WEEKLY SUMMARY

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005284702
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 22, 2015
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2008
• Case Number: F-2008-00942
• Publication Date: September 29, 1967

(b) (1)
(b) (3)
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
WEEKLY SUMMARY
APPROVED FOR RELEASE DATE:
09-24-2008
SAAMAt
46
29 September 1967
No. 0309/67
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USSR ACCELERATES TESTING OF SS-X-6
The success and rapid pace
of the USSR's orbital weapon test
program suggest that the initial
objectives have been achieved.
The SS-X-6, the test vehicle in
the program, has been success-
fully flown five times since 17
July; the most recent flights
were on 19 and 22 September.
The SS-X-6 is put into orbit
from Tyuratam and makes almost a
full revolution before being
brought down in south-central
USSR. The system is composed of
the two-stage SS-9 ICBM booster
and a deorbit stage that brings
the re-entry vehicle onto its
predetermined target.
The energy available from
the SS-9 booster gives the sys-
tem only a limited capability
to hit targets in the US on the
first orbit, and then only if
the SS-X-6 is flown from the
western edge.of the USSR, an
area not known to have launch
facilities for it. Although the
system could hit the US on sub-
sequent orbits, its accuracy
would be degraded and it would
sacrifice surprise--one of its
principal advantages. It is
possible, therefore, that the
purpose of the present series of
shots is to test the deorbit
stage. The recent string of suc-
cessful tests indicates that the
third stage guidance and orien-
tation problems encountered earlier
have been solved.
Improvements in the perform-
ance of the SS-9 booster or
weight reduction in the third
stage or payload must be made if
the weapon is to be effective
against the US.
Page 14 WEEKLY SUMMARY 29 Sep 67
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on France--which will not sign
the NPT and which, as a nuclear
power, would be exempt from the
IAEA controls that the NPT would
impose.
A new Soviet draft Article
III now under consideration is an
attempt to meet these problems,
at least in part by leaving room
for the continuation of the
EURATOM system under an arrange-
ment to be negotiated with the
IAEA. In a note prepared last
week for the Council of the
European Communities, however,
the Commission indicated that
the Soviet draft did not fully
meet the EURATOM reservations.
The draft was nevertheless wel-
comed as coming closer to the US
position on safeguards.
The difficulties arise from
the discrimination within EURATOM
that would result from super-
imposing IAEA's inspection sys-
tem on all but one of EURATOM's
members. Moreover, the Commis-
sion, noting its own rights and
obligations on safeguards under
the EURATOM treaty, observes that
it is highly uncertain what role
it could play in the negotiations
that the Soviet draft envisages
between EURATOM and the IAEA.
This uncertainty is com-
plicated by the French opposition
to any role for EURATOM "as such,"
either in deliberations over the
NPT or in future negotiations
8-G PC ET
Page 15 WEEKLY
with the IAEA. Although the
Council legally could decide by
a majority vote to empower the
Commission to negotiate with
IAEA, this would be a politically
difficult decision. Even before
that decision is faced, however,
the Five need to adopt a common
position in order to influence
US discussions with the Soviets.
A first step toward such a
consensus, using the Soviet draft
as a starting point, was made
this week. The Five would like
the US and the USSR to agree on
a position that would largely an-
swer EURATOM reservations. This
would put the French in the posi-
tion of either compromising on
EURATOM's role or taking the re-
sponsibility for preventing the
Five from signing the treaty.
The French will find it difficult?
to reconcile all of their pre-
sumed objectives, which include.
not obstructing what the Soviets
want, instituting further con-
trols on Germany, and preventing
a further supranational develop-
ment of the European Communities
through an enhanced role for the
Commission.
Both the US and the Soviet
Union continue to hope that a
generally acceptable Article III
can-be found before a draft NPT
is opened to debate in the UN
General Assembly later this fall.
SUMMARY 29 Sep 67