RADAR INSTALLATIONS IN BULGARIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R007300150011-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: March 22, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

~,' 'Appro'ved For Release 2001/03 1A=R , 2-00457ROO7300150011
Q,~r11 CLASSIFICATION L3 /co :TROL - U. ti;. Ok'F'I CIALS O%lY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO.,
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT Radar Installations in Bulgaria
PLACE 25X1 A
ACQUIRED ~
DATE OF
INFO
25X1A
CD NO,,
25X1A
DATE DISTR 22 March 1951
NO. OF PAGES 3
NO. OF ENCLS. 1
(LUSTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO,
25X1X
a. Located in a repaired and strengthened air raid shelter at the ?.'Ministry
of Tar, this station was installed with Russian equipment between 12
December 1950 and 1 January, 1951, since which time it has been in
operating order There had been some radar equipment there before,
but it was inadequate and little used.
bq There are no details available on the power and range of this installa-
tion. It is known, however that the station is manned by a crew, of 30,
Russians and Bulgarians, in charge of a Russian (probably an r3KVVD man).
The Bulgarians,, all carefully screened Communists, attended radar school
In Russia for six monthes Russian technicians who came to supervise
installation of the equipment remained at the station. All members of
the radar cress fear Bulgarian officers' uniforms.
The air raid shelter housing the station is closely guarded by hand-
picked men of the political security section of the War ? inistry. Even
the guards themselves are forbidden to go near the entrance of the
shelter without permis:-ion of the officer in charge of security.
it appears that this station is the radar central of all installations
throughout Bulgaria; but it is principally intended to protect Sofia
from air raids and to direct the fire of the anti-aircraft batteries.
The radar antennas for the Sofia station are located as follower
1) On the Vitosha mountains near Sofia above the village of Krtjazhevo
located about seven miles from Sofia.
2) On the roof of the barracks of the anti-.aircraft regiment in Sofia.
3) On the height known as the "Redoubt" near Sofia.
4) On the high ground near the Seminary school in the suburbs of Sofia.
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5) On the height behind the summer camp of the Military Acadtssar,
6) In the summer resort of Bankys near Sofia,
f, A smaller radar station at the Bozhurishte airfield is connected to the
radar central in Sofia as a part of the Sofia station.
2, Radar Station at Dolna Mitropoliyaa
a, This station was installed with Russian equipment between 5 and 27
December 1950 in an air raid shelter at the Dolma Mitropoliya airfield,
It is manned by a mixed crew of Bulgarians and Russians and guarded by
picked men. The radar personnel are not permitted to associate with
others at the airfield nor to move about the field or leave without
special permission.
bo This unit protects Dolna Mitropollya airfield,, the city of Pleven,, the
Telish airfield. the city of Vidin including the ferry crossing the
Danube9 and the towns of Vratsa. Lom and Svishtov. Anti-aircraft
batteries have been emplaced and connected to the stationwhose mein
function is the direction of anti-aircraft fire.
co The antennas are located as foll-wea
1) At the Telish airfield.
2) In Skobelev Park in Pleven.
Radar Station at Lovech:
a, This station was installed with Russian equipment between 28 December
1950 and 10 January 1951 in an underground steel and concrete shelter of
a war plant in Lovech. Like all the others, this station is connected
with radar central in Sofia, The range of this unit is said to be
50 to 60 kilometers,
be Personnel consists of 15 carefully screened Communist Bulgarians and
five Russians and the station is guarded by special men brought from
Sofia,, supplemented by a local guard& whose personnel are not permitted
near the shelter.
co It is intended that this station protect the war plant, the airfield
at Lovecho and give air raid warnings to villages in the district,
d. The loeati ens of the antennas$ mounted on towers, are as follows a
1) Near the village of Izvor,
2) On the roof of the main building of the war plants
3) On the height known as "Stratesh".
4) On the Zlko Height.
Radar Station at Gorna. ODakhovitsas
It is known that a station has been established here,, presumably
connected :with radar central in Sofia? but details are lacking.
a. Located in a bunker in the Russian section of the Chaska airfield9 this
older station was re-equipped during September 1950?
bo Previously manned only by Russians. station personnel now include
Russians and Bulgarians wearing Bulgarian uniforms- This group seldom
leaves the field and its members are rarely seen in the town. The
station is guarded exclusively by Russians and no one is permitted in
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c. While it is a part of the Russian radar network for the port of Odessaj,
this unit is also connected with the Sofia radar central. It is used
to detoct ships, submarines and aircraft= to direct the fire of the
coastal batteries and the anti-aircraft batteries$ and to assist ships
and aircraft in foul weather.
d. The antennas are located as follows:
1) On the height known as "Galatea" on the south side of Varna Bay.
2) Around nsrksinograd just outside of Varna.
G, Radar Station at Burgess
This station was installed during December 1950 and is known to be
similar to the installation at Varna as respects personnel end functioneg
but details are lacking.
>:a., The Russian equipment for this station was brought through the port of
Burgas and installed in a special steel and concrete shelter at the
Graf I n tiev airfield, between 10 December 1950 and 5 January 1951.
b. A mixed group of Russians and Bulgarians in Bulgarian uniforms man the
station and act as security guardss, keeping all except radar personnel
away from the shelter,
c. Connected with both radar central in Sofia and the station at Burgas,
this is considered the most important station in Bulgaria. It serves
generally to protect Kazanluk, Karlovo, Sopot and Kalofer (Kalofer also
has some newly established radar installations of its own)s but; the
in purpose of this network is protection of Graf Ignatiev airfield
and the highly important war plant at Kazanluko All antiaircraft
batteries in this area are radar controlled,
1) On the heights above and around Plovdiv.
I
2) On the Graf Ignatiev airfield.
3) In the direction of Pazardzhik,
8, Radar Station at Smo s
There are rumors of a station at Smolyan with antennas on the heights
near Dervishka Mogila and along the Turkish border.
9, Radar Station at Pirdos
A radar unit is reported at Pirdop,, but the details are backing,,. It
is indicated, however, that the Firdop station is not part of the
installations along the Greek border,
10o Radar equipments
a. The equipment used in Bulgaria is of the latest Soviet manufacture; and
all sets are standardized, Circular type antennas are used,
b. It is believed that each station has extra radar sets which can be
sent wherever needed with trained Crewe,
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