IL-76 CANDID: STATUS AND OUTLOOK FOR THE SOVIETS' MAJOR TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT PROGRAM

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CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9
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RIPPUB
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T
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26
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December 28, 2016
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December 10, 2010
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2
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December 1, 1985
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REPORT
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 Directorate of Intelligence Program IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft A Research Paper Top Secret Top Secret 23 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Directorate of Intelligence IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft Program 1A 85-10062JX Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Summary IIi/( Ynallon uruilablc ac ol 1 December 1985 uzis IM'd in 1/11H r(Vol r. IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft ProgramF_-] 25X1 to n 1PCCPr ranaP The Soviet IL-76 transport aircraft-codenamed Candid by NATO- forms the backbone of the Soviets' military air transport assets and will continue to do so into the next century. It is similar in mission and design to the US C-141, but can carry a greater payload, although states throughout the world The IL-76s assigned to the military are replacing the older and less ca- pable AN-12 aircraft in Soviet Military Transportation Aviation, the Soviet equivalent of the US Military Airlift Command. By 1992, we project that all military AN-12s will have been replaced by IL-76s, providing Soviet Military Transport Aviation with a fleet of some 440 of these aircraft. (By comparison, some 285 C-141 Is were produced for the US military.) The primary mission of the aircraft is to provide the airlift for Soviet airborne forces. Compared to the capabilities of an AN-12, an IL-76 can carry a greater variety of equipment, can carry over twice the weight, and can carry that weight twice as far at a third higher speed. These capabilities enable the Soviet airborne forces and their equipment to be delivered and resupplied, without refueling, to almost all of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The IL-76 also increases the Soviets' ability to conduct massive airlifts to client 25X1 25X1 n AWACS variant and an in-flight refueling tanker vari-25x1 ant of the IL-76 bega 25X1 Because of the growing Soviet need for these special-pur- 25X1 25X1 pose aircraft, we estimate they will produce at least another 25 AWACS and 70 to 80 more tankers. The AWACS variant provides the Soviets with a sophisticated radar capable of tracking low-flying tar- gets and directing Soviet fighters to intercept them. The AWACS is the only IL-76 with an in-flight refueling capability and will probably iii Top Secret 1A 85-10062JX Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 be refueled by IL-76 tankers. IL-76 tankers will probably be produced in sufficient numbers to support strategic bombers and tactical fight- Based on our estimate of the Soviets' requirements for IL-76 aircraft, we believe they will probably produce 280 to 330 more aircraft, mak- ing a total production run of 750 to 800. The Soviet military will con- tinue to receive most of these aircraft. We estimate n to be 60 aircraft per year, and our analysis ndicates that this figure is at or very near the pea o pro- duction. We expect this peak rate to be maintained for only a year or two longer before production begins to taper off. The decline will probably he caused by diminishing requirements for standard IL-76s, increasing production of the more complex AWACS and tanker vari- ants, and the beginning of major component production for the new heavy transport aircraft, the AN-124. We estimate that about three to five AWACS and about six to eight tankers will be produced each year until Soviet requirements for these variants are satisfied. We expect that civil and export models, as well as additional variants, will also continue to be produced. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Top Secret Summary IL-76 Performance and Capability Military Aircraft Civil (Aeroflot) Aircraft 11 Export Aircraft Airborne Tanker 13 Electronic Support 13 Maintenance 15 Assessment of Future Production 16 Appendix B. Special-Purpose I L-76s Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Scope Note This paper presents a comprehensive discussion of the Soviet IL-76 Candid transport aircraft program. It describes the capabilities of this aircraft, discusses its primary role as a military transport, and address- es the mnt of AWACS and in-flight refueling variants 25X1 nd projections are made o - requirements 25x1 into the 1990s. 25x1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft Program As the Soviets rebuilt and expanded their econo- my and military forces in the decades following World War 11, the need arose for larger and more capable transport aircraft. Transports were needed that would be large enough to carry construction equipment and supplies to growing communities and resource exploration sites in the Soviet Far East and Siberia, and to move Soviet airborne troops and their equipment to potential conflict sites beyond the homeland borders. The inspira- tion for an aircraft to fulfill this role came during the early 1960s with the development of the US Lockheed C- 141 Starlifter. This new US aircraft stimulated Soviet interest in a new transport. and and genera appearance to the C-141 and incorpo- rated many of its design features. Some features, however, were altered to conform to Soviet pro- duction capabilities or to better satisfy Soviet user requirements. Five prototype aircraft, designated IL-76 by the Soviets and Candid by NATO, were built between 1969 and late 1972. The first of these had its initial flight in late 1970 and was shown at the Paris Air Show in mid-1971 The Soviets have invested heavily in esources that appear dedicated to a long production run of the IL-76. Apparently the aircraft has performed satisfactorily and will prob- ably fulfill most of the Soviets' military transport requirements and many civil requirements into the 21st century. Two variants of the IL-76, an AWACS and an in-flight refueling tanker, have only recently entered series production; it is un- likely that the military requirements for these air- craft will be satisfied until the early 1990s. F__1 he Soviet aircraft was similar in size IL-76 Performance and Capability 25X1 25X1 craft be capable of transporting a 40-ton payload 25X1 over 5,000 kilometers in not more than six and a half hours. These requirements established the ba- 25X1 sic structural and fuel weights of the IL-76 and, in fact, were among the advertised performance char- acteristics given by the Soviets during the initial display of the aircraft at Paris in 1971. At that time the new director of the Ilyushin OKB, Gen- rikh Novozhilov, announced that the IL-76 was a military transport with a secondary role as a civil bulk cargo carrier. 25X1 IL-76s are roduced for both military and civil role The military IL-76 has a tail-aun turret Other differences between military and civil air- 25X1 25X1 25X1 i craft, however, are probably minimal. All IL-76s, with the probable exception of AWACS variants, are equipped with an integral loading ramp and can load and unload cargo without much airfield support equipment. This capability and the under- carriage, designed for rough field use, enable both the military and civil IL-76 to use many of the un- 25X1 improved airstrips found in remote areas of the 25X1 the initial design 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 of personnel or paratroops have reinforced cargo floors for heavy equipment and pressurized cargo compartments for transport compares them with those of the C-141. characteristics and capacities of the IL-76 and In appearance and size the IL-76 is much like its US counterpart, the C-141 (figure 1). While the Ilyushin Design Bureau obviously borrowed heavi- ly from the Lockheed C-141, they did not simply copy it. The IL-76 fuselage diameter is greater than that of the C- 141 to accommodate wider equipment; its landing gear is heavier for rough field use; and it can carry a larger payload, al- though to a lesser range. Table 2 lists the known 190,000 kilograms Candids initially were designated IL-76 and had a maximum takeoff weight of 157,000 kilograms. Later Candids-IL-76T and IL-76M-have maxi- mum takeoff weights of 170,000 kilograms, with the weight increase due to a larger fuel capacity. The early IL-76s are now being retrofitted to have the 170,000-kilogram gross weight and increased fuel load. Within the last few years, two additional types of Candids have entered production-the lL-76TD and IL-76MD. These newer variants re- portedly have an additional increase in fuel capac- ity and a heavier maximum takeoff weight of East The range and payload capabilities of the IL-76 are greatly superior to most Soviet cargo transport aircraft. Only the old AN-22 (Cock) and the newly designed AN-124 (Condor), not yet in production, can lift more cargo and carry it farther. There are more than six times as many IL-76s as there are AN-22s available for airlift operations. The IL-76 force is thus the primary vehicle for air transport and enables the Soviet airborne forces and their equipment to be delivered and resupplied to al- most all of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Figure 1 Soviet IL-76 and US C-141 Transports Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Table 2 Aircraft Characteristics and Capacities IL-76T and IL-76M ('-141 B IL-76T and IL-76M C-1418 Dimensions Length Cargo Compartment Length (exclu- 19.7 Height 14.75 12.0 ding ramp) Height 3.5 2.77 Wing span 50.5 48.8 Width 3.45 3.12 Wing area 300 Ramp Length 9.4 6.0 (square meters) Wing sweep (degrees) Power Plant Manufacturer Soloviyev Pratt and Ramp Slope (degrees) Weight Maximum takeoff I70,000d 155,600b D-30KP Whitney TF 33-P-7 (kilograms) No payload IL-76T: 65,500 (four) (four) (kilograms) 82,000d IL-76M: 86,0004 Thrust rating Maximum payload 40,0004 42,900b (kilograms) Specific fuel (kilograms) Maximum fuel 84,500d 69,600 consumption at takeoff (kilogram/ kilogram/hour) Cruise speed 750-800 750-785 (kilograms) Personnel Capacity Crew (kilometers/hour) alternate) Cruise altitude 10-13 10-12.5 I40e 209 (kilometers) Range with IL-76T maximum payload 4,400 4,600b (kilometers) IL-76M 4,000a Take-off distance` 2,300 2,000b Note: Undefined measurements are in meters. "The IL-76TD and MD variants have roughly a 1,700-kilo- meter greater range. hThis number is for a G-load factor of 2.25. At a 2.5 G-load factor the range would change to 5,100 kilometers and the take- off distance to 1,800 meters. Takeoff weight would decrease to 146,600 kilograms and payload to 33,700 kilograms. `Calculated at sea level, with maximum weight, to clear a 15-meter height at end of runway. dThe IL-76TD and MD variants have a maximum takeoff weight of 190,000 kilograms. Maximum fuel weight is esti- mated to be 90,500 kilograms and maximum payload at least 50,000 kilograms. Maximum landing weight may also have increased. The operating weight when empty is proba- bly somewhat greater than that of the IL-76 and IL-76M. 'Capacity is 225 people if the plane has a double-deck con- figuration. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 Soviet and US Production: Major Differences in Philosophy The IL- 76 production rates, while .fairlr representa- tive of'Soviet aircraft production, are dissimilar to the rates found in a prom-oriented market such as the US industr_),. Contrasting the IL- 76 and its C'S lookalike, the C-141, reveals some of the major dif- ferences in production philosophy: IL-76 ? 470 built between 1974 and late 1985; average 39 per year. ? Overall number likely to increase h), 65percent as production continues into the 1990s. C-141 ? 285 built between 1963 and 1965; average 95 per ),car. ? 270 gfthe original C-14Is were modified between 1979 and 1982 to extend their role life. 71e number of'IL-76s built by the Soviets in the first nine years oiproduction is similar to the num- ber ofC-14/s built hi' the US in three ),ears. The US manufacturers, responding to USAir r Force pro- curement allowances for these three years, began a high- volume, mass production program. In con- trast, the Soviets-working with long-terra central planning etcles, quota systems, parts suppli' di ffi- culties, and antiquated manufacturing machin- er),-have opted for a long and steady production run. 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 The increasing output of IL-76s over the past de- cade can he represented graphically by means of a "learning curve." In a mass production program for complex items such as an aircraft, administra- tive, delivery, and assembly procedures should be- come more efficient over time, reducing the effort and cost of later units. This movement toward in- creased efficiency can be plotted and used to de- scribe and predict production output at various points during a production program. The increase in output of IL-76s since 1974 shows such a trend towards increased efficiency and correlates with a 76-percent learning curve (that is, only 76 percent of the time is needed to produce the 200th plane as was needed to produce the 100th plane) Figure 2 IL-76 Production, 1973-85 Number of Aircraft 601 the increase in output since that time is adequately explained as a function of the learning curve. A later section of this paper will return to these factors and the potential they have in helping predict future IL-76 output. Number of Aircraft 5001 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1973 1975' 1977' 11979 1981 1983 1985 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Deployment During the first two and a half years of produc- tion, all IL-76s (about 35 aircraft) were delivered to the Soviet military. Since then, allocations of newly produced IL-76s have gone to other custom- ers as well as the military, and the allocation ratios have remained fairly constant throughout the pro- duction run. About 70 percent have gone to the military, 1 1 percent to Soviet civil aviation (Aero- flot), 12 percent have been exported, and 7 percent have been modified for special roles. Of those IL- 76s modified for special roles, two variants-an AWACS and a refueling tanker-have recently been developed into production models. but only a 76 has been a reliable aircraft, and at least ninety- eieht percent of those produced are still operation- Military Aircraft The primary customer for IL-76s has been Soviet Military Transport Aviation (Voyenno-Transport- naya Aviatsiya-VTA), the Soviet equivalent of the US Military Airlift Command (MAC). By late 1985, we estimate 330 military IL-76s had been produced and The replacement of AN-12s with IL-76s has not been on a one-for-one basis. An AN-12 regiment, comprising 33 to 36 aircraft, is being replaced by a regiment of 28 IL-76s.4 The lift capability of an IL- The Impact of IL-76s on Soviet Airborne Forces the IL- 76 regiments The IL-76 brings capabilities to Soviet military transport service that are signircantly greater than those of the AN- 12. An individual IL-76 holds, roughl v, twice as much cargo as the AN-12 and can carry it twice as far at a third higher speed. For the FT.11, the principal user, the IL- 76 offers many im- provements over the AN-12. A regiment of IL-76s can carry about 560,000 kilograms (50 percent of its maximum payload) up to a distance of 6,500 ki- lometers in a single airlift. (The IL- 76 TD and MD variants can travel over 7,500 kilometers with the same weight.) An AN-12 regiment is able to move only about 350, 000 kilograms (50 percent of its maximum load) a distance of 3,300 kilometers. In an airborne role, compared to the AN-12, the IL- 76 can: ? Carry three rather than two BMD armored per- sonnel carriers. ? Carry 125 rather than 60 paratroopers. ? C'arr'y its passengers in a pressurized cabin, rather than requiring individual oxygen sup- plies because of unpressurized cabins. Concurrent with the upgrading of the VTA with IL- 76s, there has been a modernization of the Soviet airborne forces. They are being equipped with larg- er numbers of new, air-transportable weapons and vehicles, which require the greater lift capability of AN-12 regiment 76 regiment, however, is roughly double that of an day operation. The principal mission of the VTA (and thus of the IL-76) is to provide airlift support to the Soviet Airborne Forces. Additional missions include transport of nuclear weapons, logistic support for Soviet military forces, transport abroad of eco- nomic and military assistance cargoes, and occa- sional airlift assistance for Soviet civilian indus- tries. IL-76s have participated in all major Soviet airlift exercises and operations since 1979. Of par- ticular importance was the December 1979 airlift of Soviet airborne and ground forces into Afghani- stan. About 70 IL-76s participated in this three- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Iq Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115ROO0200490002-9 Top Secret Civil (Aeroflot) Aircraft About 52 IL-76s have been delivered to Soviet civ- il aviation (Aeroflot) since 1976. Aeroflot's share of IL-76 prod craft per year. Export Aircraft Since 1978 the Soviets have exported 56 IL-76s. Exports include both the military and civil ver- sions. As of late 1985, five countries had received IL-76s: Libya Iraq Syria Cuba India Total 24 20 4 2 6 Military 5 10a 2 0 6 Civil 19 10 2 2 0 'One aircraft is registered for Iraqi government use. 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115ROO0200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 25X1 transfer 40 metric tons of fuel and then return to base. We estimate the fuel transfer rate for this sys- tem to be at least 1,500 kilograms per minute per hose.' 25X1 IL-76 tankers will not be as difficult or time con- suming to produce as the AWACS. Some extra steps will be required to install the pods and inter- nal plumbing. These operations, however, should not be too difficult to implement on the existing assembly line; by 1987 we believe that six to eight IL-76 tankers may be produced each year.~25X1 Top Secret By adding a fleet of IL-76 tankers, the Soviets will greatly enhance their ability to conduct missions of long distance or long duration. Two fighter-size aircraft can refuel simultaneously from the under- wing pods. Larger aircraft will likely be refueled singly from the aft fuselage station. The IL-76 tanker appears to use the basic military version and, because of the advantages of higher gross weight and fuel load, will probably be produced with an IL-76MD airframe. Based upon this as- sumption, we believe the IL-76 tanker will proba- bly have over 100 metric tons of fuel at takeoff. After flying a distance of 2,800 kilometers, it could Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 With their growing fleet of IL-76s, the Soviets re- quire dedicated repair facilities to keep these air- craft in service. Inspections, maintenance, repairs, and replacement of parts and systems are handled through regimented and predetermined schedules. A part is inspected and serviced at regular inter- vals, but once it has reached its safety service life- time, it is replaced automatically (usually at a time far before it would be replaced in the US system). Aging aircraft also will require structural repairs or major maintenance that cannot be performed at the deployment bases. Thus, depot-level repair and overhaul facilities are needed for the IL-7d The Soviet civil version of the IL-76 undergoes de- pot-level repair at the Moscow-Bykovo Repair Base a major Aeroflot re air facilit 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 ost work at Moscow-Bykovo 7 V 1 done on intact airframes, and much of it is done ii,5X1 the open. This, we believe, is typical of depot-level repair function 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 In order to fulfill estimated user requirements, the Soviets will have to keep the IL-76 in production until the early 1990s. By late 1985 some 470 IL-76 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 aircraft had been produced. We project that at least another 300 will need to be produced to meet Soviet requirements (table 4). The VTA will con- tinue to receive the largest share of production. percent of IL-76 production allotted to Aeroflot and for export will probably continue at about the same rate as in recent years, or slightly lower. The requirements for these customers, however, are less defined. Once the military requirements for IL-76s are more nearly satisfied, the Soviets may try to expand their export market and perhaps add more aircraft to their civil fleet. If so, the produc- tion run could extend beyond our projections. Based upon our perception of Soviet requirements and their ability to series-produce special-purpose aircraft, we believe that the Soviets may field at least 30 AWACS and 75 to 85 tankers. We also be- lieve the Soviets will continue to modify some newly produced IL-76s for special roles. In the late 1980s IL-76 output will probably begin to decline as VTA requirements are fulfilled and as produc- tion of the more complex IL-76s-AWACS, tank- ers, and electronic support aircraft-increase Throughout the first dozen years, increases in IL- 76 production could reliably be correlated to nor- nmal progression along a 76-percent production Dwindling Soviet requirements for the standard IL-76 and production of the more complex variants will probably cause the learning curve projection to correspondingly level off. Peak production, there- fore, for the IL-76 is probably occurring now, with the rate unlikely to he much greater than about 60 aircraft per year. 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91T01115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Iq Next 9 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9 Top Secret Top Secret Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/10: CIA-RDP91TO1115R000200490002-9