THE T-72 IS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED BATTLE TANK IN WIDE USE BY THE SOVIET ARMY, AND FOR YEARS AMERICAN ITELLIGENCE OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN ITCHING TO GET AHOLD OF ONE TO EXAMINE IT.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000403380001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 10, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/26: CIA-RDP90-00965R000403380001-6
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS - 10 MARCH 1987 (Tom Brokaw)
The T-72 is the most sophisticated battle tank in wide use by
the Soviet Army, and for years American intelligence officials
have been itching to get ahold of one to examine it. Well,
they soon will be getting several. According to NBC's Art
Kent, a number of captured T-72s are now on a ship headed for
the U. S.,'and sources tell Kent that these tanks were acquired
as part of the U. S. arms deal with Iran.
American officials and U. S. experts on Iran are quoted this
morning as saying relations between the two countries have
hardened as a result of the Iran Contra affair, and there is
little likelihood of improvement in relat"~o~S Bu as National
Security correspondent Art Kent reports ~i~..~U. S Iran
relationship has already produced one dividend. The T-72 is
the most advanced battle tank widely used by the Soviet Army.
For years U. S. military experts have wanted to get their hands
on one. According to intelligence sources, the U. S. has now
acquired several, acquired with the help of Iran. The sources
confirm that sometime the last two weeks of January Iran made
the T-72s available, in an effort to keep alive the flow of U.
S. arms that was cancelled by President Reagan when the Iran
arms deal became public. Shipped through a West European
country, the tanks are now enroute to the United States. The
U. S. has tried to get a T72 before. Israeli Forces captured
several in Lebanon in 1982 but they were too badly damaged to
yield much knowledge about Soviet technology. (Stock film of
the Erria) This ship, the Erria, was bought by Lt. Col. Oliver
North and his associates, Albert Hakim and Richard Secord, to
use in secret operations, one of those was the taking of a load
weapons and ammunition to Iran in late 1986 to trade for T72
tanks. The Erria waited outside the Iranian port of Bandar
Abbas for a month befor the gal fell through. According to
the Senate Intelligencwll'ra'f{deport, the Iranians first
offered the T72 at a meeting in West Germany last October
26th. An intelligence source says that the offer was
finalized in London at a meeting in December between an Iranian
and a CIA officer. Final delivery is now underway. Art Kent,
NBC News, Washington
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/26: CIA-RDP90-00965R000403380001-6