MILITARY THOUGHT (USSR): CHEMICAL WEAPONS FOR REPULSING AN AMPHIBIOUS LANDING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP10-00105R000201630001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 11, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 18, 1976
• Content Type: MEMO

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Intelligence Information Special Report
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COUNTRY USSR
DAT11g February 1976
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MILITARY THOUGHT (USSR): Chemical weapons for Repulsing an
Amphibious Landing 50X1-HUM
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Chemical Weapons for Repulsing an Amphibious Landing
by
Captain First Rank A. Zheludev
Chemical weapons are one of the most powerful means of mass
destruction. In modern warfare they may be employed successfully in all
types of combat operations on land and at sea, particularly for repulsing
an enemy amphibious landing. When used correctly these weapons are capable
of inflicting massive casualties and routing a landing force in the
shortest possible time, with the expenditure of fewer forces and means than
would be possible using conventional weapons.
The targets of chemical weapons strikes will be enemy troops taking
part in amphibious and airborne landings. The strikes will be conducted in
concentration and waiting areas, particularly at airfields at the moment
when troops are emplaning, and when troops are boarding assault transports
at points of embarkation.
The best time to strike enemy troops in concentration and waiting
areas is immediately after they have arrived at these areas and points when
they have not yet constructed the necessary system of shelters, or when
they are on the march to embarkation points. The strikes can be carried
out simultaneously and in sequence. In the latter case the strikes will
have the effect of wearing down survivors, which also is extremely
important under the given conditions.
All types of toxic agents may be used to destroy personnel at
concentration and embarkation points. However, the greatest effect will be
achieved by using highly toxic nerve gases and other persistent agents.
Thus, if type R-55 (VR-55) and R-33 agents (in aerosol form) are used, not
only will casualities be produced by the vapors and droplets of the agents,
but there will be contamination of the terrain, the combat equipment and
materiel of the landing force, assault landing means, amphibious tanks,
armored personnel carriers and motor vehicles or aircraft. The
contamination of these means and equipment with the type R-55 agent
practically precludes their subsequent use. Even after the surfaces of
ships and vehicles have been decontaminated, the toxic substances that have
been absorbed into the paint will evaporate and create dangers'ox1'?xuMls of
concentration.
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Very favorable conditions for the effective action of chemical weapons
against an enemy exist when repulsing an amphibious landing. At the moment
when troops are being moved from transport ships into assault landing means
and amphibious vehicles, and even when helicopters are being loaded to
airlift troops from ships to the shore, a large number of people will be
exposed on the decks and the ships' compartments will not be sealed. In
addition, the landing force will be subject to the effects of the fire
means of the antilanding defense during this period. All of this will make
it more difficult for the landing force to organize chemical warfare
protective measures.
Chemical weapons can be employed effectively against enemy personnel
in the assembly and deployment areas of the assault landing means,
amphibious ships and vehicles during the formation of assault waves, and
when waves of assault landing means and amphibious vehicles are moving
toward the landing points, particularly if the landing is being carried out
with open landing craft. The advantage of employing toxic agents under
these conditions is emphasized by the fact that the destruction of such
small targets as assault landing means and amphibious combat vehicles is a
difficult task for aircraft and artillery if they employ conventional types
of weapons. At the same time, nuclear strikes will be delivered primarily
against ships and troop transports located on distant approaches to the
landing areas.
As the assault landing means approach the shore, personnel will come
out of the crew spaces onto the decks and begin to make preparations 15 to
20 minutes before the scheduled landing. This is an opportune moment to
hit the personnel with toxic agents through the respiratory organs and
exposed areas of skin. The same conditions for inflicting casualities
exist while a landing force is fording and while the forward detachments
are landing, when they are still bunched together at the landing points and
cannot take advantage of any types of shelter.
In addition, chemical weapons can be used advantageously to destroy
airborne or helicopter landing forces in the drop (landing) zones, or those
enemy troops who have landed, in the course of the battle on shore.
The type of toxic agent to be used against the forward detachments and
subsequent echelons of a landing force, helicopter and airborne landing
forces in landing (drop) zones and the subunits of a landing force that are
consolidating on shore will be determined by the plan of the defensive
battle. In order not to restrict the actions of one's own troops allocated
to the counterattack or counterstrike, such agents as R-35 and R-2 may find
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broad use in a number of cases.
In view of the relative fluidity of a battle to repulse an amphibious
landing, it is our opinion that fast-acting toxic agents should be used
first in all situations.
The main forces responsible for delivering chemical strikes against a
landing force at concentration and embarkation points will be long-range
aviation, while on the open seas this will be the task of the rocket
troops, front aviation and, in addition, mine-laying and torpedo aircraft
and the miss le units and artillery of the navy's coastal defense.
Missiles with chemical warheads may be used to destroy landing forces
on troop transports when they are being loaded onto assault landing means
and when the latter are moving toward the shore. Air-burst chemical bombs
and aircraft chemical sprays may best be used to destroy landing forces on
troop transports and assault landing means as well as on the shore. The
ability of aircraft to reach their targets at low altitudes and conceal
their flight behind terrain features creates favorable conditions for
unexpected chemical attacks against assault landing means using aircraft
chemical sprays (KhVAP-500) with type R-33 or R-55 agents. Landing forces
on shore can be destroyed most effectively by chemical percussion bombs
with R-33 agents (KhAB-250-M-62P) and small fragmentation-chemical bombs
OKhAB-5 (from RBK-250) filled with R-5S.
Chemical artillery shells may be used primarily to destroy forces that
have landed on shore and helicopter and airborne landing forces by
artillery strikes against the areas of maximum concentration of personnel.
Air-burst chemical artillery shells of the KhS type filled with R-43A will
be employed when conducting fixed defensive fire against forces in landing
means. In addition, during ricochet firing the artillery in this case may
use fragmentation-chemical shells of the KhSO type filled with R-35.
Let us make a comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of chemical
weapons employed in air strikes against an amphibious landing battalion. A
strike by 12 aircraft conducted when the force is embarking on transports
may disable up to 40 to 50 percent of the personnel. A strike by 14
aircraft conducted when the force is moving from transports to landing
means will disable up to 40 to 50 percent of the personnel of the battalion
and up to 30 percent of the transport crew. If 38 aircraft are used
against a landing force located in landing means in an assault wave
assembly and forming area, up to 40 to 50 percent of the battalion
personnel will be disabled; a strike by 56 aircraft against a landing force
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moving in landing means toward the shore will disable up to 50 to 60
percent of the battalion personnel. These expected losses will be
inflicted under conditions of an unexpected chemical strike using
KhAB-250-M-62 bombs with type R-55 agents. These data show that
approximately identical results can be achieved with a smaller expenditure
of one's own forces and means if chemical weapons are employed against a
landing force during embarkation and when the force is moving from
transports onto landing means.
Chemical weapons will also be highly effective when used against a
retreating enemy following an unsuccessful landing attempt and in
destroying surrounded units and subunits of a landing force, since under
these conditions the enemy troops will be unable to employ effective
chemical warfare protective measures and will suffer great losses.
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