, reliability and
warheads
.
report to Congress in February. been on for two years:
Other officials in various On Sept. 25, President Nixon Security
Government departments were called the prospects good.
sufficiently concerned, ltow- Whether the two countries can
ever, to sketch out some details achieve an initial agreement.
of the Soviet build-up. by year end, "no one can say
The reconnaissance satellites at this point," he declared. "We
have found that the number of have made progress. I believe
silos of two different sizes gen- the: goal aillbe Blackmail
eraliy believed designed for Ile concluded: ed: "Neither pow-
Improved or entirely new long-, er at this time could, if it
Irange missiles now exceeds 90. wanted to, gain that superior-
up from the 10 noted early ity which would enable it to,
this year and 60 seen in raid- frankly, blackmail the other
"
summer. The smaller of these one.
larger But privately, some senior
ntl
ifi
i
y
ca
gn
silos is s
officials are less optimistic.
than the 10-foot diameter of the One official said:
Russian's largest operational "We have consistently un-
missile, the SS-9. derestimated the numerical
rA third type of silo, larger goals of the Soviet missile
than the others, has been programs for 10 years. We
have also consistently assumed,
sighted, with one each at rev- incorrectly I'm afraid, that
oral missile complexes. Analysts they bought our strategic con-
ibelieve the new holes are cept of deterrence.
destined either for a special- "The obviously don't want
a nuclear war any more than
purpose new missile or a new we. But they're building a suf-
.type of command and control ficient ecigo in nuclear strength,
facility. and in conventional forces ash
The Russians now have about well, so they may have reason
41 Y-class missile submarines to expect us to back down in
future confrontations, as we
ready or under construction, made them do in the Cuban
thus drawing abreast of the missile crisis of 1962."
American Polaris submarine Aim 1s Deterrence
force. The new intelligence "i'he American strategy is
findings indicate a doubling in based on having a nuclear
size of the principal Soviet force that can ride out a sur-
nuclear submarine construction prise attack and, retaliate
yard at Severodvinsk, on the against the attacker's cities
White Sea. rather than against his remain-
ing nuclear weapons. By main-
1,600~Reported Completed taming such an "assured dc-
The total number of Russian struction" capability, the strat-
Intercontinental ballistic mis- egy seeks to deter nuclear" war.
The arms-limitation talks are
riles, completed or under con- .aimed at curbing the number
struction, is said to exceed of offensive and defensive nu-
p 1 't
rn
t
d
h 1
4
t
0
the new silos are designed to
provide greater security against
attack.
Silos of both types have been
constructed at the Tyuratarn
missile test center and test fir-
ings are expected soon. Data
from such tests should dispel]
much of the, mystery surround-
ing the new silos, analysts be-
lieve.
The third type of new silo,
about four feet wider than the
largest ever seen, has now been
spotted, with onq each at sev=
oral complexes.
Analysts are mystified about
the purpose of these silos. Some
speculate that they could house
well protected command and
control centers from which Rus-
sian missile officers could com-
mand nearby ICBM's in a war.
Others believe the holes are de-
signed for a special purpose
missile that is being dispersed
to achieve greater protection
against concentrated attack.
Among the possibilities cited
are the following: missiles de-
signed to carry special coin-
munications satellites to com-
municate with Russian missile
submarines just before or dur-
ing a nuclear war; big rockets
set off very large explosions
over the United States in an
e:- -empt to black out its radar
and communications temporar-
ily or make it difficult to fire
ICBM's through large radioac-
tion cloud, and large missiles
to carry orbiting bombs in a
crisis to persuade the United
States to back down, much as
the forward flights of Anleri-
can B-52 bombers' during the
Cuban missile confrontation
were designed to force the Rus-
aians to remove their nzissles
to po
o
1,600, compare
w t
,
5
or cleat weapons
from Cuba.
the United States. In addition where neither side would feel .
nearly 100 Soviet ICBM silos confident that it could destroy
at test and training centers the retaliatory capability of the
other
would be expected to be put Administration officials
s differ;
to use in a crisis; the United on the kind of missiles that are
States has only a handful of to be deployed in the more than
such test silos. ,90 new missile silos being built.
The intelligence reports ill at locations cast and west of
dicate that the Russians are the Ural Mountains.
The majority of analysts be.
working at what one senior lieve the Soviet Union would
official calls an "incredibly in not build the huge silos unless
Others throughout the Gov-
ernment privately stress that
unless this build-up is stopped
soon, the United States' may
feel impelled to expand its own
nuclear arsenal to maintain a
balance of strategic power.
Reluctance on Details
A senior Pentagon official,
pressed for details on the ex-
tent.an' character of
~
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sites around Moscow.