YOUR MEMORANDUM OF 4 DECEMBER ON TNF (S)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01554R003300190039-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: December 7, 1979
• Content Type: MF

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OPA
FROM: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Your Memorandum of 4 December on TNF
1. I have read your memorandum of 4 December on "Possible Soviet
Responses to an Affirmative NATO Decision on TNF Modernization"
I was very much intrigued by the line of reasoning on
the bottom half of page 4, page 5, and the top half of page 6. 1 have
been seeking for some time to understand the different perspectives on
who is ahead in TNF. It is difficult to get a U.S. presentation of
this that doesn't show us hopelessly behind. You, I believe, have
summarized it here in what is a more realistic manner--it could be
viewed as though we are behind, about even, or well ahead depending upon
the counting rules.
2. Could you reduce this to a matrix? The first row would show
comparison of U.S. and Soviet systems with ranges in excess of 1000
kilometers. A column at the right-hand side would indicate that in
this category the Soviets would have to see themselves as coming out on
top.
Next, there would be a row for systems with ranges less than
1000 kilometers. Graphically, this could be divided into systems that
we would count and systems that the Soviets would likely count--taking
into account your point on the capability of aircraft versus the avail-
ability of pilots. A ain in the right-hand column we could show how
this one could tilt. I
A final row would add in the non-U.S. NATO systems and show
now that again tips the balance.
0
3. In addition to this table, we would then go on with your
discussion as to the acceptability of a freeze if the Soviets do look
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at themselves as ahead, and hence the possibility that they would be
willing to freeze. Hopefully, this might be reduced to short enough
25X1 length for a PDB annex.
NSFIELD TURNER
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