NON-SOVIET GROUND FORCE WEAPON DELIVERIES TO SOMALIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01355A000100070001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 6, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

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Top Secret
Imagery analysis report
Non-Soviet Ground Force Weapon
Deliveries to Somalia (S)
Top Secret
IAN-0084/80
JUNE 1980
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NON-SOVIET GROUND WEAPONS DELIVERIES TO
SOMALIA (S)
1. (TSR) Somalia is presently attempting to equip its military forces with military equipment
from countries other than the Soviet Union. Egypt, Italy, Romania, China, Kuwait, and Pakistan
have all shipped arms to Somalia. This report will discuss deliveries of weapons from these
countries to Somalia that were identified on ground photography and overhead imagery between
No new arms deliveries have been observed on imagery
acquired since December 1979.
2. (S) Prior to November 1977, Somalia relied almost exclusively on one country, the Soviet
Union, for most of its military equipment. The split with the Soviet Union, resulting in the
explusion of Soviet advisors from Somalia in November 1977, left Somalia without a major
supplier of military arms and equipment. This situation was worsened by Somalia's need to replace
weapons and equipment lost in the 1977-1978 war with Ethiopia over the disputed Ogaden
Region.
3. (TSR) Since December 1978, six different ground force weapon systems have been newly
identified in Somalia. These weapons, which range from medium tanks to light antiaircraft artil-
lery, have been imported from at least six different countries. This reflects efforts by Somalia to
reequip its military forces with new weapons from non-Soviet sources. To date, no deliveries of
non-Soviet equipment to either the Somali Air Force or Navy have been observed.
4. (TSR) The most recent arms delivery to Somalia took place in late 1979 and involved the
British Centurion tank. On 32 Centurions were identified at Mogadiscio
Barracks and Motor Pool Figures 1 and 2). This was the initial identification of
this piece of equipment in Somalia. These Centurions were reportedly delivered from Kuwait.'
5. (TSR) In addition to the Centurions, Somalia also obtained at least 44 additional Soviet-
built T-54 medium tanks during October and November 1979 from Egypt.' An initial shipment of
22 T-54 tanks was identified on overhead imagery of Mogadiscio Barracks and Motor Pool onn
This equipment was observed on both overhead imagery and on ground photography of
the 21 October National Day Parade in Mogadiscio. A second T-54 tank shipment to Somalia
arrived at the port of Berbera in early November when an additional 22 T-54 tanks
were observed. Figure 3 shows transshipment activity at Berbera on as this equip-
ment was being moved by road out of the port area. The present location of these tanks is not
known.
6. (TSR) Italian Fiat armored vehicles (Figure 4) appear to be the items that have been
exported to Somalia in the greatest numbers since the break with the Soviet Union. Both the Fiat
6616 armored scout car (Figure 5) and the Fiat 6614 armored personnel carrier (APC; Figure 6)
have been observed on overhead imagery in Somalia. Eight Fiat armored vehicles were initially
identified at Mogadiscio Barracks and Motor Pool on This probably repre-
sented an initial delivery of vehicles for test and evaluation purposes. Overhead imagery revealed
that the majority of Somalia's present inventory of Fiats was delivered to Mogadiscio during
March 1979, with additional vehicles being delivered to Berbera and then being moved by road to
Hargeisa during April and May 1979. While it is difficult to determine the exact number of Fiat
armored vehicles that have been delivered, the presence of at least 100 can be confirmed through
an analysis of overhead imagery.
(Continued p. 6)
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FIGURE 1. LOCATIONS OF AREAS IN SOMALIA WHERE NON-SOVIET GROUND WEAPONS DELIVERIES HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED
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FIGURE 5. FIAT 6616 ARMORED SCOUT CAR. Photograph from Flat advertisement In NATO's Fifteen Nations,
issue of Dec 1975-Jan 1976 (UNCLASSIFIED).
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FIGURE 7. ROMANIAN 122MM MRL M-1974, 21 OCTOBER PARADE,
MOGADISCIO
FIGURE 9. US M-38AIC UTILITY TRUCK WITH 106MM RECOILLESS RIFLE, 21 OCTOBER PARADE, MOGADISCIO
7. Three additional ground force weapons were observed for the first time 25X1
in Somalia on both overhead imagery and ground photography of the 21 October 1979 parade in
Mogadiscio. These included the Romanian 122mm
multiple rocket launcher (MRL)
M-1974 (Fig-
ure 7), the Chinese twin-barrel 37mm antiaircraft
(AA) gun (Figure 8), and the
US M-38AIC
utility truck mounting the 106mm recoilless rifle (Figure 9). The US M-38AIC utility truck with a
106mm recoilless rifle has previously been identified in Pakistan, and recent collateral information
stated that Pakistan has supplied the 106mm recoilless rifle to Somalia.'- The present numbers and
deployment of these weapons within Somalia are not known.
Small-Format Imagery
Figure No Agency
FIGURE 8. CHINESE TWIN-BARREL 37MM AA GUN, 21 OCTOBER PARADE,
MOGADISCIO
DOCUMENTS
1. DIA. DIADIN 352-7A, Somalia: Equipment Arrival (U), 18 Dec 79 (CONFIDENTIAL)
2. DIA. DDB-268 0-104-79, Military Intelligence Summary, Volume IV, Africa South of The Sahara (U),
Aug 79 (SECRET
(S) Comments and queries regarding this report are welcome. They may be directed to
Third World Forces Division, Imagery Exploitation Group, NPIC.
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