RECKLESS CONCESSION - RE BACKFIRE STUDY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79M00467A002500080013-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 4, 2005
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: August 1, 1976
• Content Type: PREL

X44
Approved For L ase 2005/01/31 : CIA-RDP79M00,6M~5pa '.'W-
e
eckless Concessions
SLIPPERY DEFINITIONS mot.
It seems inclined to accommodate the
brazen Soviet claim that Backfires are not
"heavy" bombers. Until recently U.S.
intelligence sources agreed that Back-
fires, like the less competent Soviet Bi-
sons (which count as "heavy" bombers),
can strike the U.S. on unrefueled mis-
sions. Hence, Backfires, like U.S. B-52s,
should count as "heavy" bombers under
Vladivostok limits. But suddenly the
CIA under George Bush (former GOP
chairman) has produced a report, based
on partial data, that says Backfires have
only about half the range previously
thought. This report is politically con-
venient if the Administration wants to
rationalize a concession.
Another concession may concern
cruise missiles - pilotless, subsonic,
nonhallistic winged aircraft. Using them,
American-bombers could stand off from
Soviet targets and still hit them. (The
ability of B-52s to penetrate Soviet air,
defenses is limited and will become
more so, especially if we continue to sell
the Soviets sophisticated computers)
Ballistic, not cruise, missiles were dis-
cussed at Vladivostok. But U.S. cruise
missiles are superior to Soviet models.
So now the Soviets insist sea-launched
cruise missiles must have only a 370-
mile range. That means few Soviet tar-
gets would be in range of U.S: missiles
while 125 million Americans would be
in range of Soviet missiles..
'Norse than that Soviet impertinence
was the gratuitous Administration offer
to count each bomber carrying cruise I
missiles against the limit of 1,320 MIRV
missiles. This means that unless the U.S.
dismantles some of the 1,286 MIRVed
missiles deployed or planned, the U.S.
can have only 34 bombers carrying
cruise missiles. This probably would kill
the cruise-missile program.
(Feel ing a twinge of deja vu? U.S. anti-
ballistic missiles were much superior to
Soviet ABM's in 1972 when Nixon
agreed to it virtual ban on ABM's.) ,'
. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TUN DIRECTOR % - _
zec::tive Registry
For: Brent Scowcroft and
Bill Hyland
Re" Backfire study.
Here is the kind of leaked
( I assume) article that
makes me want to climb a wall.
UGH!!!!
=~o
Approved For Release 2005/01/31 : CIA-RDP79M00467AO02500080013-3