USSR SEEKS STRATEGIC SYNTHETIC PLANTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01003A000900200001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 6, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 30, 1960
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 2000/05/12 : CIA-RDP79T01003A000900200001-9
SECRET
.CIA/RR CB 60-20
Copy No.
30 March 1960
---N0 N/C0NTINU & -CoNTRoL
CURRENT SUPPORT BRIEF
USSR SEEKS STRATEGIC SYNTHETIC PLANTS
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This report represents the immediate views of the
originating intelligence components of the Office
of Research and Reports. Comments are solicited.
This document contains information affecting the national defense of
the United States, within the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18
USC, Sections 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which
in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
SECRET
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 Approved For Release 2000/05/12 : CIA-RDP79T01003A000900200001-9
SECRET
USSR SEEKS STRATEGIC SYNTHETIC PLANTS
The USSR is currently negotiating with American and Japanese
firms for the purchase of plants, including know-how, for the pro-
duction.of polyester film, which has important applications in the
field of electrical insulation. 1/
This film has a wide range of industrial and military uses.
It is used in capacitors, motor generators, and transformers. Wire
and cable manufactured with this synthetic film is used in various
types of equipment, including telephone, radar, atomic energy appa-
ratus, radio, television, and a variety of electronic items of
miniature and subminiature manufacture. The importance of miniature
electrical components and of reliability of instruments made -with the
synthetic film is well illustrated in the development work of the
various types of long-range missiles. Equally important work with
radar, sonar, and automatic tracking equipment is also dependent on
reliable components manufactured with synthetic insulation.
Synthetic film having certain specifications for use as insula-
tion is embargoed by the Free World for shipment to the Bloc although
know-how and equipment to produce the film is not specifically em-
bargoed. 2/ Probably the major portion of the output of the plants
falls within the specifications of the embargoed film. The specifi-
cations of the film to be produced in these plants correspond to
those for Mylar, which is manufactured in the United States.
In.addition to industrial applications,.Mylar is used in the
United States in the instrumentation cable made for the Titan ICBM
project to provide for a long, reliable service. The film is also
used to make magnetic recording tapes for light-weight airborne re-
corders, and has been used in the United States for high-altitude
photography film.
Mylar has a lower electrical leakage, lesser sensitivity to
humidity, and higher temperature resistivity, than standard insu-
lating.materials. End-products made with Mylar.are more compact
than those made with standard insulating materials. Age has little
effect on the electrical properties of the film, a feature important
in. such equipment as missile controls.
Because of its properties, Mylar is replacing other insulating
materials in the manufacture of capacitors, which play a vital role
in electronic carrier equipment, providing. many communications cir-
cuits needed for strategic warning stations such as the DEW line
and Texas Towers. A recent development fostered by the miniaturiza-
tion trend is the use.of metallized Mylar in capacitors which are
less than a fourth the weight and size of standard components.
The USSR. lags behind the Free World in the production of plastic
insulating materials having optimum temperature and electrical proper-
ties over a.wide performance range.. Recurrent efforts to overcome
these problems constitute a part of the general effort of the USSR
to expand and improve its capabilities to produce electronic com-
ponents.specially adapted for uses in advanced military electronic
systems. The procurement of these polyester film plants would con-
tribute significantly to this goal, providing an annual capacity of
close to 8 million pounds of polyester film--about 45 percent of
current United States production.
30 March 1960 CIA/RR CB 60-20
Page 2
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Analyst; 25X1A
Co.ord .
Sources:
25X1A
COCOM Fact Sheet, IL 1920. C.
2. Department' of Commerce , -
25X1A
.30 March 1960 CIA/RR CB 60-20
Page 3
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O R CONTROL STAFF PRO ..,SSING SET
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source
Unedited draft
Edited draft
Report
Other
A. SECURITY
a;) Text check
b) Sources to be checked
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Release "requested.:
I) initiated
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Date Initials
zlort #3 given to
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12 April 1960
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Publications Staff, ORR
FROM
25X1A
SUBJECT 0: Release of Information for ORR CB 60-20,
USSR Seeks Strategic Synthetic Plants
REFERENCE : Memo dated 7 April 1960 from C/St/P/ORR
25X1A
The information taken from (Source #1
of reference Current Support Brief) has been cleared for
25X1 C release in finished form
Copy 15 of CIA/RR CB 60-20 is returned herewith.
Attachment A/c
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7 April
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7 April 1960
?3RAtDUM FOR:
25X1A
ATTENTION
FROM Chief, Publications Staff, JRR 25X1 C
SUBJECT
25X1 C
25X1 C
25X1 C
25X1A
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25X1 C
his
source will be deleted from the bibli=ography before the report is for -
waded to the foreign recipients.
25X1A
Attachments:
Copies 45 & 46 of CB 60-20
St/P/C:nb Distribution: 0 & 1 Addressee
1 St/P/C
1 Chrono
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IA/RR CB 6t-Z1, USSR Seeks Strategic Synthetic Plants, SECRET/
`ORN/CONTINUET) CONTROL, 30 March 1960, be examined to de-
itne whether or not there is any objection to the release of this
P79101003A000900200001-9
 TOV
Approvi 'f gf Fie " t0~'Bv~/' " ~ I 00J200001 -9
25X1A
FROM, 'Chief, Current Support Staff, ORRBrief
WWWWV'WWW
SUBJECT: Distribution of Current Support HAVIJIUKALL No. 60"20
USSR SEEKS STRATEGIC SYNTHETIC PLANTS 30 March 1860
4-11 - 5T Internal ) D-I-S-T-R-I-B-U-T-E-D B-Y O-C-I
1218 - Nom, 25X1 A
19-25 - S t CS /ORR )
as follows:
Copy No. Recipient
1 -sDD / I )
2- 3 - NIC )
(Title) red -(Date)
Please distribute the attached Current Support -- No. 60-20
Adj7t
Iii niaris
81=82
83
Copy No. Recipient
94
95
73 - I /EE/ORR 98
68 - I /ME ORR
69 - I/MSS /0( 70 - I /PE/OKR r-
71 - I/AR ORR
72 - I/SH/OAR F 3 -25X1A
56 - M/CH/ORR 84-88
57 - M/FM/ORR 89
58 - M/NF/ORR 90-91
59-61 M/FP/ 92
62-63 - Ch/D/RR' 93
64 67 I/GM/ORS-
52 - A/E ORR
53 - A /PC70RR
54 Ch/D/-m70-RR
55 - M/AG/ORR
48 - Ch/D /A ORR 78
4950 - A/U/ORR A 79
51 -A/FOR 80
ah R 74
27 DAD MR 75
28 o Ch/E7ORR 76
2946 - St/PB7C770RR I'll cl ' k 77
47 - St/PR/ORR ,
Ch/D/S/ORR
S /TD /ORR-
- S /TF
S /TF-SP7ORR
(via 7F/ORR)
- S/TR/ORR
S/COM7OR
S/CST ORR
D/GG/ORR 25X1A
- D/GG/ERR
- Ch/St/I/ORR 25X1A
- St/I/R/ORR
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Attn.
514 Steuar Wag
- EE/ONE
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PS SS/OSI
25X1A
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(Analyst/Branch)
25X1A (Analyst/Branch)
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Chief, Current Support Staff
tR/s/ppr` ew204o5/0092 J64-Ib179TO1003A000900200001-9
APR
(DfftVj
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(Initials
Distributed:'
25X1A .-
 Approved For Release 2000/05I j - a t e )
ato
TO: Chie-f, Dissemination Branch, Support Staff, OCI
FROM: Chief, Current Support Staff, ORR ref
60-20
SUBJECT: Distribution of Current Support Memorandum No.
IC STNTEMC
(Title)
(Date)
Please distribute the attached Current Support.Memorandum No.
as follows:
Recipient
DD/I
NIC
AD/OCI (via
CA/SSB/OCI
PRES/OCI
CS/ECON/OCI
NSAL
INDICO/OCI
25X1A
/OCI
/OCI
Director NSA
Washington 25 D. C.
Attention: 25X1A
St/CS/ORR
26- //C Chief, St/I/D/ORR 25X1A
1338 M Building
Chie , Current Support Staff
(Initials)
(Date) ~~((;;~~CC
A ro J25 A 0 2000/05/12 : CA=RIIP79T01003A000900200001-9
pp
RR/St/CSji/4555(29 July 59)
 NOF-CC
CONFIDENTIAL' 'O.,FSECRET
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
C58 ' ,rT a USSR. IMPORTING STRATEGIC PLANTS.
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
25X1A
FROM:'
NO.
DATE
Ch/St/CS
8 March 1960
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS {Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
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