RADAR FOR IRAN SEEN IMPERILING U.S. AIR EDGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100100026-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Sequence Number: 26
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/06/28: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100100026-5
STAT
:1 CLF APPEARED
ONPAGE
THE WASHINGTON POST
19 July 1977
as
c.iar, ion .ran
Seen i
Air. e
By Harold J. Logan
"Washinzton Post Stag Writer
Opponents of a Carter administra-
tion plan to sell seven supersophisti-
cated "flying radar systems. to Iran
told a Senate subcommittee'yesterday
the sale would risk the loss of a major
edge in air technology to the Soviet
Union, and -might involve. Amerian
technicians in an Iranian war.
John Culver (D-Iowa) and Thomas
Eagleton (D.Mo.); leaders`of a Senate
move to block the sale, also laid the
groundwork for - making the issue a
first test of the arms control policy
Carter enunciated in May. .
Culver and Eagleton appeared be-
fore a Senate Foreign Relations sub-
committee to argue for a resolution
they'and 14 other senators have filed
to prohibit the $1.2 billion sale of
seven Airborne Warning and Control
Systems (AWACS) to Iran.
"If we believe the glowing praise
the Air* Force showers-upon AWACS'
look-down radar-and advanced equip-
ment," --testified, "logic dic-
tates our . taking. a- skeptical- look at
the. proposal to transfer" this technol-
ogy to-a--semi-literate. country which
does:not have-the resorces to absorb
it."
Meanwhile, administration. sources
said a still-classified letter from the
director of the Central 'Intelligence
Agency;- Adm. Stansfield Turner, ex-
p Messing.. serious reservations about
the -? sale. on security, grounds was
based'on faulty.information about the
versionl#of AWACS :contemplated. for
Iran: _.._ - , .
Coding' ec uipmenf is `the-U.S.
Force AWACS will not be- installed in
ii y Iraq AWACS, the sources said.
'Other sources said, however, that
AWACS' would be useless to Iran
without some kind of "secure- commu-
nications,"-whether or not it was the
exact-piece -of -equipment-used on the
U.S. version.
"Their words could be widely heard
from- 29,000 feet" without advanced
?oding' equipment, the source said.
`You wouldn't want anyone to hear
,ou saying, 'There's an enemy fighter
?ight.behind.you.' " .
Iranian officials had.no?comment on
he report- that the planes,they would
. Administration. sources said that
Iran has-;received- sensitive equipment
such as the F4 and F.14. fighter planes
without security breaches, and that
the feared technology loss could occur
with any NATO ally 4s easily as with
Iran.
Eagleton and Culver;. however, - envi
sioned a hostile nation acquiring an years with ? AV ACS and; rather pro
AWACS; which is essentially-a. modi, , posed. sales.
shaped housing built by Westinghouse
and containing elaborate radar; com-?
ritunications, and. jamming equipment.
. In a shouting, arm-waving perform-
-ance, Culver said. the Soviet ' Union
now equals U.S. technology in-most
fighter and bomber aircraft, -and said
sale of the AWACS to Iran could com-
promise the West's technical edge in
air radar.
-"Technological achievements such
as the AWACS help the United States
to offset numerical deficiencies in
weaponry," Culver told the subcom-
mittee "If a single crewman hijacks a
plane or sells secrets to- Soviet agents,
the U.S.S.R. could reap an intelligence
said, "President Carter-or_his succes-?
fight a foreign -war, or to withdraw
an ally." . ?-` - _ -
Eagieton and Culver also said the
sale would violate Carter's announced
tary technologies abroad. -
'It makes-s little _ sense- to turn
around, before the ink on: that piece
of paper is dry, and a few moments
later exempt Iran from these guidq-
lines," said Culver.
bonanza which may endanger our own pusais introauceu in ootn senate ann
Air Force and the defense of Western .. House must be passed by Aug. S.
nationals are' now in Iran' and the their case on Friday.. House hearings
number _could - rise to -50,000 in three are scheduled today and Thursday- ?'
. Eagle ton said more than 30,000* U.S. - ' Administration'officials will present
Europe." ; - -
The American .technicians : .who
would be heeded to-operate AWACS
in Iran=-estimated at about 400 in a
General Accounting, Office report that
concluded the sale was not justified-
The Senate subcomnuttee appeared
impressed.... bye. -the-- Eakleton-Culver
refute,=then there -is.-no-ground. for.