VNOS ORGANIZATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005700690010-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 2007
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 12, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
Th1. m.+.eW oonw,. l~,lo.,,wN, aft"" tM m.
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M7 m.oaw to Pusan 1s In
bylaw. MMIMILA
SECRET-U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUSJICT VNCS Organization
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
This is UNEVALUATED
Information
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
12 January 1955
NO. OF PAM 5
REQUI NO. RD
NNUENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN TAMS AVON AR; D(fl 4RIVE.
THE A-IRMSAL Of CONTMT 1$ T STATA/E.
1. The VNOS (Vuzdushno Nablyudenie
Identification and C Opredelenje i Svtrska; Air pb8e~tion, 25X1
o~maunication) is a subordinate unit of the PVKhO
(Protivo-VITzduahna i Khimicheska Otbrana; Antiaircraft and Chemical Warfare
Defense). Before 1950 or 1951 VNOS had all Bulgaria, but it was subsequent) expanded a Polk .to three regiments:
a. Reaimo-n+- n?a ..'- ?. .
b. Regiment Two, with headquarters in Stara Za ora
with the Turkish and Greek borders. g is principally ooaoe d
c. Regiment Three, with headquarters at Provadi
with the Black Sea and Danube areas, ya' is Principally concerned
2. Headquarters t R
25X1
e
O giment One formerly located on the road leading from 25X1
E rvenitsa (N 42-39, g 23-223 to the Sofia-Panoherevo N Z 2345)
highway, were moved in 1951 to Sofia, on Nikola
y ( b2- Nikolayevioh 36' Boulevard
opposite Boris Park. and
3. Each regiment has a number of Rotten C
varying number of Nabl (?~ )Post, each of which has a
Varying ue, co ti~telen (ObserYation Post. The last'-nod is the
ten lest unit, cPost angof about five men. A Rotten Post can have upto
strength of up to 65 men. 'with its own staff of 15 men, may attain a total
4. Sightings of aircraft are passed from the Nab
Post to the Pol.koviy (regimental) post. Fr0?a~e Polkoviy Palen Post to the Rotten
the central PVEhO Post near Sofia lkoviy post ~,y go to
of- its location in Sofia, has no Po~ vip p~x g)' Regiment One, beayM
their sightings directly to the central ~y 0 ' PO and its Rotten Post Send
can, under certain circumstances communicate directly with the oentsal
SECRET-U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
ITEl WodWwpbn dLlribumon indigbd
a, .,x.,, iidd AM41r.,, by ,.#".1
Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
 Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
SECRET---U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
5. Sightings are reported either by telephone or by radio, while some Posts have
both facilities. The VNOS telephone reports are made over the civil telephone
system, but each Nablyudatelen Post has automatic, battery-apori{,sd relays
through which the Post can interrupt all civil telephonic cammications. If
there should be a malfunction of the relays, the Nablyudatelen Post or
Rotten Post can obtain priority over civil calls by saying 'sd*kh, followed by
a two-digit number. This number varies daily in accordance with a list which
is provided monthly. The telephone system is tested twice nightly for
operation, even though no sightings may have been reported. SUeh tests are lade
at night so as not to interrupt unnecessarily the civil systm.
6. Most Nablyudatelen Posts are located in the border areas, 30 to 35 kilometers
from each other; very few Posts are located in the interior. Fall coordination
with Rumania is maintained from the Post at Ruse, which is located in a villa
to the south of the city (approximately N 431,.9-40, E 25-58-30).- Both
telephonic and radio communication are tested every two hours, and it is
reasonably certain that the answering Post is located at or near Baoharest.
The code used for reporting is the same as that for the internal- Bulgarian
network. The radio set at the Ruse Post is of Soviet origin (type RSB) and is
used for Morse only. The Rumanian Post is manned with Bulgarian.speakipersonnel. As far as is known, there is no coordination with Albania from
Bulgarian Post near the Yugoslav border.
7. A Rotten Post is located on a hill just outside the town of lardinand
(N 43-24, E 23-14). It occupies a hunting lodge not far from sorts historic
ruins atop the hill (approximately N 43-09-25, E 23-13-20). This
both telephone and radio communication facilities. The following Na has
1alyndatelen
Posts are known to be subordinate to it:
a.
Chiporovtsi (N 43-2.3, E 22-53).
b.
Gorni Lora (N 43-29, E 22-4./+).
c.
Berkovitsa (N 43-14, E 23..0'7).
d.
Rom (N 43-10, E 23.05).
e.
Kalotina (N 42-59, E 22.52). This post was moved from Radoois to
Kalotina in March 1952.
f.
Nedelishte (N 42-53, E 22-50).
g.
Trvfn (N 42-50, E 22-39).
8. The location of the observation post near Dragomirovo village (143-310
E 25-16) is shown in Appendix B.
9. Soldiers of the VNOS are given train ng in basic teleconmunioatiow and in
aircraft identification. Training in identification is restrieted to types of
aircraft used in World War II except for a few such types of Western Jets as
the United States F-86 (Sabre] and the P-80 (Shooting Star). An met jets
are regarded as military secrets. No training in sound identification is
given. When visibility is good, soldiers are required to report all aircraft
sightings within a radius of 15 kilometers.
10. All planes, both friendly and enemy, must be reported, and all observations
are reported in node _ The
co
d
e
- - __
SECRET--U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
 Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
 Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700690010-6
Appendix A SBC . -O.$. OFPTCTA.LS ONLY
Le
1. Center of Sofia.
2. Sofia-Dragelevtei road.
3. Military School.
4. Former arms depot.
5. PV1Qi0' headquarters in two
eeellsn struotaree.
6. VNOS central post.
7. Barracks.
8. Antiaircraft battery.
}
Note: It is rmnored that both F'VIQ:O headquarters and the VNCB osntral post are to
move into Sofia in case of an emergeney. The nvw location $.a wo possd to be
underneath the Sndebna Palata (Palace of Justice), not far fallen *e central
post office.
SENT ~II. S . OFlXC TAIS OILY
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 Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-00810A005700690010-6
Appendix B'.'
SECRET-U,S, O'FF'ICIALS 01'.LY
-3-
I. Western part of Drag+o ro vi].7 Ce,
;? Dra ?ani rovo railroad station.
. ' ea ~rl~rters of Border ~us+rcls>,
. a etern part of Dr.gomi. crvo vile,
5. A11eraf't obeervat on ~)Oet in a 2brisk ist u,t 2',.
6. To R=anjan, frontier.
Approved For Release 2007/12/07: CIA-RDP80-00810A005700690010-6