SOVIET ACTIVITY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86M00886R001100240007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 1, 2008
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: June 6, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/12/01: CIA-RDP86MOO886RO01100240007-0
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
National Intelligence Council
NOTE FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
FROM:
SUBJECT: Soviet Activity in the South China Sea
NIC #03305-84
6 June 1984
1. Further to our conversation this noon, here is background information
that you might use in introducing this subject at dinner tonight.
12-15 April: USSR-SRV joint amphibious exercise south of Haiphong.
Soviet carrier Minsk and escorts participated, including Minsk
operations in Gulf of Tonkin.
-- Soviet warships returned to home port after exercise.
7-8 May: Soviet cruiser and SIGINT ship commence operations near
Hainan Island and PRC South Fleet Headquarters.
Cruiser returned to Vladivostok after a few days and the SIGINT ship
took station near Yulin, Hainan, where it remained until 24-25 May.
13 May: first Soviet naval aviation reconnaissance flight from Cam
Ranh since 12-15 April exercises. Flight appeared targeted against
USS Midway task force, enroute Subic from Indian Ocean.
15-16 May: Soviet reconnaissance flights targeted against Paracel
Islands and PRC naval activities in the same area. (No Soviet
reconnaissance flights were detected against PRC units that earlier
operated in area of the Spratley Islands.)
Early June: Soviet SIGINT ship returned to station near Hainan
Island.
4 June: Soviet naval reconnaissance flights target USS Harry
Harding, operating near Paracel Islands.
Early June: No recent Soviet warship activity detected in South
China Sea; pace of operations described as slow.
C-13
Approved For Release 2008/12/01 : CIA-RDP86MOO886RO01100240007-0
25X1
25X1
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Attached are NID articles including some good maps, covering most of the above
activities.
S E & E T
Approved For Release 2008/12/01: CIA-RDP86M00886RO01100240007-0