SOVIET AND HUNGARIAN DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW HIGH-CAPACITY MICROWAVE SYSTEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T01003A002100060001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 11, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 1, 1964
• Content Type: BRIEF

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CONFIDENTIAL
198
Current Support Brief
SOVIET AND HUNGARIAN DEVELOPMENT
OF A NEW HIGH-CAPACITY MICROWAVE SYSTEM
CIA/RR CB 64-60
September 1964
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Research and Reports
CONFIDENTIAL
GROUP 1
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification,
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This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the Unit States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Sees. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in an manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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SOVIET AND HUNGARIAN DEVELOPMENT
OF A NEW HIGH-CAPACITY MICROWAVE SYSTEM
The USSR and Hungary have completed the design of a new high-
capacity microwave system, designated "Druzhba, " that will have the
capability to transmit more than 10, 000 telephone channels plus tele-
vision. for distances of up to 6, 000 miles. 1/ This capability represents
three times the channel capacity and two times the distance capability
of the most advanced microwave systems currently in use in the Soviet
Bloc. Although publicized as original and unique, a comparable system
has been. used in the US since 1961. Hungary will have production. re-
sponsibility for this system, with prototype production scheduled for
1965 and series production to begin in 1969. Experimental circuits total-
ing some 260 miles are to be constructed in the USSR in. 1966-67, and the
first series production units are to be installed in the USSR, probably
beginning in 1970. 2/
The development of the "Druzhba" system by Hungary is a. logical
extension of existing microwave technology to accommodate anticipated
requirements for more interurban channel capacity in the USSR and the
European Satellites in the period following 1970. The assignment of
production responsibility to Hungary for this system is an. outgrowth of
earlier Hungarian-Soviet successes in the joint development of high-
capacity microwave equipment. It also may be an indication that the
USSR wishes to shift at least some of its civilian requirements for pro-
duction of microwave equipment to Hungary to alleviate strains imposed
on some facilities of its own electronics industry by military requirements
for specialized microwave equipment.
1. Production, Technology, and Export
The Orion plant in Budapest has been assigned the principal pro-
duction responsibility for the "Druzhba" system, with prototype produc-
tion scheduled to begin in 1.965. Equipment for a 90-mile experimental
line in the USSR, probably from Moscow to Vladimir, is to be provided
in 1966. In 1967 this line is. to be extended 170 miles, probably from
Vladimir to Go.r'kiy. By 1969 the Orion plant plans. to begin series pro-
duction, with planned annual output of 'US $12 million to $15 million;. 3/
This annual output should be sufficient to equip from 1, 200 to 1, 800
route miles of "Druzhba" with three radio-frequency (RF) trunks, ex-
clusive of multiplexing equipment.
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
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Most of the initial production will be exported to the USSR. The
USSR has been importing microwave equipment fr m Hungary in modest
quantities since at least 1958, including the PM-24, the PM-28, and the
GTT-4000/600 types. The addition of "Druzhba" should increase the
value of Hungarian exports of microwave equipme t to the USSR from
the level of about $4 million in 1960 to an estimat d level of $25 million
to $30 million by 1970. 4/
The development of the "Druzhba" equipment is the second major
cooperative effort between Hungary and the USSR in advanced micro-
wave technology. During the period 1957-61 the SSR gave substantial
technical and financial assistance to Hungary for he development of the
GTT-4000/600 (the counterpart to the Soviet VES A), a broad-band
system operating in the 4 gigacycle (gcs) frequency range that has a
capacity of 600 telephone channels or 1 television channel on each of 6
RF trunks. The rapid strides made by Hungary i microwave technology
complement Soviet requirements and relieve the SSR of the need to
impose additional burdens on its burgeoning elect Tonics industry.
2. Analogy to US Microwave Development
The new "Druzhba" microwave system is comparable to a US
system, the Bell Telephone "TH, " that was put into operational use
in 1961. Both systems provide for six to eight brad-band RF trunks
operating in the radio-frequency range of 6 gcs. he "Druzhba" will
differ, however, in that it reportedly will provide for a slightly greater
number of telephone channels per RF trunk -- 1, 20 telephone channels
compared with 1, 860 for the "TH" -- and, for the most part, will
utilize semiconductors.
The Soviet Bloc consistently has lagged behin the US in develop-
ments in civilian communications, notably in coaxial cable and 4-gcs
microwave systems. This lag stems from te'chno ogical shortcomings
as well as from a difference in end-use orientation. Consumer-oriented
end use in the US versus government-oriented en use in the Soviet Bloc
have produced different stimuli as well as requirements for the develop-
ment of modern high-capacity communications systems.
3. Prospects
Existing, operational, and planned microwav and coaxial cable
systems in the USSR and the European Satellites c rrently have sufficient
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potential for the expansion of channel capacity to meet most of the planned
requirements of the Soviet Bloc through 1970. After 1970, interurban
channel requirements will expand rapidly as Soviet Bloc plans for in-
creased telephone capacity, an expanded television network, and a
large complex of computer centers in the USSR are developed. Deploy-
ment of the "Druzhba" system will be consistent with these long-term
requirements. Long-standing problems in production of carrier-
frequency multiplexing equipment may persist beyond 1970, however,
and restrict the exploitation of this new microwave system to less than
its full potential.
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C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
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2 October 1964
MEMORANDUM FOR. Chief, Dissemination Control Branch, DD/CR
FROM
Chief, Publications Staff, ORR
Transmittal of Material
It is requested that the attached copies of CIA/RR CB 64-6c * M2vi
-M Pe
and Ian veto ent of a New Hi -Ca acit eroweve stem, September
State, INR Communications Center,
Room 7818, State Dept. Bldg.
Suggested distribution for
Embassies in Budapest, Moscow.,
and London
25X1A
Attachments:
Oop es 99 _ i of a 6l.-6Q
l!2 :~f' nei!:~r r ` 23'.~d by
This memorandum has been completady
By: 17~j
ce: CC /RB Date:
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