ESTIMATE OF VC AND PAVN REQUIREMENTS FOR LOGISTIC SUPPORT NEEDED FROM ABROAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S02149R000200100030-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 2, 2002
• Sequence Number: 30
• Content Type: REPORT

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ESTIMATE OF VC AND PAVN REQUIREMENTS FOR LOGISTIC SUPPORT
NEEDED FROM ABROAD , I/
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I. For a Scale of Combat in which each of the 110 Battalions is Engaged
in Combat once every 35 Days (An Average of 3 Battalions per Day)
Based on the assumption that neither the VC nor PAVN forces require
external logistical support for Class I and Class III supplies, total
logistical requirements for VC and PAVN forces, excluding Class V equals
4.2 tons per day. This estimate is computed as follows. Each VC battalion
requires 19 lbs. per day (500 x .008 lbs. Class II and IV and 500 x .03 lbs.
Class IV weapons only). The total requirement for the 83 VC battalions
would be 1,577 lbs. (83 x 19) or about .8 tons per day. Each PAVN battalion
would require 250 lbs. per day (500 x .5 lbs. Class II and IV). The total
requirement for 27 PAVN battalions would be 6,750 lbs. or about 3.4+ tons
per day. Together the combined VC and PAVN forces would require about 4.2
tons per day. VC and PAVN forces require 7.9 tons of Class V ammo per day.
This requirement is computed as follows. Each of the 110 battalions (83 VC
and 27 PAVN battalions) are engaged in combat once every 35 days or an average
of 3 battalions in combat per day (110 = 35). The basic load of Class V
ammo per battalion is 7.9 tons. Since it is estimated that one-third of
the basic load of ammo is expended each day a battalion is in combat, total
expenditure of ammo would be 7.9 tons (1/3 of 7.9 = 2.63 x 3 _ 7.9 tons)
The present total daily logistical requirement then for the combined VC
and PAVN force is about 12 tons per day ()-+.2 tons Class II and IV and 7.9
tons Class V).
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II. Each Battalion is Engaged in Combat once every three Days (An Average
of 37 Battalions in Combat each Day
Again based on the assumption that neither VC nor PAVN forces require
external logistical support for Class I and Class III supplies, total
logistical requirements for VC and PAVN forces, excluding Class V equals
25 short tons per day. This estimate is computed as follows. Each VC
battalion requires 125 lbs. per day (500 x .21 lbs. Class II and IV and
500 x .04 lbs. Class IV weapons only). The total requirement for the 83
VC battalions would be 10,375 lbs. (83 x 125). Each PAVN battalion would
require 1,500 lbs. per day (500 x 3 lbs Class II and IV). The total require-
ment for 27 PAVN battalions would be 40,500 lbs. (27 x 1,500). Together
the combined VC and PAVN forces would require 50,875 lbs. per day, about
25 tons.
The ammunition expenditure if each battalion is engaged in combat once
every three days would be about 97 tonsrounded to 100 tons. (110 battalions i
3 = 37, the number of battalions in combat each days fisw 37 x 2.63, one-third
the basic load of ammunition expended per day = 97.3 tons.) Total tonnage
required per day under this scale of combat would be 125 tons per day, 100
tons Class V ammo, and 25 tons Class II and IV.
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