LETTER TO JOHN N. MCMAHON FROM W. E. ODOM RE WRONG ON QUESTION CONCERNING SOVIET RPV DEVELOPMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002800010011-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2012
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: November 19, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/11 :CIA-RDP83M00914R002800010011-3
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
Routing Slip
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
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DCI
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'D
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EXDIR
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D/ICS
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DDI
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DDA
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DDO
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DDS&T
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Chm/NIC
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GC
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Compt
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D/Pers
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C/PAD/OEA
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SA/IA
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AO/DCI
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Exec five Secretary
/ / / Z d'1/
gar.
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HEADQUARTERS
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR INTELLIGENCE
WASHINGTON, O.C. 20310
9 NU v ~r~82
During the IEWSPR, I responded to a
question concerning Soviet RPV development
with the statement that I did not believe
they are developing them. I was wrong. I am
enclosing a copy of the data we currently
hold on their RPV program.
1 Incl W. E. ODOM
as Major General, USA
ACofS for Intelligence
Mr. John N. McMahon
Deputy Director
Central Intelligence Agency
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EP~?~aded ~TCT~A,SlSIFI1~~
ti=~)~sn segxar,~s^~ :trom
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 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/11 :CIA-RDP83M00914R002800010011-3
DST-1330S-183.81
8 July 1981
SECRET
BUMMA~iY
(S) The DR-3 drone system significantly enhances Soviet capability to acquire timely intelligence data
of enemy forces in a tactical battlefield environment. The vehicle uses asolid-propellant booster to launch
from a highly mobile transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) and is powered for the remainder of the mission by
a turbojet sustainer. Reconnaissance equipment aboard the vehicle is assessed to include several photographic
cameras or alternatively several TV cameras with the data link. (Additionally, there is the possibility that
separate from the primary reconnaissance payload alternatives the DR-3 avionics suite includes a forward
looking TV with data link used for pilotage and navigation functions.) Flight duration is estimated to be up to
15 minutes. Vehicle recovery to a soft landing is effected by parachute. Overall, the DR-3 appears to be a
highly reliable, highly flexible system that has added a new dimension to the battlefield.
ziii
SECRET a3 ~?
'; Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for_Release 2012/07/11 :CIA-RDP83M00914R002800010011-3
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/11 :CIA-RDP83M00914R002800010011-3
SECRET
SECTION II
BACKGROUND AND STATUS (U)
8 July 1981
(S-NOFORN-WNINTEL) The DR-3 was developed in the 1970'x as slow-altitude, subsonic, mission-
fle:ible reconnaissance drone for deployment into the tactical battlefield. Operational deployment of the
system would be under the Soviet Army at the battalion level. The appearance of the DR-3 at the Pruzhany
Army Barracks in the Soviet Union in May 1979 provided the first photographic evidence of operational
deployment. (See Figure 2.) Also in 1979, the DR-3 TEL was deployed in East Germany. (See Figure 3.)
(S) With such a highly transportable system as the DR-3, it is possible that it can perform several roles.
These might include ELINT collection, ECM, function as a target vehicle, or even dispersal of biological or
chemical agents. However, there is no evidence supporting these possibilities. Instead, the DR-3 will most
likely be used as a reconnaissance vehicle.
(S) Aside from deployment to East Germany, chances are good the DR-3 has been furnished to other
Sino-Soviet bloc countries. The development and deployment of the DR-3 is a Soviet effort to upgrade their
combat reconnaissance capabilities beyond that of manned aircraft systems such as BREWER D, FISHBED
H, and FITTER H. With a relatively recent IOC of 1977-1976, the DR-3 is expected to operate as a viable
tactical battlefield reconnaissance system throughout the 1980'x.
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 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/11 :CIA-RDP83M00914R002800010011-3
sECRET
SECTION IV
SYSTEM CAPABILITIES AND LIMITA7CION8 (U)
DST-1330S-183-81
8 July 1981
1. Capabilities (U)
(S-NOFORN-WNINTEL) The fuel limited radius of the highly versatile DR-3 (based on a usable load of
110 kg) is calculated to be about 125 km when flying at Mach 0.7 and 1,000 m altitude. Equipped with several
obliquely mounted framing cameras with a normal film load of 200 frames, the DR-3 can cover a 1,432 km~
area from the 1,000 m altitude. Typical DR-3 drone reconnaissance scenario details are depicted in Figure 20.
(S-NOFORN-WNINTEL) Increasing the fuel load of the DR-3 to a mazimum of 500 kg could permit a
low-altitude radius in a:cess of 500 km or ahigh-altitude mission of even greater range. (It should be noted
that the fuel tank shaven in Figure 4 has capacity for 495 kg of fuel.) Potential high-altitude missions include
broad area reconnaissance, ELINT collection, jamming, and chaff dispensing. Potential low-altitude missions
include ELINT collection, chaff dispensing, and decoy operations. Additionally, the DR-3 could be used as a
delivery and dispensing platform in a biological/chemical warfare mission. The DR-3 performance envelope is
depicted in Figure 21. Figure 22 outlines assumed mission rules for low and high profile missions and Figure
23 presents the resulting fuel load and mission radius trade-offs for both profiles.
2. Limitations (U)
(S) Limitations of the DR-3 are few. Although each of the support vehicles is designed to complete its
task, if one of these vehicles is out of action, the system effectiveness could be considerably degraded.
-~0.80km?
iEBA RECCE
CHECKOUT i CONT1101
Fig. 20 (S) DR-3 Reconnaissance Mission Scenario
29
CC~'QCT
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DIA
IVPJC T-2122
FIGURE 1. LOCATIONS OF SOVIET MILITARY INSTALLATIONS WITH DEPLOYED DR-3 SYSTEM
Table 1.
Soviet Military Installations with Components of DR-3 System
(Keyed to Figure 1)
This table in its entirety is classi/ied SECRfT~
AlrlieW/ Military
Item Installation; Diwici/
~E Number Country
DEPLOYMENT OF THE REMOTELY PILOTED VEHICLE SYSTEM
DR-3 AT SOVIET MILITARY INSTALLATIONS (S)
1. (S/D) Deployment of the remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) system at Soviet military installa-
tions has continued since January 1979. This report updates the initial NPIC summary reports on the
ADV-1 reconnaissance drone system, which has been redesignated the Drone-3 (DR-3).
^2. (S/D) Since the initial identification of the DR-3 system at Kaoustin Yar (-nl~cp Tacr r?r,,.,te.,
army barrac cs, one air depot, and one missile support facility (Figure 1~and Tablell) ~c~Crl atrnetas, rou25X1
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Fifst Latest Number of Components on Latest llsabk ImaEery
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