HOW TO ACQUIRE U.S. TECHNOLOGY BY 19 METHODS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150055-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2012
• Sequence Number: 55
• Publication Date: September 20, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

ST A -r
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/29: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150055-8
1 I
~. , : LARED
Ilow to Acquire
U.S. Technology
By 19 Methods
The Reagan administration is try-
ing to cut off the flow of technolog-
ical secrets to the Soviet Union. Over
the last decade, U.S. officials have
watched in frustration as the Krem-
lin buys, borrows or steals billions of
dollars' worth of American technical
know-how.
When put to military use, this
technology often gives the Soviets an
edge that costs the United States
billions to overcome.
In a secret version of Defense Sec-
retary Caspar W. Weinberger's an-
nual report to Congress, the Penta-
gon lists 19 explicit ways the Rus-
siar:s acquire U.S. military and in-
dustrial secrets, both legally and il-
legally. My associate Dale Van Atta
obtained a copy of the report.'
Here are the legal ways the Sovi-
ets pick our brains:
? "Complete [turnkey] plant
sales." The Russians buy one entire
factory, lock, stock and assembly
line, set it up in the Soviet Union
and copy it piece by piece.
? "Direct investment in Eastern
Europe." The Russians siphon off
Western technology acquired by
their European satellites.
20 SEPr: t 3 1982
? "Patents and licenses with ex-
tensive teaching effort" Sometimes a
seemingly harmless patent applica-
tion contains a wealth of technical
detail the Russians can put to mil-
itary use.
? "Joint ventures and joint pro-
duction development" with Western
firms.
? "Technical data and engineering
documents."
? "Proposals, pre-sale negotiations
and sales presentations." By solicit-
ing bids from Western companies,
the Russians can learn a lot without
ever buying anything.
? "Commercial visits."
? "Governmental and industrial
equipment sales."
? "Sales of products."
? "Scientific, technical and stu-
dent exchanges."
? "Open literature," for example,
journals, magazines, technical pa-
pers.
? "Science and technology confer-
ences, trade shows and exhibits."
To understand how important
this information is, it must be re-
membered that the Soviet Union is
still technologically backward in al-
most every area but military equip-
ment. Things that Americans take
for granted-like a serviceable pencil
with an eraser-are technical mar-
vels to the Russians.
As for the illegal ways the Krem-
lin acquires Western technology,
Weinberger's report lists:
? "Hostile intelligence service ac-
quisitions." In simpler English. this`
means theft by.KGB.agents.
? "Recruited agents. and industrial,
espionage." In the past decade, thefe
have been almost. A dozen significant
losses of technology. through Ames:
ican traitors, who areusually moti-
vated by greed, not ideology.
? "illegal arms tt ade.'" t It's a rare
arms merchant- ;who ::worries abouk.
embargoes, legal niceties. or the ides,
ology of his :customers,.-.as long. as
their checks don'tbounce,
? "Illegal tradein etber,comrnod-
ities." :
? "Third couutrr diversions."
These involve the ,acquisition of se:
crets from American allies: or neutzd- '
countries that either, dont:know -or
don't care, that ti. S;:ejuipment': i ,
actually destined` for the So i t
Union instead'of`domeatic users.
? "Capturediri war." The Vietnap
debacle left a wealth df'U.S. weak=:
ons in Communist hands.-
? "End-user a 'ditiersToris." - THO
means the application of legally -p F
chased American beck ology to Mll-
itary uses in - violatiDn of the p-l-
chase agreement- For-example,,.tbn:
United States soldtha:$ussians ball,-
bearing grinders- capable- of produa
ing pinhead-size inga.accurate?un
one 25-millionth=.of an;.i ch, The.?
viets used them ; to, produce. Vii;
bearings for the guidance systems of
their SS18 missiles, whose resultinp
accuracy was the principal reason for
consideration of the Inultibillion-dol-_
lar MX missile system. -
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/29: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150055-8