PROPOSED AQUATONE COVERAGE OF SOVIET LONG RANGE AVIATION CAPABILITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00750A000500030025-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 24, 2003
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: October 30, 1957
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For !ease 2003/12/23 : CF4--RI)P61 S0075OAb'b0500030025-5
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30 October 1957
PROPOSED AQUATONE COVERAGE OF SOVIET LONG RANGE AVIATION CAPABILITIES
1. Recent coverage of the USSR by AQUATONE and recent events, such
as the test firing of an ICBM and the launch of the earth satellite, have
given startling indications of the highly advanced state of the Soviet
capability to deliver weapons against the United States, at least in the
field of guided missiles.
2. These indications bring into critical relief the issue of the
deployment of Soviet resources as between long range bomber forces and
production facilities on the one hand and guided missiles on the other.
Hard facts are extremely sparse for determination of the actual strength
of the Bear and Bison forces which accounts for the division of opinion
within the US intelligence community and as intelli-
gence on the estimate on that subject. Faulty estimating on this subject
can quite possibly lead to misapplication of enormous sums of money on the
part of this government in preparation for national defense. Of more
drastic consequence would be that it would place our security in serious
jeopardy.
3. Accordingly we urge that permission be granted for AQUATONE
coverage of key air bases which would provide, we believe, substantial
increments to our base for estimating current long range bomber strength
(CHEPELEVKA, SARATOV/ENGETS, UKRAINA, BELAYA TSERKOV, POLTAVA, MINSK)and
the production facilities which would provide a basis for strengthening
our estimates on trends and capabilities (KUYBYSHEV, KAZAN).
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Approved FoT Ilelease 2003/1223 : GIA R9P61 000750 n 00050?030025-5