EGYPT SAID TO GET MORE RUSSIAN-PILOTED SQUADRONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000300030001-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 1, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

A
ARpfloyAskkotEiRteAise 2000/09/08 : CIA-RD,R13B0b*P01003000300014E
Egypt Said to Get More Russian-Piloted 1quadrons
?
By WILLIAM BEECHER note that the num: ber at MIG- has headquarters at Heliopolis i nder
Special bq The 'New Yorrk Times 21's and SU-7's that have been nearby. . takes
CAIRO, Aug. 31 ? The So_ shipped to Egypt since last fall The Soviet Union first con- eian f
viet Union is increasing the E?motrieanthAainr Force150- --11,1is los 5th5oe centrated on building SAM-2 N,. ears
number of Russian-piloted jet 1 and S_ AM-3dmlissile sites in the ' bat..tIe
combat jets, far in epxcess of
?nuosr north te
otamerxeagion. from The
fighter squadrons in Egypt, ac- the 330 jet trained pilots in 1?aliruol Alexandria. Sur- years
cording to well-placed sources its ranks. face-to-air missiles were then force
her Some here believe the Rus- placed along the west bank of Ask-
?
To the four squadrons of sians are placing aio raft here the Suez Canal to discourage f mai;
MIG-21 fighters that were sent in case they need to use them Israeli air attacks, and to pro- take
to Egypt early last year, the in a crisis. tect long-range artillery posi- eefem.
Russians are said to have re-These analysts point out that tions. klan
cently added two MIG-21 squad- in a war in this theater, the
rons and two SU-11 squadrons. most direct route for the So-
In the third phase, starting ,n?eve
Diplomatic sources say that ivet Union to shift MIG's and this spring, the Soviet Union eptine
three more squadrons of the
SU-11, considered one of the
best fighter-bombers in the So-
viet Air Force, are expected
in the next few weeks.
Each squadron here consists
of 12 to 16 aircraft.
Reconnaissance Missions, Too
In addition, the Russians are
reported to he flying four MIG-
23 interceptors, primarily on
high, fast reconnaissance mis-
sions over the west side of the
Suez Canal, and 10 TU-16 re-
connaissance planes over the
United States Sixth Fleet in
the Mediterranean.
All of these aircraft, which
operate from air bases stretch-
ing from Alexandria south 550
miles along the Nile Valley to
Aswan, are said to be main-
tained by Russian mechanics
and protected by Soviet-manned
air defense missile and artil-
lery crews.
Most analysts here stress
that the Soviet air presence is
defensive in nature. It was cre-
ated last year in response to
deep Israeli air strikes that were
reported threatening to under-
mine the Nasser Government.
But some analysts are troubled
by fears that the Soviet experi-
ence here is opening up an op-
portunity for Moscow to com-
mit even larger numbers of
fighters to battle if another
round of war erupts between
Egypt and Israel.
These analysts assert, for one
thing, that Russian pilots are ro-
tated through Soviet squadrons
here every three to six months,
which creates a substantial pool
of airmen who have learned to
work in desert conditions, informants say, are assigned to
For another, the analysts the air defense mission, which to complete the course and that
Sukhoi's would be through the
Turkish-Iranian corridor to
Iraq. But they say that the
Israeli Air Force would doubt-
less attempt to frustrate this.
Types of Jets Studied
Another factor concerns the
types of aircraft now being
flown by the Russians here.
The SU-11 is regarded as an
efficient interceptor, and even
faster than the MIG-21. But,
like the American F-4, it is also
an excellent bomber, with about
twice the operating radius of
the MIG-21.
There have been reports that
the Russians are flying one the ground to 50,000 feet
squadron of SU-Ts. This plane above.
was not designee for air de-
fense and is a close-support
attack plane. But the reports
have not been confirmed.
Senior analysts stress that
they are not saying that the
Soviet Union is preparing for
large direct involvement in any
hostilities. "To the contrary,"
one diplomat said. "the consen-
sus here is that Russia would
try to avoid involvement, ex-
cept for the air defense of in-
terior, in order to minimize
chances of a confrontation with
United States.
"But it would be foolish to
ignore the ominous option that
the Russian Air Force presence
is opening up."
Estimate on Strength
is reportedly adding substan-
tial numbers of air defense
missiles systems in the area of
Aswan, to protect the darn and
nearby air bases.
There are 500 to 1,000
SAM-2's and SAM-3's deployed
in Egypt, informants say. There
are also reported to be two to
three battalions of the more
recent SAM-6's, with 27 mis-
siles each.
The SAM-6 is of special in-
terest because it is more mo-
bile than the older SAM sys-
tems. One tracked vehicle
carries three missiles designed
to intercept attacking planes
from as low as 100 feet above
If large numbers of SAM-G's
could be moved across the
canal, it is noted, they could
be used to defend supply
bridges spanning the waterway
as well as troops on the east
bank.
Diplomats say that the Rus-
sians have turned over primary
manning of SAM-3 batteries
along the west bank of the
canal to Egyptian troops over
the last several months. But,
they add, key Russian techni-
cians remain with the Egyptian
missile crews.
No question is raised, how
ever, that Soviet personnel
now operate, maintain and
command the preponderance of
equipment used for the air de
Conservative estimates of the fense of Egypt.
number of Soviet military ad- The Soviet Union is said to
visers, technicians and air de- be pressing a major effort to
fense forces in Egypt range train Egyptians to take over
from 15,000 to 20.000. many of the systems. But dip
More than half of this total, lomats report that well oyes
half the pilot candidates, fan
eimum conditions it
re years to train a
to fly a jet and two
J, re to make him com-
ae process takes two
r i ess in a Western air
at a recent social
, how long it would
Egyptianize" the air
:stem, a senior Rus-
I iser was quoted as
r z: "At least 20 years?
illy."
Approved For Release 2000/09/08 : CIA-RDP73600296R000300030001-5
TARPRIVAdifitraftelie/000/09/08 : CIA-KT7313PRIZOR11003000E001-E:
fli4125 Heourt Two
tiver
: I Aov. 6 (AY)?
! figher,
aicriiew the Israeli-I
?::i i/eseri at a "high,
a great speed"!
act intlitary corn-!
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11(' HrSt time the
cpurted INlig-23s
advanced aircraft
i Int arbenal--over Is-
wiantnii They flew:
iaui abf)ut 100 miles!
r: wic
Approved For Release 2000/09/08 : CIA-RDP73600296R000300030001-5
it;xcrp s From
eo o The New York
CAIRO, Dec. 10?F
are excerpts from a tr
of an interview betwe
ident Anwar el-Sadat
and C. L. Sulzbzerger:,
Q. Do you think tlAt there
must be peace between Israel
and the Arab world before
diplomatic relations can be
restored between Washington
and Cairo?
A. Diplomatic relations
with the U.S. is one thing and
peace is another thing. I
think the United States, as a
big power, should be keen
for peace in the area, if there
are diplomatic relations or
not. We have severed our
diplomatic relations with the
U. S. because of the complete
alignment of? the U.S. ev,ith
Israel, before the aggression
in 1967 and after the aggres-
sion. But I told Rogers when
he was here we are ready, if
the first-phase withdrawal of
Israeli troops, according to
my initiative, is completed, to
restore diplomatic relations
with the U.S. and create t
new aemosphere in the whole
area.
Q. Do you think that, be-
cause of the refugee problem.
India was justified in invade
East_ ,pskis
? 10 I ?-
any ,16 any
cause at al. I have suffered
from this here, and still am
suffering from this, but it
apPears that the problem
there has many dimensions.
At the same time there is a
problem in East Pakistan. I
think that this is a _domestic
problem in East Pakietan,
I think the key of the
whole problem is the problem
In East Pakistan and the sort
of autonomy they should
have; but not a secession at
all.
U.S. Position in '67,_ Wed
Q. In terms of a war that
continues closer to home, al-
though there is no fighting
at the moment, do you have
a deadline by which time, ac-
cording to your estimate,
hostilities must resume.?r
new negotiations must start.
You have often mentioned
the , year 1971.
A. If we return to your
last question about?India, we
shall remark something very
funny about the American
position. They have voted for,
the cease-fire and everyone
to return to his boundaries.
In 1967, the position of Amer-
ica was completely contra-
dictory to this enel eoetra-
dictory to all that the?[Z,14.
has taken as tsedieen, since
it started. Well, it is very s
funny, really, because the f
United States is now voting
for a cease-fire Itled, Mry-
One to return back to his
boundaries.
In the last eight months
we have had centecte with,
ve
The New York Times
President Anwar el-Sadat
at his residence in Cairo.
the United States and my
conclusion is this: I and your
State Department and your
Admininstration were playing
hide-and-seek. They told me
in the first place please put
confidence in us. I said very
well, I am quite ready to put
confidence in you.
Ultimately, we started. I
took my initiative [on re-
opening the Suez Canal]
upon the fourth of February,
and they said very well, this
is a marvelous thing, we
shall be working on it and
so on. Then it ended in the
same position of the U.S.
that was taken during the
Johnson Administration in
the U.N. contradictory to
that they have taken regard-
ing the India-Pakistan prob-
lem.
The U.S. wants Israel to
use the occupation of my
land and Arab land as an in-
strument of pressure to im-
pose all that she wants. It
ended like this. I am awfully
orry to say that I lost con-
idence completely in your
Administration.
I am dead sure that there
Is something that has been
cooked up between John-
son's Administration and Is-
rael, and we shall know
s -
of Interview" Sadat
CIA-RDPZ3R00296m0 qv 3001A
about it in some years t
come?like we have know
about the aggression in 195
after that, I am dead sure o
this. But I am awfully Awry
to say that I have came t
this conclusion The U.S. ha
come to the same starting
point taken by the American
Administration under John-
son: that Israel must have
all, must impose whatever
she wants I mean using the
occupation of our land, the
Arab land. as an instrument
for this,
The Year of Decision'
Q. Your statements at vari-
ous times that 1971 must be
the year of derision gave the
implication that if nothing
has happened by the end of
this year, there would he a
resumption of hostilities.
A. It will be the year of de-
cision, sure. it will he the
year of decision especially
after what I told you, what
we have found here and is
confirmed today arid was
confirmed to rne today by
President Tito, who sent me
a message telling me about
his talks with Pesident Nixon.
Nineteen-seventy-one must be
decisive because as I told
you, after eight months of
" COritsiets with the U.S., they
ae still in the f,tnti* position
as Johnson's Administration
? alignment 100 per cent
with Israel.
U.S. Arms for Israel
Q. According to the press,
the U.S. has frozen for an in-
definite period delivery of
Phantom jets to Israel. Isn't
this in some sense a restraint
on the side of the U.S.?
A. To a certain extent it
is. But at the same time you
are giving Israel Skyhawks
today instead of Phantoms,
and then promising to give
them Phantoms later. It is
not a problem of giving Israel
Phantoms. The problem for
me is this: Is the U.S., as a
big power, willing for a
peaceful solution, an honor-
able solution or not? It has
been proven to me that they
are not willing to do this at
all. As a big power, they are
completely aligned with
Israel. That is the problem
for us.
It is not the Phantoms or
Skyhawks or such. I don't
want the U.S. to be on my
side. I don't ask this. I just
want the U.S. to be like a
big power?responsible for
world peace, to be just
neutral, to set the facts as
they are. That's what I want.
Q. In the sense that the
Americans have held off de-
livering Phantoms far Israel,
have the Russians withheld
any equipment -that you have
desired?
A. Again, we come to the
unjust comparison. Israel has
in its depots the arms they
will need for the next five
o years. They are asking
n another five years, beyo
6 the five years that they ha
The U. S. knows qu
clearly what we have he
o You have your satelli
s going day and night all ov
the sky here, discoveri
everything through the D
danelles and the Bospor
You can always know wh
we have. I am sure the U
knows what we have, a
they are sure themselves.
cannot be compared at
with what is in the hands
Israel.
For years and years
come it will never be co
pared. Don't forget that
lost more than 80 per cent
our arms in 1967. Isra
didn't only win the war b
also won weapons.
And then the U.S. giv
Israel more and more wea
ons, artillery, M-60 tank
170enrn. guns, Skyhawk
Phantoms. And you try
compare this with what th
Soviet Union is giving to m
This is ridiculous, believe in
Your officials know suc
comparisons are ridiculous.
Q. Should there be host,
ities, do you think he Sovi
Union would do more tha
mart and actively use th
SAM missiles, which are d
fensive weapons, along th
canal? Would they do ane
thing else in the outbrea
of hostilities?
A. First, I must correc
something. And this has bee
confirmed to me by M
Rogers himself. There are n
Soviet soldiers in the cana
zone. No Soviet soldiers a
the SAM-3's or any othe
place in the zone. I aske
him this direct question an
he said, "Yes, I know ther
are no Soviet soldiers or of
ficers there. They are in th
depth of the country at th
' missile sites, the SAM.
sites."
I must correct this for you
Mr. Rogers knows thi
quite clearly. I told him,
have here officers and
soldiers from the Red Army
Do you know where they
are stationed? Are they on
the canal?
He said, "no, they are not
on the canal." I told him I
was happy to hear this be-
cause they are, at the SAM
sites in the depth of the
country. I am not asking any-
one to fight my battle for
me, neither Soviet soldiers
nor American soldiers nor
anyone.
Speaing of the Soviets,
this is a theme that the
Israelis are always putting
before the whole world, and
your people in particular. I
know the Pentagon is 100
per cent with Israel. For
example, they are mixing all
this into global strategy and
power _ politics of the two
powers. On Dec. 24, 1970,
in my first contact with
Nixon I told him, in my first
direct message: "Please, I do
not want to be involved at
all in global strategy and
power politics and all that
Mr. Kissinger is doing. Please,
I don't want to be involved
in all this. I just want to free
my occupied territories.
Q. If you can get a settle-
ment really started and final-
ly achieved, would you then
request the departure of all
-Soviet troops and military
'clans from Egypt soil?
A. I have here, as I told
ogers, officers and soldiers
from the Red Army at the
missile sites and not at the
canal. I told Mr. Rogers that
I am paying their salaries in
hard currency. The Soviet
themselves, I must be fair,
don't ,want their soldiers to
stay here in Egypt, believe
rue. And every time I try to
prolong their stay I must use
all my efforts to convince
them. You know quite well
we are an independent coun-
try, and our main problem
with you [the United States]
was that we did not want to
,enter into the sphere of in-
lfluence of anyone.
This was our problem with
the late Mr. Dulles. We are an
Independent country and we
shall always do what is ne-
ceSsary for our security. But
we shall never sell out to
anyone. Ear the second, I
am not a diplomatic man of
Intrigue' and so forth. I just
Ward to be direct. I wrote
Iand told him I am giving the
Soviet fleet facilities in the
Mediterranean because they
for ltood with us in our black
ad lees. And I shall continue to
ve: eiee the Soviet fleet these
ite at Hides: I have written this
re. o Mr. Nixon.
tes At the same time, I shall
er keeping advisers here for
ng els army because war is a
ar- eienoe now. It is not, as be-
us.
at e, just bravery and so
.S. )(nth. It is a science. Every
nd ea, there is something new.
It ) also told President Nixon
all I tie t I shall be keeping &i-
ce s isers in my country. To gut
, ;early, this is my position.
to China Said to Favor Arabs
m- ie. Do you think the admis-
we ion of China to the U.N.
of nd the opening of a dialogue
el, I etween Peking and Wase-
at i Igo:an can affect the Middle
I a t situation?
es A. I am sure that the
p. staid of China is quite clear
s, am adamant on the side of
s, I ;E. Arab cause. More than
to t ds, as I told you, I don't
e e?ait to be involved in power
? reetics and global strategy
e. ..he big powers.
Q. What do you consider
t a future of Jordan in the
s. bat of the tragic assassina-
et t or of Wasfi Tal?
lam sorry it happened
e ? here in my land. And I told
e_ Emir Hussein that I am
e s le Y. I met his new Premier,
a 1 awzi, here. I did not meet
k I I. I would never have met
h m I met Lawzi and told
t h m to tell King Hussein:
n 'eeriere does this policy lead
r. yne) You know that one of
O ti o a who assassinated Tal
I d_ ank his blood in front of
t e-eryone," I told Hussein::
0.1) Y111113UTE
ed For Release 2000/09/08 : CIA-RDP73600296R000300030001-5
e o
440110,1 Israel Bonds
o S
thousand
r;? rous an
al life ov - owed the
db m of the Am- erf-
Hotel last !light and ,paid
to premier Golda
1,
? even
sponsored Ay the
artization,
publicLSt appear3-year-oki Pre-
-week visit to
tes.
leaders credited
Meir with having laid the
? Con f9r the Israel bond
ahOlts success in the
on rnmunise world,
Statel and the rest of
- e
1 Roth erg, general chair-
f the 'keel Bond ?tsar&
? on, anno mud that $204,-
000 In -srael bonds had
sold in the first 11 months
is year.
? 6250-Million Sought
He and Ira Guilden, presi-
pf the Program, celled for
ales that would bring the total
... $250-million by the end
the year. Abraham Feinberg,
Ahe ottanizetion's
eters, saki an in-
calei wolild" help
? to "fortify the economy
t the stresses of the pres-
TF .
bond agency, with head-
re here, owes its initia-
he to Meir and former
r: David Ben-Gurion. It
a ii 1951 at a meeting in
ersa1em, that Mrs. Meir, then
of Labor, and Mr. Ben-
proposed such *a bond
? atm% before American
leaders.
? last night's dinner
ono of Mrs. Merl, the pro-
p ened with a colorful
;errflQiiy'of the kindling of
he first candle of the eight-
Lay Hanukkah festival corn-
retina the victory of the
c4bees, er Syrian tyranny
After 4
e than 00 years ago.
ditalioncahl4butleedssibnyg
delSon of the
Jewish' Center,
&sledded MTS.
Mr
a
63
be
of
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Je
In
of th can
Cantor Jose
Batt 611dW9,9
Brooklyn, spe
MOT` as the "
a
or
Jews? most f
Heights and
ti foctlyn;
outinde the "Ai
ierr
ing a",law they eft
AS- to be
ehrlY?
behind'
e c ed from 52
S and from *
Seventh Avenue, the
tors waved bann
o Mrs.
Wit -of te:Mle-
liastdic
rom et.t.
s sec-
ated
test-
y aa Or-.
into
THE INSTANT GOURMET GIFT BN
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FRENCH amen.
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brief
.Mrs. Mgr, al-
ready: e ded byher own
bodyguards, made her way
quickly into the building, and
the :pence pushed the demon-
strators away. 'There were no
&reap.
An?,Ifnieli Government regu-
lation exempts religious girls
from the army but stipulates
that O can serve in a civil-
ian .capacity in such areas as
health and social services.
Mean While, Senator' Henry
M. Jackson, speaking at a din
of the Zionist Organization of
Anierica, at the New York Hil-
ton Hotel, asserted that Run-
tienkesident Anwar el-Sadat's
threat to renew hostlities was
"directly linked" to President
Nixed'a embargo on Phantom
jeti,f0 Israel. '
The Washington Democrat, a
contepder, for the Presidential
norriti*tion, contended that the
Nixo Administration "has
closed its eyes to the danger-
ous Ittipalent. to Israel's mar-
&Pi safety."
Nader Worker Asserts Gulf
1,
Ousts As Station Owner
"o
q.
Ralp
for
trove
PO;
a Of
been
'
Ma., Iec. 12
Riverdale service ga-
nef who also works for
kter says he is being
o up his Gulf fran-
a Se he is 'ittoci con-
* 29 years old, own-
ars Gulf, said he had
tailed by a Gulf zone
*aye that his fran-
d not be renewed
as "rocking
e ease 2000/09/08 : CIA-RDP73600296R000300030001-5
Nkpf\i?-pyze6!,!.(0,1i, Wese 2000/09/08 : CIA-RAppB6006R-OC103000300014E
NEW SOVIET ARMS
REPORTED IN EGYPT
U.S. Says Bombers Carry
Air-to-Ground Missiles
By TERENCE SMITH
Special to The New York Times
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 ?
1:13n avir, Union has supplied
with a nuniber ot me-
? - ?uis se. ith
awatazgrau
the last t
i. 1s9I -9 1,
A?rVP ekS
y.
s which are code-
e s
lance. are e irs -to-
ground missiles to be iro-
ded_12W Eavot by the Soviet
QL
ogsn?sunsiagailiss--stut
fwinpr eiscwa,tpn Qs twin-
eismita....jet bombers were re-
The New York Times
Charles W. Bray 3d, of
State Department, con-
firmed report on missiles.
hirISILY.--4ASCita...11.1r..-11Wted
ates he ere
Pi-
s.
is-
s
en s
own nto Egyp b ovie
Aim
sites beneath its wings.
Confirming the *detection
today, Charles W. Bray 3d, the
State Department spokesman,
said that the development had
forced him to qualify his state-
ment on Monday that the Soviet
Union had been demonstrating
"restraint" in its recent ship-
Ments of military equipment to
Egypt.
Rogers Ordered Review
He sad that the evaluation
had been based on the amount
of equipment (lelivered to Egypt
before Nov. I, the cutoff date
for an intensise review of the
Middle East arms situation or-
dered by Secretary of State
William P. Rogers. Mr. Rogers
also said in an interview pub-
lished this wees by United
Slates News tt:t world Report
that the Soviet Umon had been
acting with I estramt in recent
months.
The information on the new
shipmen Ls, off ici a is said, was
confirmed only in the last few
days.
Mr. Bray said that as a result
of the evidence of additional
shipments, tile United States
"obviously will be assessing the
implications of this develop-
ment" on the a rms balance. In
his publsihed inlerview. Mr.
Rogers said that the United
States had concluded that as
of Nov. 1 the military balance
between Egypt and Israel ha
not shifted.
Mr. Bray declined today to
say whether this evaluation had
been changed as a result of the
new information.
Israeli Request for Planes
The United States has been
using us contention that the
balance of power in the area
is stable as an explanation for
its refusal to grant the Israeli
request for additional supplies
of Phantom and Skyhawk wart
planes.
Israel has challenged the
American assessment of the
military situation and main-
tained that the Soviet Union
has continued to ship a steady
supply of military equipment to
Egypt dun ng the last few
months. Mai. Gen. Itzhak Rabin,
the Israeli Ambassador here,
repeated this contention today
after a meeting at the State
-Department with Joseph J.
$isco, the Assistant Secretary
for Near Eastern and South
Asian Affairs. He said that
Israel was still actively press-
ing for a renewal of shipments
of Phantoms and would "not
take no for an answer."
? Vie_ bombers. 'IU-1..61s_ande-
se.set0 7larigsersIsarts stt stand-
iscissitam...inssthesSoviet inyen-
Sciss6.4?,szron of the planes,
equipped primarily for recoil
naissance and without the mis-
siles, is based in Egypt to sup-
port the Seviel fleet in the
Mediterranean. They frequently
have been seen flying over and
presumably photographing the
ships ot the United States Sixth
Fleet.
Mission Not Clear
WitecLatges officials sal(
todifTERWIrere unmet o
ission of me new iiIsle
as,iffrel'irrs'es
ey_E, fe,
!ainst Israeli forces in th,
,virminmnim, Aft mai ;gm% atm. e
.ea
f?sgyptippariarkings.
The Kennel and the Kelt-
another missile that can b
fitted to TU-16's?are designe
primarily for use against shipt
but they can also be directe
'against land targets, officiat
paid. Their range is saic to Is
about 100 miles.
1 The Israelis have a more s/
tphisticated air-to-ground mi
sile in the American-supplie
.tShrike, which is fitted to Id
;IF-4 Phantoms.
!e
pect
use
Mirk
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WAA.g.itSk* Atatr7i
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.1":. 4.. 711.i, . t -ii*4..,..,...ovie ..?....17.?. _ Un ion
?..:7-
? e. , ..,a..n. .es 11. A .t , ..io..n
4 /t 111
,B.S7 Marilyn Berger Fleet; "U.S. capabilities woultf
wasiongtoneostratntrwrifer be affected. In Egyptian hands
State Department Officials' the planes could!. affect the
announced yesterday that they Arab-Israeli balance.
have evidence the Soviet Israeli Ambassador Yitzhak
Union- has shipped more war- Rabin, who ma yesterday
planes to Egypt. Israeli with Assistant Secretary of
' SerFel aid the planes are State Jost ph 1 9 t cl. uss ,
p , . IRCO 0 1SC t this pint.
, ese
- kl to fire 'sophisticated' Jerusalem's long-standing re- unhappy at this point. Th
sources say the alternating
IeSterdiy's volunteeted
statement appeared to be an
attempt to soften the impaet
of the earlier announcements,
Which enraged the Israelis.
The upshot of it all, accord-
ing to a number of diplorriates
i that an sides seem
preeeittiatiles.
was inunediately
ariFOWerr1716ther Mos-
retvided the mis-
w eu are aligned pri-
/Or' iikr-Drgirst naval
e s. If they are sent, it
&Mark the "first time that
o'Vfillie? -Missiles
lir 'Egypt.
ttfficials
e itireggifig 'the
Cr Of ftre nelrdeliveries,
fi:iiiiroiirdd'less than 10"
suT 71T-I6 Badg-
he Seat arms
.0..1a1P4WJah ?wriCAN 1,4 4,4 t
citires before, Sec-
-MI6?William P.
the Russians
Owarestraint" in
Tergefifsrtt 'Egypt.
Olitentrsalathplahe
dia?K .fh?e7SOV1et tn-
in Y15t; but carry
tgissiPlian Mailings. Similar
thing 'preViceisly had been
uSecT by the Russians for re-
__ _ ,
quest to ourchase additional that
signals show that the U.S. de-
jet fighters, contended _l
there never was a balance of et'41?n on arms' ?wt11 be based
power because the Arabs havel on
tary balance-of-power consid-
political rather than milt-
always had more planes than! ,
,
Israel. "Israel has the right to erations.
get permission to purchase . _
U.S. officials , indicated, that
..,
planes," he said calling them I they had some reason te he
necessary for the country's de-' lieve the Oct. 13 Sovlet-
terrent posture and defenVi Egyptian communique in
capability. 3,chtcdh the two artintries
"We have learned not - to I agreed- Mt "measures aimed at
take ,ho, foi a, answer,? t strengthening the miliary
Rabin sad. The United Statesitnight of Egypt." They there-
has held up
approval on tnefore discounted_the suggestiOn.
grouncis that there nas been a Ithat the planes' were the first
military balance of power int fruits pf that agreement.
the region.Egypt hid TU-16s before the
The State Department's an- six-day war in 1967, but 1 hey
nouncement that it has found were never used in combat.
evidence of new Soviet deny- Some were destroyec: on the
eries was the third publEc ground and some were flown
Statement tilts week relating out oi the battle area. Because
to the arms hatance in the Egyptiati4i1OtiVigirlibv in
Middle East First there was fly then', Israeli sources said
the Rogers statement to U.S. the planes could be thfted
News &. World Report that eyed fo?the Egyetian air f,-)rcp
the Soviet Union in the last even if they were initially ear
.eonnaissance In the Mediterra-
-
four or five months has ?per_ marked for the Soviet fleet
Oen where the . . ated with some restraint as far Israeli sources say that during
Fleet_ is based. But IsraeW as shipments arc concerned. the past four mcnths FlYPt
,sourdes Said thee considered iti Then State Department also nas continued to -receive
, ,
.fecifetprobahlE that the planes spokesman Charles W. Bray, Mig-21s.
wOuld be liSecrhY-Egypt. amplifying Rogers remarks, Sisco, after meethigyester-
H ver they are used, in- said as of Nov 1, when a spe- (day with Rabin, saw Rep. Bella
formed sources said the planes, cial review eroiditng out of last
ebted have an impact on the month's Soviet -Egyptian corn . Jewish leaders, who urged that
ants- balance. The strategicl munique was completed, the tthe LTriited States lift its ern
"Situation in the region in-
TI .S., Soviet, Egyptian
d Israeli capabilities.
(D-NY ) and a group of
arms balance had remainedb o on Phantoms for tweet
undistrubed. Bray indicated After the 40-minute meeting
that, so on as -ioscowMrs Abzug said Sisco empha
Should the new planes be usedIshowed restraint, Israel wouldIsieed that no final decisior
I n a way that could limit thel,not be allnwed to make newihad been made on whether ti
effectiveness ot the Sixth Phantom purchases. lanprove the sale of Phantoms
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DATE. A14- PACE r
T HE WASHINGT ON POST
II
Egypt Reportedly Gets New Air
By Michael Getler
Washington Post Staff Writer
There are strong indications
that the Soviet Union has
moved two new types of mo-
bile air defense rockets ? the
SA-4 and SA-6 ? into Egypt in
recent weeks, according to
Pentagon officials.
These new weapons,
mounted on tank-like vehicles,
are similar to the SA-2 and
SA-3 surface-to-air missiles
(SAMs) the Soviets emplaced
in fixed positions around Cairo
and along the Suez Canal last
year to counter Israeli deep
penetration air raids.
In combination, the new
missiles are designed to repel
both low- and high-altitude
raids. Because both missiles
are mobile they would be har-
der for Israeli pilots to find
and hit.
Reports of the new missiles
coincide with a large-scale
buildup of Soviet personnel
and military equipment in
Egypt since early this year. It
includes some 200 additional
fighter and attack planes, in-
cluding about six of the hot-
test new Soviet jet ? the
Mig-23.
About 2,000 more Soviet per-
sonnel have been sent to
Egypt in the past two months,
raising the total to about
15,000, according to informed
Washington sources.
U.S. officials say their re-
sponse to this additional So-
viet commitment remains re-
strained and that most of the
new U.S. equipment currently
being supplied to Israel is de-
lensive in nature.
Officials say the Pentagon is
continuing to give Israel elec-
tronic warning and jamming
equipment for Israeli planes
to ward off Soviet anti-aircraft
rockets, Shrike anti-radar mis-
siles and Hawk surface-to-air
missiles.
But U.S. officials maintain
there have been no new agree-
lents to sell more F-4E Phan-
am fighter-bombers to the Is-
aelis since last fall, when
Vashington agreed to provide
4 more planes ? six of which
were replacements for Israeli
losses ? to augment the 50
originally granted by the
Johnson administration.
U.S. policy is to replace
planes lost in combat or train-
ing.
At that time, Israeli Prime
Minister Golda Meir had
asked for 100 more A-4 Sky-
hawk attack planes to double
the number Israel already
had, plus 42 more Phantoms.
Aside from the 24 planes last
fall, the rest of the Israeli
shopping list remains on file
at the Pentagon.
Defense Secretary Melvin R.
Laird stressed in a news con-
ference April 13 that the
United States would not allow
the arms balance to tip and
that the administration hoped
for a solution to the Middle
East tension through "quiet di-
plomacy."
Recent press reports that
the United States was in fact
delivering an additional dozen
Phantoms to Israel touched
off a furor in the Arab press
and led to Arab demands for
U.S. explanations.
Yesterday, State Depart-
ment spokesman Charles W.
Bray said that Arab govern-
ments had been apprised of
"inaccuracies either in fact or
implication" in these reports.
Visit by Rogers
U.S. officials were at pains
to clarify the situation be-
cause of reports that anti-
American demonstrations were
?being prepared in some Arab
capitals that Secretary of
State William P. Rogers is
planning to visit in early May.
Before the recent buildup of
Egyptian air strength, Egypt
was estimated by informed
sources here to have about 365
jet fighters and fighter-bomb-
ers._.
$o*1 the figure reportedly
totals 11Wht1y more than 550,
Phantoms Feared
Whatever else the United
States gives the Israelis, it is
the Phantoms that the Egyp-
tians fear. Not only is the
plane an excellent fighter?
which the Israelis are modify-
ing to make even better?but
it can carry three times more
bombs than anything the Sovi-
ets have given to Egypt.
Thus, despite the Soviet
buildup, U.S. officials do not
view the balance of power as
having been tipped in favor of
Egypt now. Israel needs con-
tinuing supplies of relatively
unprovocative defensive
equipment for the time being,
Pentagon officials say. Un-
doubtedly, more planes would
be provided if the saltation
should worsen.
with about ,!,01 of these be
lieved to be 711,;-21s, the stand-
ard Soviet fighter.
Normally, h Mig-21 would
give the Pha itom a hard time,
but the Israf have been suc-
cessful in sho1ing it down. To
improve eve ) nore the Phan-
toms superi )rity against the
lighter, higl l maneuverabli
Mig-21, the sraelis are said ti
be installini 'pedal slats or
the leading -.6 ge of the Phan
tom's wings t ) make it turf
more sharp',
Another 1)0 of the Egyptiar
planes are said to be Su:
fighter-boml e) J, a plane wit]
far less fir power than thi
Phantom.
Included is the new ship
Defense Missiles
? Iments are also said to be
about a squadron?perhaps a
!dozen planes?of the brand
new Su-11 fighter-bomber, and
the six or so Mig-23s. The re-
mainder of the force is mostly
I older model Migs.
Although the Mig-23 can fly
!faster and higher than the
Phantom, most Pentagon ex-
per i
ts view the plane n tite
Middle East context primarily
as a high-flying reconnaiss-
i anee craft.
Deployment to Egypt of the
new plane is said to be the
first time it has left the Soviet
Union by staying high, the
i
1
, ,1\144-23 can remain out of (,,,, anu poout 1 0 o
i
reach of any weapon the Isra- planes, fo a total of abou
- jells now have. 400.
The plane s veputed to have
a new rada) t tat allows it to
spot enemy planes below and
guide in its air-to-air missiles
for the kill i wt some Penta-
gon expert ,ay there is no
hard evider et to confirm this
capability, sernething which
U.S. fightei , will not have for
a few more vt ars.
To coupe:the Egyptian
forces, the I -raelis also have
about 50 1 11 tiCh-builf, Mirage
jets, whicl zre also excellent
rghters, i ? addition to rthe
Phantoms and Skyhawks
T ais, have about 21
French a, si ere fighter bomb
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THE NEW YORK TIMES DATE 2(40 PAGE 24
NEW MIG A. THREAT!
IN THE IIIIDEAST;1
Fighters Said to Give Soviet
an Edge Over U.S. Fleet
By DREW MIDDLETON
1
IAuthoritative United States
sources believe that the Soviet
Union has shifted the strategic
balance in the eastern Mediter-
ranean in its favor by sending
two new types of fighter planes
to Egypt.
'The addition of the MIG-23
and the Sukhoi 11 to the So-
viet Air Force in Egypt, the
sources assert, gives the Rus-
sians a measure of qualitiative
superiority in the air over
American planes in the area.
Both are said to be faster than
the F-4 Phantom, the most ad-
vanced aircraft aboard the car-
riers of the Sixth Fleet, which
is stationed in the Mediterra-
nean.
The number of the new So-
viet planes now in service in
Egypt is not known, but one
educated guess is that there
are about 25 of each type. In
addition, 90 MIG-21's have been
added to the force of 150 pre-
viously deployed.
These aircraft are the basis
for what is considered a serious
challenge to the United States
Navy's Mediterranean strategy.
The Sixth Fleet's freedom of
operation in the eastern Medi-
terranean basin has rested on
two assumptions, the first be-
ing that the fleet's Phantoms
are superior to any planes pos-
sessed by the Russians or their
allies in the Middle East.
ne other assumption has
been that the Sixth Allied Tac-
tical Air 'Force of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization,
stationed in Turkey, would be
strong enough, in conjunction
with the planes of the Sixth
Fleet, to protect NATO or
friendly shipping in the eastern
basin from air or sea attack.
Both assumptions are now
believed to have been chal-
lenged by the introduction of
the new Soviet planes and by
the development in Egypt of
radar warning. and guidance
systems to support Soviet air
operations. Two squadrons of
Soviet TU-16 medium bombers
are also believed to have been
stationed in Egypt.
The United States Navy had
previously considered that the
Phantoms on its two carriers
in the Mediterranean gave it
an edge over the Soviet naval
squadron there. Until the a&
vent of the MIG-23's, there
were no Soviet aircraft in the
area considered capable of pro-
tecting the guided-missile cruis-
ers and destroyers of the So-
viet squadron against the 'Phan-
tom.
The MIG-23 reportedly can
reach altitudes of 70,000 to 80,-
000 feet and fly, at three times
the speed of sound, or Mach 3.
The Phantom's maximum speed
is Mach 2.3, and the plane is
capable of an altitude of more
than 70,000 feet.
The MIG-23's are armed with
missiles and a downward scan-
ning radar. There is room in
the fuselage for a recessed nu-
clear weapon.
The Sukhoi 11 has a speed
estimated at Mach 2.5, also
faster than the Phantom. It is
armed with either radar-horn-
ing or infar-red-homing
The plane is rated as much
superior to the earlier Sukhoi
I. One hundred five of that
model have been given to the
i..gyptian Air Force.
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.v7AS:INGT ON POST _ -
The Washington Merry-Go-Round
Kennedy Loyalists Occupy Key Spots
By jack Anderson alists that he wouldn't run in i livered a tough note to the amphibious force ie, an as-
1972 and freed them to give U.S. representative in Cairo, sault across the S iez Canal.
their best service to the candi- Donald Bergus, declaring that Spear writes from 1; iro, how-
dates of their choice. U.S. arms to Israel implicate ever, that we dich 't tell the
Such honorable men as the U.S. in the occupation of whole story. Aetna the en- ,
Arab territory. The pleased tire Egyptian arm s getting
amphibious trainin ;, One unit
after another is I u, through
PAC
THE WASTIINGTON POST Friday, June 4,1971 p 15
The other Democratic presi-
dential hopefuls are stewing
over. Sen. Ted Kennedy. For
all his statements that he
won't seek the presidency in
1972, they aren't fully con-
vinced.
Not only has Kennedy
passed Sen. Muskie as the
first choice of Democratic reg-
ulars for the nomination, but
Kennedy loyalists have quietly
moved into key positions on
the campaign staffs of the
other aspirants.
Muskie's national political
director, Jack English, came
out of the Kennedy camp.
Such Kennedy Veterans as
Mike Feldman, Frank Man-
kiewicz and Pierre Salinger
are virtually taking over the
campaign of Sen. George
McGovern. And ex-Kennedy
aides have infiltrated the ca
paign organizations of ju
about every other likely cand
date.
This puts Kennedy in a
unique position to Manipulate
the Democratic convention in
case of a deadlock. The scram-
bling of the other contenders,
because of their sheer num-
ber, could produce a standoff.
In this event, Kennedy would
have key men on each staff to
prod the other candidate on to
the Kennedy bandwagon.
We have concluded after
some painstaking political
probing that Kennedy didn't
plant his men on the other
staffs as a deliberate Machia-
vellian move. He told his by-
Feldman and Mankiewicz, for
instance, have pledged to stick
with McGovern as long as he
feels he has any chance for
the nomination.
But the scattered Kennedy
camp followers, noting Ted's
improved prospects, are look-
ing for a change in signals.
The possibility is increasing
PodgornY reaffirmed Soviet
support of Egypt, thus indi-
rectly endorsing Sadat and
strengthening his hold on the
government.
? The Egyptian Army has
doubled its strength since its
disastrous 1967 defeat. Rs ar-
senais not only contain the lat-
that they may be asked to i est Soviet armaments but its
hold themselves in readiness I troops have been trained to
operate this sophisticated
fora draft-Kennedy effort in
case of a Democratic deadlock
in 1972.
The new signal, if it comes
will be a backroom nod from
Steve Smith, the Kennedy
brother-in-law who is now
uarterbacking the clan.
idea at Intelligence
From intelligence sources in'
Cairo and Tel Aviv, my asso-
ciate Joe Spear has collected
these items:
? Egypt's recent overtures
to the U.S., intelligence
sources now believe, were part
of President Sadat's strategy
to consolidate his power. He
threw out his rivals, most of
them identified with pro-So-
viet policies, and simultane-
ously held out an olive branch
to the West. This brought So-
viet President Podgorny
hurrying to Cairo to repair So-
viet-Egyptian relations. Sadat
obligingly stiffened his atti-
tude toward the Welk acid tie- port that Egypt is training an
1
equipment. Soviet shipments
are still arriving, largely by
airlift at the Cairo west air-
port. The Soviet fleet also has
access to Egyptian harbors
and anchorages. A naval air
squadron, based near Cairo,
erves the Soviet fleet in the
editerranean and Red seas.
An estimated 15,000 Soviet ad-
visers and technicians are now
stationed in Egypt, including
more than 4,000 missile ex-
perts and 200 pilots. Is the
Egyptian army, therefore, now
a match for the Israeli army?
A top Israeli intelligence ex-
pert told Joe Spear: "We know
the Egyptians can operate
their new equipment. But can
they extract the optimum per-
formance from it? Can they
integrate it? Can they hit the
right targets at the right time?
We believe this is where they
are lacking."
? We were the first to re-
the paces at mock lo sites and
ou a lake in the ce ert south
of Cairo. They ai train on
the canal itself, iracticing
their crossings fro 11 the Egyp-
tian side to an isl n 1. The So-
viets, meanwhile. shipping
in motorized rafts.
? The invisible w r, the un-
seen struggle for ,nlelligence,
is gaining in int( n ity. Egyp-
tian spies have m n iged to in-
filtrate into Israel ti rough the
Arab communitie The Rus-
sians have slipprui v,ents into
Israel with immi i ant Soviet
Jews. The Russia is also oper-
ate a spy shi, a Soviet
Pueblo, about 60 in les off the
Israeli coast. ship is
loaded with soph eated elec-
tronic equipmen .apable of
intercepting Isra -1 communi-
cations. Spear i oersuaded,
however, that thf sraelis are
winning the es le ulage war.
Their spies in :c-,pt submit
startlingly ace!) a e reports
from inside Pre tent Sadat's
inner circle. Juk, i few days
before Sadat's s ir -wise purge
of his rivals, an Is aeli intelli-
gence source tId Spear:
"Keep your eye ms Sadat. He
has staying pow, r He has got
the army under opirol now."
? 1971, Bell McClu, F qndieste, Inc.
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I LC..
1/14-4-12-.
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Newest Soviet
Jet Reported
Seen in Egypt
1,03 Angeles Time&
CAIRO, June 29 ? A high-
? performance, Soviet Mig-23----
Ahe newest plane in Russia's
air arsenal?has been spotted
for the first time in the skies
over Egypt.
The sighting took place a
few days again in the vicinity
of Cairo, highly reliable
sources said, with the Soviet
fighter flying at an altitude
of about 2,500 feet.
Though a half-dozen Mig-23s
have been reported to be
based in Egypt with Russian
pilots, this is the first actual
confirmed sighting by a com-
petent observer.
The Mig-23, which has not
been deployed outside the So-
viet Union before, flies at
three times the -Speed of
sound, and Itas r
atta.agerating
altitude of 110.11011 Olus.
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Ir\k4k) Q-kci
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EgyptandSyriaSaidtoGet'
MorePlanesFromSoviet
Stepped-Up Delivery of Jets and Troop
Helicopters Reported in Washington
?Dayan Complains of U.S. Supply
By TAD SZULC
Special ,bm The New Yowls Times
WASHINGTON, July 11?The Experts here said these deity-
S'oviet Union has sharply
4epped up, in recent months,
ieliveries of jet warplanes and
troop-tarrying helicopters to
."...;gypt and Syria, according to
?Jnited States intelligence spe-
Aalists.
t The relatively large deliveries
:o Syria were seen here as a
>ignificant development in the
Vliddle East situation.
Detailed accounts of the new
ioviet aircraft deliveries began
reaching Washington early this
month. Yesterday, the Israeli
Defense Minister, Moshe Dayan,
charged that Israeli forces did
not have "a regular flow of
arms because of pressure
exerted by Egypt on the United
States not to supply warplanes
to Israel."
This reported United States
denial of planes to Israel, com-
bined with Washington's efforts
to win Israeli 'acceptance of an
agreement with Egypt for the
reopening of the Suez Canal,
appear to have soured Ameri-
can-Israeli relations. .
Shipments to Syria
According to United States
intelligence sources, Syria has
received from the Soviet Union
in the last three months 21 all-
weather MIG-21 fighters, prob-
ably of the latest model, 9 old-
er-model MIG-17's, 5 Sukhoi-7
fighter-bombers and 22 MI-8
helicopters.
eries may have resulted from a
Syrian-Soviet military pact
signed last February. They
noted the relatively high num-
ber of the most up-to-date
MIG-21's and the first known
delivery of the big MI-8 heli-
copters, which are designed to
carry combat troops.
Intelligence sources report-
ed that since last September,
Egypt has received nearly 100
MIG-21's from the Soviet Union,
including eight delivered in
June. They said that this total
compared with only 90 MIG-
21's delivered to Egypt from
the end of the Arab-Israeli war
in 1967 to the middle of 1970.
Egypt, the intelligence ex-
perts said, also received 16
MI-8 helicopters last month for
a total of about 80 since early
1970.
Increase in Deliveries
United States officials said
that the Soviet aircraft and
helicopter deliveries to Egypt!
and Syria had risen markedly
after the Mideast cease-fire of
Aug. 7, 1970. Syria is not party
to the 1967 war armistice nor
to the 1970 truce.
The officials suggested that
he deliveries began to be
stepped up after the Soviet
Union had completed installing'
SAM-2 and SAM-3 antiaircraft
Continued on Page 4, Column 3
missile sites on the Egyptian
side of the cease-fire zone.
The supply of the big heli-
copters to Syria and Egypt indi-
cated to some intelligence
pecialists that the Soviet
1Tnion had decided to provide
the countries with a capability
for higher troop mobility in
desert or mountain warfare.
The current speculation
among officials here was that
Moscow had been building
Egyptian and Syrian air
strength not only for prepared-
ness but also for leverage
against Israel in the negotia-
tions conducted by the United
States for an agreement to re-
Pessimism on Reopening
A certain measure of' pesti-
mism has developed here in re-
cent week over the chances of
attaining an agreement on the
reopening of the canal.
Two United States diplomats
?Donald C. Bergus, senior
American represent it ye in
Cairo, and Michael S. erner, the
State Department's s )ecialist
an Egyptian affairs?conferred
this weekend in C iii o with
Egyptian officials in 4. n attempt
to negotiate a formu a for the
canal reopening.
But Israel has ma( e it clear
that under the prese I circum-
stances she would ix igree to
pull back her troops f-oni the
waterway. As the Un tel States
has reportedly prop -is ed. Of-
ficials here privately c mceded
that a deadlock had !e /eloped.
The Assistant Set retary of
State for Near Ea tern and
South Asian Affairs, Joseph J.
Sisco, had planned to fly to
Jerusalem to discuss h. Amer-
ican plan with Israel officials.
But the difficulties in Ciiro, of-
ficials here said, may, delay his
trip ,indefinitely.
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brad Building Prototype
:For a Jet Fighter-Bomber
By WILLIAM BEECHER
Special to The New Yoe* Times
TEL AVIV, Sept 14?The!
:raeli's are desi:ning and iut-
qoitatmon . -s
siourr?,eijjgre.
The models are under con-
ruction and the first opera-
a ional version of the plane
-i-dubbed the Super Mirage be-
eause it is derived from the
f4mily:of French-built Mirages
?,-,- is -expected to reach the
Ifraeli:Air Force in small quan-
tires:in about two years. The
engines to be used, principally
an ..itinelican one, are being
purchased, according to know-
10:1gable sources, but most of
tile bodies are being built here.
rhe spurces said that the first
ptototype would be tantamount
t4:14 ae-Mirage 5, assembled here
frbrn,"'' parts spirited out of
Fiance after an embargo on
delilery of 50 of the modern
cr.:aft was imposed by President
Charles de Gaulle in 1967.
The second prototype, which,
At; is said, has already been
Obwki, will have an enlarged
1Vrirage 5 body and the Ameri-
can J-79 jet engine that powers
t.h. F-4 Phantom. It will not
contain advanced radar and
otter equipment necessary for
efficient performance in bad
weather and at night, the
sources said, but bad weather
is not comomn in the Middle
E4st.
:The third prototype, the
sources said, is destined to
contain Israeli-developed radar
and other gear for all-weather
pe:rformance.
Before the 1967 Arab-Israeli
wait. Israeli engineers, working
with the Marcel Dassault con-
cern in France, had designed
the Mirage 5, a longer-range
version of the Mirage III, which
hat a combat radius of about
450 miles.
Emigres Were Major Help
Of major help in these and
subsequent efforts, Professor
Abir said, were a number of
Jewish emigres from Czarist
Russia and Nazi Germany who,
with British and Israeli engi-
neers, gravitated to Technion
and played an active coopera-
tive role with the fledgling de-
fense industry that continues to
Zkdvanced planes are only this day.
one of many projects for de- As to the future, Professor
' Abir, whose expertise issuch
that he was recruited to work
on the British-French Concorde
supersonic transport, said that
self-reliance in weapons was a
realizable policy within a rea-
sonable period of time."
Another internationally
known weapons engineer who
prefers anonimity commented:
"I think France did us a fa-
vor, in a way, when it clamped
a total embargo on .us. Until
then we had a partnership
with France on a wide range
of weapons developments that
resulted in a reluctance by the
Government to go it alone.
"But since the French em-
bargo the Government attitude
has undergone a dramatic re-
versal. Before, when a new
weapon was under considera-
tion, officials asked how much
more it might cost to do it
here, interest rates and so
forth. Now, although we're
feitsive weapons being pressed
here, whatever the cost, to re-
dute dependence on the polit-
ica. vagaries of outside supply.
Missile Being Exported
tThe projects include an auto-
atic rifle said to be better
4n either the American M-16
r 4.he Soviet AK-47, a tank of
adtganced design, a ground-to--I
ground missile with a range of
inle than 300 miles, a televi-
ioh-guided air-to-ground mis-
ile, gunboats,. Advanced anti-
personnel radar and a modified
1 barrage rocket said to be more
accurate than the captured So-
viet-weapon from which it was
modeled.
Another Israeli-developed!
weapon, the low-flying Gabriel,
ship-to-ship missile, is being ex-
pored. The first customer, the!
sourens'said, is Singapore, which I
plads- to mount it on fast gun-
hot` -Iran is among a number!
*According to the sources, the
Israelis are seeking to avoid un-
cletmining the campaign to ac-
quire 100 more F-4 Phantoms
anii A-4 Skyhawks, both proven
planes from the United States
or the argument that they are
n ed to balance the recent
airaft build-up in Egypt and
totireplace some of the 150 or
mere older j ets in the Israeli
capable of doing 4 ).
According to t le sources, the
air-to-ground called
Luz, has a rang -2 of 18 miles
and has a TV :a mera in its
nose cone, w i! a monitor
screen in the lau icling aircraft,
The projected gunboats, the
informants said, ir larger than
present missile ntats but are
not expected to --?-irry missiles.
They are being aesigned to op-'
erate out of the st uthern ports
of Math and Shi rm el Sheik to
keep the Gulf of Aqaba and the
Red Sea open tr slips destined
for Elath.
The antiperst btel radar is
being designed primarily for
use along Israe: s longborders
to provide wart ir g of infiltra-
tion by guernilli,s, The sources
described it as excellent and
much cheaper t -tart similar de-
vices developed I y the United
States.
Working with S Met Katusha
rockets captur ?d during the
1967 war, Israe i weapons spe-
cialists are sold to have hn-
proved the at ct racy of the
240-mm mobile ersion to the
point where a 12-rocket bar-
rage would dis terse over only
about 150 ye considered
highly accurat- for unguided
rcokets. The pr ni-ipal improve-
ment, sou said, is in
the fins.
of Countries exploring purchase., pressed for funds, the calcula-
Pt6f. David Abir, a pioneer tion is weighted wildly in favor
pilot 'and weapons engineer in of self-sufficiency. We don't
Israbl,' declined in a recent hi- want again to be faced with a
terview to talk about specific political decision that suddenly
we Ons projects, but he was turns off our major source of
willaki
g to discuss the history of supply."
Israe efforts to develop self- The automatic rifle, called
relinee in weaponry, especially' the Storm rifle, the informants
In airtraft. said, was designed by Uzi Gal,
Fr I three years Professor, who developed the Uzi subma-
Able Was chief of research and chine gun. It is said to fire the
dev ment for Israel Aircraft .256-caliber bullet like the M-16.
Ind es. lie has now returned
Five-Year Effort Foreseen
to t.e:liferennitifleal engineering
The sources were extremely
reluctant to discuss the new
tank, except to say that the
Government had just decided
to go ahead with a development
program expected ?to take
about five years.
The ground-to-,ground mis-
sile, known as the Jordan, has
been successfully test-fired,
th esources said. At one time
Dassault cooperated on the
missile, which can carry either
!weapons which we needed so ! a conventional or a nuclear
!desperately. The question Of1 warhead (Israel has not tested
department of the world-famous !
Technion Inatitute at Haifa,
which has played a role in
United States research projects.
"From the moment of pro-
claiming our State of Israel in
1947," he said, "we faced a
near-absolute weapons embar-
go. Except for some Czech ri-
fles and old German Messer-
schmitts we couldn't buy
a nuclear device but is believed
self-sufficiency in arms ecarn
of paramOunt importance." !, --
, Israel he continued, shopped'
the "junkyards" of the world.
!buying obsolete aircraft ? the
1C-47 transport, the P-51 Mus-
fore. 'tang, the B-17 Flying Fortress
and the British Spitfire. The air
force, of necessity, developed
an engineering department
whose job it was to rebuild the
planes and put them into fight-
ing shape.
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Ina trot
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New Soviet fighter
reported in Egypt
By Reuter
London
n w fi hter th ced Sukhoi
erv-
strategre_stttehes Institute for
A spokesman for the London-based insti-
tute said the reports indicated 30 to 70 of the
delta-wing, single-seat interceptors were
delivered to the Soviet Air Force in Egypt
within recent months.
The planes, which are believed capable
of flying at 21/2 times the speed of sound,
are armed with air-to-air missiles, accord-
ing to reports.
The SU41 was first seen in public at an
air show in Russia in 1967. It has two ver-
sions, a conventional one known to NATO as
"Flagon-A" and a short takeoff and landing
(STOL) version, known as "Flagon-B."
sza.a.A. if the reports
#re true it would be the first a_C--'---''''..)earance of
? ? SU-11 i et where Russian ailots
h. ? ? ? n fl in ? . ? ki I ters?
? the MIG-23.
According to mi itary estimates published
in September, the Egyptian Air Force had
an air combat strength of 523 fighters and
bombers, including about 100 aircraft de-
livered by the Soviet Union last year.
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ro ? Vrt
MIDDLE EAST
Flybys and Superspies
Israel celebrated the 23rd birthday of
its potent air force last Iveek with flow-
ery words and impressive flybys. The
words came from the air force com-
mander, General Mordechai Hod: "We'.
breathe the air of the summit of Mt.- Her-
mon, our wings trace the tranquil waters
of Mirfatz Shlomo [Sharm el Sheikh]
and the reaches of Sinai, and our jets em-
brace the skies of Jerusalem, which has
become a united whole." Then at Hod's
order came phalanxes of Phantoms, Sky-
hawks, Mirages, Mystercs and Ouragans,
of Sikorsky helicopters and Noratlas,
Dakota and Stratocruiser transports, and
even of gnatlike Cessnas.
? The only disappointing aspect of the
display for Israelis was that it did not in-
clude more of the swift, dangerous U.S.-
built Phantoms, the backbone of the
air force. Israel has so far received ap-
proximately 85 Phantoms and lost nine
in sorties over Sinai or in accidents.
Last year it requested another 40 or so
to -keep its military power on a par
with that, of the Arabs.
The Administration has postponed a
decision, partly because it sees the Mid-
die East power balance differently from
the Israelis, partly because it considers
the Phantoms , a useful lever for mov-
ing Israel into .a Suez Canal agreement.
The Phantom decision is still, so to
speak, up in the air, but Jerusalem
hopes for some progress when Assistant
Secretary of State 'Joseph J. Sisco makes
a scheduled visit this week. "We don't ex-
pact Sisco to come flying over in a flo-
tilla of Phantoms," says a government
official. "But we do hope that he will
come with words of encouragement."
Arab Buildup.. On the eve of Sisco's
trip, pro-Israel politicians in the U.S.
have been spreading alarmist reports
about a significant buildup Of Arab air-
power. The Egyptians, according to
Washington estimates, have received 100
MIGs since last September, in addition
to 80 MI-8 troop-carrying helicopters.
Syria has got 30 MiGs, five Sukhoi-7
fighter-bombers and 22 helicopters. All
together, there are now nearly 600 So-
points discussed when Helms conferred
with officials of Ha'Moss:id, or "the In-
stitution," the Israeli equivalent of the
CIA:
It- Soviet-flown MIG-23s, which can fly
at 80,000 ft., an altitude that Phantoms
cannot reach, are conducting intelligence
missions out of Egyptian bases.
Two electronics-crammed Russian
"listening ships" have been stationed
about 80 miles off the isreli coast.
P., Soviet radar installed on the ground
in Egypt can monitor ir routes over
Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan.
l> Hundreds of Soviet intelligence ex-
perts are at work in Middle East eval-
uation centers in Cairo and Alexandria.
IP, Soviet agents are visiting Israel. in in-
creased numbers in the, guise of tour-
ists, journalists, Europen businessmen
and even immigrating Jevis.
The Russians are gathei ing informa-
tion more openly than they once did;
they are ready to risk more in order to
GRAYSAII,H---SAIE EPA NCISCO CH RONICLE
"A fine job of camouflage, comrade . . ."
viet-built planes in the area, some flown
by Soviet pilots.
The Administration argues that So-
viet plane figures look more formidable
than they are. U.S. officials point out
that while the Arabs have about a 6-to-1
advantage over Israel in planes, the Is-
raelis have the edge in qualified pilots
and able ground crews. Egypt lost so
many pilots in the war of attrition that
after Russian resupply it had four times
as many jets as men to fly them. The Is-
raelis fret nonetheless about the grow-
ing number of aircraft in Arab 'coun-
tries, and there are signs that they will
not discuss a Suez agreement until there
is some redressing of the balance.
Soviet Activity. If the weapons build-
up is worrisome to Israel, the U.S. has
shown concern over a marked buildup of
Soviet intelligence activities in the Mid-
dle East. It was pArtly to investigate those
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I e ms recen y
learn more. Helms and his hosts ap-
parently came to no firm conclusions
about the objectives of the current So-
viet operation. But they did reach some
decisions, including an Israeli agreement
to provide facilities for U-2s and
SR-71 U.S. spy planes.
It will be no surprise if Sisco, fresh
from conferences with ihe National Se-
curity Council, makes less headway on
the diplomatic front. His object is to
probe for possible area: in which U.S.-
sponsored discussions on reopening the
Suez Canal can be conthwed.
In Cairo last week, Stale Department
Middle East Specialists Donald C. Ber-
gus and Michael Sterner received assur-
ances from President Anwar Sadat that
Egypt still wants the canal reopened
?,-but on its own terms. Sisco is likely to
hear much the same thing in Jerusalem.
At present the Israelis are convinced that
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200