LETTER TO ADMIRAL STANSFIELD TURNER FROM G. WILLIAM WHITEHURST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R002700020058-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 9, 2005
• Sequence Number: 58
• Publication Date: February 1, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

SAMVEE S?STRAHTf.1 A~1J oved For Release 2007/03/03: CIA-RDP81 M00980R002700020058-8 BOB WILSON, CALIF-
. WILLIAM L. DICKINSON. ALA,
E
RICHARD H. I
HORD. MO.
LUUIEN N. NEDZI, MICH.
CHARLES H. WILSON. CALIF.
ROBERT L. LEGGETT, CALIF.
RICHARD C. WHITE, TEX.
BILL NICHOLS, ALA.
JACK BRINKLEY, GA.
ROBERT H. (BOB) MOLLOHAH, W. VA.
DAN DANIEL. VA.
O. V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY. MISS.
HAROLD RUNNELS. N. MEX.
LES ASPIN, WIS.
RONALD V. DELLUMS, CALIF.
MENDEL J. DAVIS, B.C.
PATRICIA SCHROEDER. COLO.
ABRAHAM KAZEN, JR.. TEX.
ANTONIO B. WON PAT, GUAM
BOB CARR, MICH.
JIM LLOYD. CALIF.
LARRY MC DONALD. GA.
THOMAS J. DOWNEY' N.Y.
GOODLOE E. BYRON. MD.
CHARLES WHITLEY. N.C.
MA. 3ouSe of teproentatibeo
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
JAa 0IJ i n gton. M. C. 20515
February 1, 1978
Admiral S tansf ield Turner
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C. 20505
During your recent testimony before the House Armed
Services Committee, you gave a presentation on the Soviet civil
defense effort. You indicated that your presentation was based
on the latest U.S. assessment of Soviet civil defense capabilities,
and was the result of a recently concluded U. S. interagency task
force review.
As you know, our Committee has devoted a great deal of
time to this subject, and we will continue to review it this year
as we consider the military authorization bill. I would, therefore,
appreciate your providing the Committee with a copy of this latest
report since it will be helpful to our deliberations and review. _:.
Your prompt and courteous attention to this request is
appreciated.
Sincerely,
0. WILLIAM WHITEHURST. VA.
FLOYD D. SPENCE. S.C.
DAVID C. TREEN. LA.
RODIN L. OEARD.. TENN.
DONALD J. MITCHELL, N.Y.
MARJORIE S. HOLT. MD.
ROBERT W. DANIEL. JR.. VA.
ELWOOD H. (BUD) HILLIS. IND.
DAVID F. EMERY. MAINE
PAUL B. TRIBLE. JR.. VA.
ROBERT E. BADHAW... CALIF.
OA .
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.7 LAC'` Lf i'r dU (,/',,"J~ 1 I
G, William Whitehurst
CWW:phg
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
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 I --_ JAMESftprraved,Rofm ua1ease 2007/03/03: CIA-RDP81 M00980R00270002005%9J ,.MITTEE
JOHN L. MCCL E L ?U, ARK. STROM THURMOND. B.C. JAMES B. ALLEN, ALA., CHAIRMAN
TOWARD M. KENNEDY. MASS. CHARLES MCC. MATHIAS, JR., MD. ROBERT C. BYRD, W. VA. ORRIN O. HATCH, UTAH
BIRCH BAYH, IND. WILLIAM L. SCOTT. VA. JAMES O. EASTLAND, MISS. WILLIAM L. SCOTT. VA.
eOSERT C. BYRDy W. VA. PAUL LA%ALT, NEV.
JAMES ADOURELC, S. OAK. ORR1N O. HATCH. UTAH
CHIEF WENTIN COUNSEL AND STSTAFFLIN, JR.
JAMES, B. ALLEN, ALA. MALCOLM WALLOP. WYO. DIRECTOR
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., DEL
-yY
JOHN C. PA. CULVER. IOWA /,~ Cni(e~1~. (~ / .'~6~f j je /~LZCJI(n enatC
HOWARD M. MET ZCNBAUM, OHIO j~/ i4' V^ M 1
Exscui;a
DENNIS DE COHCINt, ARIZ.
-
FRANCIS C. ROSENBEROER
CHIEF COUNSEL. AND STAFF DIRECTOR
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SEPARATION OF POWERS
January 30, 1978
Hon. Stansfield Turner
.Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C. 20505
OLC 0 a -34 A-3
I am deeply concerned that the Soviet Union may be conducting
space missions designed for military applications beyond mere intelli-
gence gathering. Specifically, I am struck by the possible military ILLEGIB
potential of the technology and techniques developed by the Soviets in
conducting the Soyuz 25 through 27 missions. Additionally, as you
know, on January 24, 1978, the Cosmos 954 mission terminated when that
satellite crashed into the Great Slave Lake region of the North West
Territories in Canada. Newspaper accounts report that the satellite
carried 100 to 110 pounds of enriched Uranium 235 for use as a compo-
nent in the nuclear powered, intelligence-gathering equipment on the
satellite. Finally, the Soviet Union has done extensive work in
developing a fractional orbital bombardment system which would permit
attack of the United States from virtually any point on the compass
with little or no warning.
In view of this apparent developmen mi tare wea o systems
for use in outer space, I request that the Libraryiof Congres prepare
for my use a full report on all Soviet space semis o#-"n itary po-
tential together with an analysis of the present and future capability
of the Soviet Union to wage war in outer space. Particularly, the
report should discuss in detail the need for 100 pounds of enriched
Uranium 235 to power a nuclear reactor installed in a satellite and
should discuss the possibility that the nuclear fuel involved was a
component part of a weapons system rather than an atomic reactor.
Also the report should discuss the military applications of high energy
particle beam research in connection with Soviet satellite missions.
The present capabilities of the Soviet Union to destroy American com-
munications and intelligence satellites should also be covered in as
much detail as is possible.
Incidentally, I would also appreciate receiving any unclassi-
fied information you may have updating the report you previously
prepared for my use concerning Soviet efforts to modify atmospheric
or weather conditions on a macrocosmic basis.
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Hon. Stansfield Turner
Page 2
January 30, 1978
I consider the work I am asking to be done to be of paramount
importance, particularly inasmuch as the Strategic Arms Limitation
Talks could well lead to the submission of a new Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaty to the Senate in this session of the Congress.
With kindest regards, I am
JBA/qmc
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UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECRET
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Remarks:
Please prepare interim response and
advise target date for conveyance of report.
I
U C
2 Feb 78
Date
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