SA-3 SAM LAUNCH SITE NEAR PALANGA, USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05439A000200230077-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 21, 2000
• Sequence Number: 77
• Content Type: REPORT

ILLEGIB
Approved For Release 2000/09/06 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000200230077-4
Approved For Release 2000/09/06 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000200230077-4
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Declassification review by NIMA/DoD
NP IC /R -1022/62
SA-3 SAM LAUNCH SI E NEAR PALANGA., USSR
An SA-3 SAM launch site located at 55-59-25N 21-06-10E, approxi-
mately 4.5 nautical miles north-northeast of Palanga (Figure 1) and
4,500 feet north of the SA-2 SAM site at the northern end of Palanga
Airfield has been identified on phottgraphy.
The site is served by an access road which crosses the main road
north from Palanga and leads directly into a large secured storage area
approximately 3,000 feet to the south of the site.
The access road leads generally west-northwest into the site, passes
a large hardstand adjacent to the road on the south side, and runs through
a large revetted, probable hold area (Figure 2). The road network in the
central portion of the site forms a heart-shaped pattern. Branches from
the central portion lead to small, revetted missile launch pads. In the
center of the heart-shaped area is a rectangular area, revetted on each
side but open at the corners, which is probably for guidance equipment.
Because the photograph of this site is a double exposure, much of
the detail usually interpretable from photography of this scale is blurred
or obliterated. Despite this limitation, the following observations can
be made:
1. The construction of the site appears to be complete.
2. Two small unidentified buildings are possibly associated with
the site. One is approximately 200 feet south of the probable
hold revetment; the other is approximately 500 feet south-
southwest.
? 3. A small unidentified object (imaged as a blurred dot) is visible
on three of the pads and in the probable hold area. The possibility
that such an object is on the fourth pad is not excluded.
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NP IC /R - 102 21/62
FIGURE 1. AREA ORIENTATION MAP.
2 -
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4. No vehicles are discernible at the site or in the immediate
vicinity. Several carriers are discernible at the SA-2 site
nearby.
5. No electronics equipment is discernible at the site. Objects,
presumed to be electronics vans, are visible in the guidance
revetment of the SA-2 site nearby.
6. No security fences around the site are discernible.
The roads, hardstands, and revetments appear to be complete.
However, the poor quality of the photography precludes determination
of whether or not the site is operational. Its identification as an SA-3
site is based on its similarity in configuration and size to Site A in the
SAM Launch Complex at the Kapustin Yar/Vladimirovka Missile Test
Center, the prototype low- or medium-altitude, short-range SAM launch
site. 1/
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MAPS OR CHARTS
A_NIS. Series N751, Sheet 32291, 1st ed, Mar 59, scale 1:50,000 (UNCLASSIFIED)
AMS. Series N751, Sheet 323011, 1st ed, Aug 59, scale 1:50,000 (LNCLASSIFIED>
DOCUMENTS
1. CIA. PIC/JR-1008/61 Surface-to-Air Missile Facilities, K ustin Yar,/Vladimirovka Missile
Test Center, USSR, Mar 61 (SECRET/Noforn - Down-
grading Prohibited)
REQUIREMENT
NPIC. PC 64-2
NPIC PROJECT
JN-90/62