1984 VULNERABILITY TESTING REVIEW SHAGAN RIVER TEST AREA, USSR

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CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6
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December 28, 2016
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October 25, 2010
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June 1, 1985
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REPORT
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Secret basic imagery interpretation report 1984 Vulnerability Testing Review Shagan River Test Area, USSR (S) Secret Z-15010/85 RCA-14/0001/85 JUNE 1985 copy 4 2 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 1984 Vulnerability 1 esting Review Shagan River Test Area CATEGORY BE NO. COMIREX NO MAP R[ f E!RENCE ACIC, USATC, Series 200, Sheet 0238-15HL, scale 1:200,000. NEGATION DATE Qf required) NA 1. 1 his report is the sixth in a series of annual NPIC reports on the vulnerability testing program at the Shagan River Test Area in the USSR. It provides a thorough description and analysis of high explosive, vulnerability testing activity observed during 1984. Three ICBM silos in vulnerability area 89 were the primary test objects during this year; the 1984 test series may be the last multiple-silo vulnerability tests conducted and observed at Shagan River. NPIC has reported extensively on high-explosive activity at Shagan River since 1968 and has published an annual review on vulnerability testing since 1979. This report contains 37 figures and two tables. The date of the latest imagery used is IS/WN) is the primary locus for the Soviet vulnerability testing program. This program tests the 25)(~ vulnerability of strategic structures using HE" simulators to generate nuclear effects.'-s More than 80 vulnerability-related HE events have occurred at Shagan River since the program began in 1968. Many of the early HE tests did not appear to be directed at targets other than sensor arrays. These early tests were probably conducted to determine explosive characteristics and to perfect HE simulator designs. Later in the program, simulator designs were measured by instrumented generic test articles (single- or dual- walled cylinders buried vertically with their tops exposed). Test articles were used to calibrate test beds consisting of two or more HE sirulators detonated simultaneously to create an environment which mimicked some of the effects of a nuclear weapons detonation. These simulated nuclear effects were usually ground shock (both direct and air-blast induced) and overpressure. Some evidence suggests that both EMP and Thermal simulators have been used or attempted. (SAWN) 3. Concurrent with the early HE experiments and calibrations, six full-scale Soviet ICBM silos, a generic bunker, a deeply buried probable C3 structure, and several Soviet rocket force-related hardened antennas were built. These strategic structures were subjected to amultiple-target vulnerability test in 1974,~~ the first of 37 vulnerability tests of Soviet strategic structures to be conducted through 1984. During the last 10 years, vulnerability tests of strategic structures have included four multiple-silo tests, five deep UG probable C3 structure tests, and a series of nine tests involving various kinds of hardened antennas and cabling. In the same 10-year period, eight ICBM silos, two LCF silos, and at least eight hardened antennas were built and subjected to the effects generated by HE simulators. (S~WN) 4. 1 he primary test objects during 1984 were three ICBM silos in vulnerability area 89: one each for the SS-17, SS-18, and SS-19 missile systems. Each of these silos had been subjected to an earlier vulnerability test, and each underwent repair and refurbishment during 1983 and 1984 prior to the tests. As is typical of Soviet testing of missile silo vulnerabilities, acalibration test in area 122, using afull-scale HI test bed surrounding a generic silo test article, preceded the tests of the ICBM silos. Other HE tests during 1984 included a test of the vulnerability of buried cables, connections, and junction boxes in vulnerability area 108 and the continuation of a series of small HE experiments started in 1983 around the location 116 instrumentation bunker (Figure 1). (S~WN) "~1 lisl ns is c>n page 46. -1- RCA- I-I/U(iu t/tt5 SECRET 1 he Shagan River Test Area of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Weapons Proving Ground (BE Z-15010 8 5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET 5. This report provides a detailed imagery analysis of the 1984 Soviet vulnerability tests at Shagan River. Five tests and two experiments were conducted on at least five dates between June and September. Evidence of the two experiments was provided by overhead imagery alone (Table 1). A listing of all HE tests conducted at the Shagan River Test Area since 1968 is also provided (Table 2). This listing is intended to illustrate the direction and scope of the Soviet vulnerability testing program and includes additions and modifications to previously published listings. (SAWN) Table 1. 1984 Vulnerability-Related Tests at Shagan River Test Area, USSR Alert No Time (GMT) Yield (Approx kt) Imagery- Derived Coordinates Remarks 49-57-28N Silo 156 calibration 25X1 078-49-59E test in area 122 50-03-15N Cabling & junction test 078-51-20E in area 108 49-57-44N Small HE experiments 078-52-23E at location 116 49-57-44N Small HE experiments 078-52-23E at location 116 49-58-02N Concurrent vulnerability 078-52-55E tests at silo 10, 49-57-57N silo 12, 078-53-OOE 49-58-08N & silo 13 078-52-52E in area 89 Calibration Test Location 116 6. Location 116, outside the southwestern corner of vulnerability area 89, was the location of the 1980 calibration silo test. In June 1983, work was begun on a series of small HE experiments. This activity resulted in two groups of small craters: one group north of the 116 instrumentation bun- ker and the other group east of the bunker. These craters, most about 4 meters in diameter and a meter in depth, were first observed during June and July 1983. No seismic signals from these ex- periments were identified, and no further activity was observed in the area until 1984. (S~WN) 1984 HE Experiments 7. At least two small HE experiments, pro- ducing six separate craters, were conducted be- tween on the west RCA-140001 ~85 side of the location 116 instrumentation bunker (Figure 2). On~people were seen north of this instrumentation bunker in the vicinity of the 1983 craters. This activity was confirmed on when a new cable trench system, extend- ing from the rear of the bunker, was observed. The trench terminated at three points along the west side of the bunker. When the site was next ob- served on ~ there were three new craters: one near each of the three trench terminals. The craters were circular, roughly 4 meters in diameter, and 1 meter in depth. A stain extended 100 meters south of the craters before dissipating. (S/WN) 8. Little or no activity was observed around the new craters or the adjacent bunker until On that date, indications of minor ex- ernmost of the August craters. Imagery of - 2 - SECRET 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 same25X11 wNin~ ~ t ~ Z-1501085 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 RCA-14/0001/85 1 - -- Sanitized Co A roved for Release 2010!10!25:CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 pY pP Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010!10!25:CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 area. No further experiments were conducted at location 116 during the year, As with the 1983 experiment, no seismic signals were received from these experiments, probably due to the very small size of the detonations. The craters from both the 1983 and 1984 experiments are all nearly the same size, and many appear to have an additional hole in the bottom. Whether these holes were the re- sult of some posttest activity or were caused by the explosive device was not discernible. (S/WN) 9, Additional study of other small cratering events around the Shagan River Test Area contin- ues tosupport the analysis that the experiments at location 116 are part of the HE vulnerability pro- gram and are not related to seismoc surveys or other known range activity. The use of an instru- mentation bunker in an area associated with vul- nerability testing; the lack of any survey activity in the immediate area; and the similarity between the growing pattern of craters at location 116 and old- er, abandoned HE test areas all support the analy- sis. (SEWN) Calibration Test Area 122 10. Area 122 is on the southernmost scarp of the deflation basin, in the center of the Shagan River Test Area. Area 122 is about 3.5 km west of silo vulnerability area 89 and has been the primary area for HE calibration testing since the spring of 1981, Before that time, calibration testing was con- ducted in several locations including locations 5, 13, 51, 58, 116, and the HE cratering area north of area 89, Since calibration testing began here in 1981, seven HE tests have been conducted, includ- ing the one in 1984. (S/WN) 11. The first observation of new construction activity in area 122 was on hen a crane shovel was seen excavating a new silo shaft. The silo excavation was the 156th drilled or mined excavation at Shagan River. By while the excavation of silo 156 continued, more excavations had been started east of the shaft. On 0 five excavations were in an arc roughly 55 meters east of silo 156, The excavations were 20 meters apart and were identi- fied as DI-HEST shaft locations being prepared for drillings. Prior to drilling DI-HEST shafts, which require a large drill rig, the Soviets install surface WNINTEL Z-15010/85 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Q Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET casings around the future shaft positions to pre- vent rig movement from collapsing the shafts. Sur- face casings used for Shagan River DI-HEST shafts typically have a diameter of Ofor the outer casings andOfor the inner casings. They are at least 10 meters deep. Although the installations of the surface casings at silo 156 were observed infrequently, they appeared to be consis- tent with typical installations. (S~WN) 12. BvOthe DI-HEST surface cas- ings were in the ground, ready for drilling, and two silo wall se 7ments had been delivered to the site. On~three silo wall segments were pres- ent. Each silo wall segment was with an outside diameter of inside diameter of high, and an Together, these nents remained on the component platform where the wall segments had previously been. These components were installed on top of the wall seg- ments, and the concrete had been poured by Thus, the silo construction portion of the project (Figure 4) was completed. (SAWN) 14. Construction of the HEST and BLEST sim- ulators began on when the first arch of the HEST simulator was erected (Figure 5). The footing blocks for the HEST structure were laid in trenches which placed the base of the simulator below the top of the calibration silo. HEST footing blocks are usually laid at the same height as the top of the silo. In 1980, footing blocks were laid in trenches at silo 6, a type IIID silo for the SS-11 ICBM. At silo 6, the footing blocks were three ~;egments represent a "depth" of tors, several meters deeper than any previous ge- neric calibration silo. Calibration silo 16, used in 1981 and 1982, was at least 17 meters deep and may have been as much as 20 meters deep. Silo 156, a deeper calibration silo, is the most recent example of gradual evolution in Soviet testing practices and may allow internal instrumentation to obtain a more accurate recording of simulator forces. The actual ICBM silos that are eventually subjected to the simulator forces calibrated with these test articles vary between 25 and 40 meters in depth. Several cylindrical components were de- livered to the silo 156 test site during Januar These components had outside diameters of meters and inside diameters of 0 They were originally assessed to be silo base and head- work pieces which would have made silo 156 over 30 meters deep. However, these components were evidently delivered to the wrong test site. They were later moved to silo 10 in area 89 and used to build a horizontal cylinder on the side of the silo headworks. (SAWN) 13. Work at the silo 156 test site continued throughout February and March. Late in March, a large drilling rig was delivered to the test site, and drilling of the DI-HEST shafts began (Figure 3). Drilling continued until at least ~ When completed, the DI-HEST array consisted of five, 1- meter shafts spaced 20 meters apart. The center shaft was 54 meters from silo 156. The pair of shafts nearest the center shaft was 56 meters from the silo, and the outer pair of shafts was 63 meters away from silo 156. By ~ one of the three silo wall segments had been installed. All three silo wall se =menu had been installed in the silo shaft by ~~ Three probable silo closure compo- r:c,a-i~/ooo~i/s5 below the silo door; thus, the volume of the HEST structure was significantly decreased. This testing anomaly and the use of fewer HE emplacement shafts (five instead of seven or eight) in the rosette DI-HEST were assessed to be means of lessening the overpressure and ground shock generated by the HE simulators. Reduced overpressure and ground shock appeared to be necessary because silo 6 was an older, less hardened missile silo. If this analysis is correct, the HEST simulator over silo 156 was being calibrated to generate less over- pressure than a typically constructed HEST simula- tor. Whatever the purpose, the HEST structure lat- er built over silo 13 (type IIIH) was like the one over silo 156. (SAWN) 15. The arch-roofed portion of the HEST structure had been completed by 0 al- though neither end wall was in place. The HEST structure was built from the standard refabricated materials and was 14 meters across the base, and 7 meters high from the foot- ing block level to the peak of the arch. Because the footing blocks were0 below grade and the ground was backfilled around them, the peak of the arch was 0 above the ground or above the top of the silo. This modification de- creased the nternal volume of a standard HEST structure by 360 cubic meters or about 27 percent. The internal volume of the HEST 25X1 25X1 25X1 L~X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 the ground around the HEST structure was being leveled in preparation for the BLEST bed. Stacks of HE containers for the BLEST bed had been present since at le They appeared 25X1 25X1 to be the light-toned, in Shagan River -6- SECRET w,vi;v ~ i i Z-1501085 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Q Next 2 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET volume of ~ ~ Before the HE was laid out, an instrumentation cable trench, which extended from the silo to the instrumentation bun- ker, was backfilled. The instrumentation bunker was not new but was one originally built for the silo 16 calibration tests in 1981 and 1982. (S~WN) 16. When the silo 156 test site was next ob- served onOtwo thirds of the BLEST bed had been laid, and workers were laying out the rest of the HE containers (Figure 6). Like the BLEST bed configuration used in 1983, the silo 156 BLEST bed consisted of rows of 12 HE con- tainers. The spacing between the rows varied as in the previous year; however, the rows were much closer together and were greater in number. The outer nine rows of containers were spaced 1 meter apart, center to center, and formed a meter outer bed. Imagery of sufficient interpret- ability to distinguish the inner BLEST bed spacings at silo 156 was not collected; however, three dif- ferent bed spacings were on either side of the HEST structure, as well as in front of and to the rear of the structure. The inner BLEST bed spacings at silo 156 were probably the same as spacings at Silos 10, 12, and 13 because silo 156 was used to calibrate the simulators used at these silos in the September test. Therefore, the silo 156 BLEST bed was probably over 70 meters long and contained more than 400 cubic meters of HE containers. is/WN) 17. Bv0 the HEST and BLEST simula- tors were partially covered by overburden. Towed scrapers and bulldozers were being maneuvered from the burrow pits to the overburden pile and back again, while a bailer was removing the wa- ter/drilling mud from the DI-HEST shafts. The overburden pile was almost complete on and workers were connecting the BLEST bed tim- ing/firing lines. Lightning arrestors had been erect- ed around the HEST~BLEST overburden and along the line of the DI-HEST array. Overcast monosco- pic imagery ofOrevealed that the overbur- den pile had been groomed into its final pretest configuration and that most of the equipment and personnel had been removed from the test site. The necessary pretest imagery was not obtained, so an accurate assessment of the HEST~BLEST overburden volume was impossible. The pile ap- peared normal for the emplaced simulators and probably contained from 15 to 20 thousand cubic meters of earth. (S~WN) ~zca-is/uuo~/s A seismic yield of The test results, observed on eluded a large dark stain extending 1,800 meters south-southwest, a large DI-HEST crater, and a berm from the HEST~BLEST overburden (Figure 7). The DI-HEST crater measured 125 b 47 meters lip to lip with an average depth of below normal terrain. The depth varied between 4 and 8 meters, and the height of the rim above the terrain varied between 3 and 5 meters. Two axis profiles of the DI-HEST crater (Figure 8) convey the true post- test appearance of the test site area. The berm around the silo from the HEST~BLEST overburden was 84 by 49 meters and merged with the near lip of the DI-HEST crater, 34 meters from the top of the silo. Reentry into the instrumentation bunker had occurred by and a trailer was parked near the entrance. (S~WN) 20. If bags of HE material small enough to fit into the flanges were held in place with metal bands or with wood riveted to the concrete, more than 100 cubic me- ters of HE material could be installed in the flanges - 10- SECRET Z-1501085 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Q Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25: CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 -20 -~~AZIMUTH NORTH SOUTH RIM RIM .~ PRETEST GR OUND LEVEL ` -> 45? A ZIMUTH FAR NEAR RIM RIM SILO 1 156 l ~ E j ~ E j 100 SECRET/WNINTE~ -20 175 200 DIMENSIONS IN METERS Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25: CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET of the Explosive structure (Figure 9). While this HE arrangement is only one possibility, it is based on the flange configuration and on the fact that the arch pikes completely disintegrate in the HEST Explosion, probably because the HE is placed close to the inside of the arches. This HE arrangement is provided as a starting point for discussion or for modeling and tests to determine how an arch- roofed HEST structure provides a valid overpres- sure simulation. (S~WN) Vulnerability Area 108 I. Vulnerability area 108, a 1.4- by 1.0-km area, is 7 km north of the deflation basin. The area is secured by three fences and is used for testing the vulnerability of strategic structures other than ICBM silos. Most of the structures tested at this area have been C3 related, including both de- ployed and experimental versions of hardened communications antennas. Two tests conducted in 1980 were probably related to the development of a viable horizontal rail-mobile missile shelter. This program has either been delayed or cancelled be- cause afull-scale, probable shelter built in area 108 has never been tested. In the two years since this probable shelter was completed, both the shelter and its HE simulator have suffered apparent structural damage from flooding. Ten vulnerability tests have been conducted at area 108 since 1979, including one test in 1984. The 1984 test was actu- ally conducted outside the northwestern fenceline of the area, evidently because there is little or no room left within the fence for construction of ei- ther test objects or HE simulators. Subsequent C3 vulnerability tests may require an additional fence- line expansion or a move to an entirely new area on the range. (SAWN) Cabling and Junction Vulnerability Test 22. The Shagan River vulnerability testing program is evidently intended to uncover weak or vulnerable points in Soviet strategic deterrent facil- RCA- 1 ~I~UUO1 ~85 Z-15010~t3 i Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET hies. phis investigation has taken at least fifteen years thus far. It has included testing the vulnera- bilities of National Command bunkers buried hun- dreds of meters beneath the ground and hardened concrete and steel missile and command silos. The buried antennas and cables by which these facili- ties conununicate have also been subjected to vul- nerability tests. The part of the vulnerability pro- gram conducted in vulnerability area 108 has concentrated on the vulnerabilities of the connect- ing or communications links. Since 1980, the vul- nerability of several hardened antennas has been tested. In 1984, the second aspect of the connect- ing links between command authority and weap- ons systems, that is underground cabling, was test- ed. (S~WN) 2a. Test Bcd Preparations: April-June 1984. In lath npril 1984, a roughly triangular trench sys- teni was excavated just outside the northwestern fenceline of area 108. The two sides of the triangle were approximately 120 meters long and met at a right angle, while the base was approximately 155 nu~ters Ion ~. the trenches were Odeep and wide. By early May, the sides had been expanded into a system of parallel trenches, cross trenches, and alcoves. Additional trenches split the middle of the triangle and connected the expanded north and west sides to the center of the bax~ where an instrumentation bunker was under construction (Figure 10). Work on the HE simula- tors also began in May, and their orientation evinced that the test objects would be centered in the expanded north and west sections with the major focus on the alcoves in each of these test buds. the rest of the trench pattern connected the test beds to the instrumentation bunker. (S~WN) 24. 1 he north test bed was approximately half the sire of the west test bed. It was 42 by 12 meters, with three alcoves spaced 10 meters apart. I he west test bed was 70 by 25 meters, with three alp cues spaced 20 maters apart. In addition to being larger, the west test bed had twice the num- ber of cross and parallel trenches. On cable lines were visible in the bottom of the trenches leading into and away from the north test bed. Within the test bed, the cables were laid throughout the cross and parallel trenches and led to the center point in each alcove. A tent, was in the easternmost alcove. R(~A-I~I~UU111~13 ages during May and June revealed that the tent(s) was (were) moved from alcove to' alcove, presum- ably covering preparations attachment of the test objects to the cable lines. Observation of the al- coves after the tent(s) had moved revealed only very small conduits or junction boxes. (SAWN) 25. ByOthe northern test bed trenches had been backfilled, and the western test bed was being prepared. A tent was in the southern alcove, and cables were present in all parallel and cross trenches of the test bed. Ono the tent had been moved to the central alcove. The exposed southern alcove contained a small conduit~junc- tion box and alight-toned, inline splice (Figure 11). Other inline splices were visible in the test bed but not in other sections of the trenches. At each end of the test bed was a 2- by 2-meter junction box. Part of the cables from the test bed entered the junction boxes, but most of the cables bypassed them and were laid directly to the instrumentation bunker. The instrumentation bunker was incom- plete, and several coils of cable were lying in the trench next to the unfinished bunker (Figure 12). On~the western test bed was being back- filled. Earth was in approximately half of the ex- panded trench system. A small object, presumably the junction box previously observed, was visible in the exposed southern alcove. The western test bed was completely backfilled by 0 al- though the instrumentation bunker was still in- complete and exposed. Finally, during observa- tions of these preparations, it seemed possible that a test more complex than cables and junction box- es was being prepared. The spacing of the alcoves was the strongest indication of greater complexity, and a search for similar spacing in a strategic sys- tems deployment pattern was made. No known system fit the matrix, and a cable and junction box vulnerability test remained the likely alternative. (S/WN) 26. HE Simulator Construction: May-July 1984. DI-HEST ARRAYS. Work on the DI-HEST ar- rays had begun by 0 On that day, casing sections were on site, and equipment was working on the north test bed array. The casing sections each measured 11 meters in length and in diameter. These casings were emplaced by means other than the usual drill rigs. On the unique equipment used was observed on the Z-1.501085 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Q Next 3 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SF('RFT were built with the alcove row on the front edge of the north test bed and on the rear edge of the west test bed. The westernmost part of the west test bed consisted of an additional alcove containing a cable and two in-line splices. These objects were subjected to greater ground shock and motion than the test objects on the alcove rows. (S~WN) 27. (3LEST BEDS. Construction of the BLEST beds began as soon as the test beds were back- filled. The north test bed was backfilled between The earth-moving operation appeared to be continuous, with no interruption between the backfilling and the building up of the lower earth mound over the test bed. The lower mound covered the entire north test bed. It was 121 meters long, and 3 meters high. The mound was frustum-shaped, like a trun- cated pyramid, with a. volume of 17,243 cubic me- ters. On top of the mound, a large bed of closely spaced HE containers was laid down. There were eight rows of the standard meter-diameter HE containers. The rows were at least 90 meters long, with the individual containers spaced0apart center-to-center. This spac- ing and row length translate into 129 containers per row or 1,032 containers in the BLEST bed. The volume of an HE container is Ometers, which means an HE container volume for the north BLEST bed of 357 cubic meters. Since the complete BLESI bed was not observed without overburden, the rows could have been longer, and therefore, the total container volume could have been larger. Overburden was then placed over the lower mound and the BLEST bed. The entire earthen pile was 110 meters long, wide, and 6 meters high with a volume of more than 25,600 cubic meters. A similar, but larger BLEST bed was built over the west test bed at the end of June. The lower mound over the west test bed was 126 me- ters long, 70 meters wide and 2 meters high. The volume was 15,225 cubic meters. The west BLEST bed, which was laid out on top of the mound, was 10 rows of containers wide, two rows wider than the north BLEST bed. The west BLEST bed was 39 meters wide and at least with 125 containers in each row. At least 40 more HE con- tainers were stacked at the end of the orderly rows, and the ground had been prepared for HE placement. Use of all the prepared area would have made the bed Along and able to accommodate 138 containers in each row, for a RCA- ~ ~/uo~~ i/t~ total of 1,380 HE containers and a volume of 477 cubic. meters. Once the BLEST HE containers were laid down, they were covered with earthen over- burden (Figure 14). When this work was complete on ~ the earthen pile was 54 meters wide, and 6 meters high, with a volume of more than 29,700 cubic meters. (S~WN) 2B. HESS STRUCTURES. A HESS was built at each test bed. Each HESS consisted of three screen structures built in an arc in front of each test bed. Construction began early in May, and the bases of the HESS structures were complete byDEach HESS structure base was 12 meters long, 5 meters wide, and The bases were built of prefabricated concrete pieces and were simply a flat base supported on five parallel walls, each 3 meters from the adjacent wall. The center of each HESS base was 110 meters from the center alcove of its associated test bed. At the north test bed, the three HESS structures were separated by 50 de- grees of arc, while at the west test bed the were separated by 0 of arc. By ~ up- rights to support the screen enclosures atop the HESS bases were being erected. The uprights had been erected by 0 and the screen enclo- sures had been completed byOThe screen enclosure for each HESS structure was 12 by 2 by when the overburden over the BLEST beds was being groomed, all six HESS enclosures were full of HE material. Each screen enclosure held 132 cubic meters or 396 cubic me- ters of HE material in each HESS (Figure 15). (S~WN) 29. Test and Posttest. The last pretest obser- vation of the cable and junction test site was on The first clear posttest imagery o the test site was obtained on OThe DI-HEST arrays had creat- ed two large craters with a lot of rocky throw out. The north DI-HEST crater was 117 by 53 by 11 meters deep, and the west DI-HEST crater was 112 by 59 by 11 meters deep. The average rim height for both craters was0 Each of the HESS structures created slightly oblong craters 30 by 26 by 6 meters with high rims. By reentry was underway at both test beds. Earth was being removed from the top of the north test bed (Figure 16). The cuts back into the test beds were 4 meters below the test-altered grade level and did not appear to have reached test bed level. (SAWN) SECRET Z-15010/B5 25X1 L ~JC "I '~FY~ 25X1 ~FX~ 25X1 25X1 ~~X1 25X1 25X1 L ~JC "I 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 ~ Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Q Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET Silo Vulnerability Area 89 30. Silo vulnerability area 89 is a 1- by 1.5- km area situated on the southwestern scarp of the deflation basin at the center of the Shagan River I est Area. The area is surrounded by three security fences which are lighted and patrolled (Figure 17). An all-weather road extends east of area 89, past vulnerability areas 23 and 108, and exits the north- western corner of the test area. Construction of ICBM silos began in area 89 in July 1978. Five silo wrings were dug and faced with silo-lining blocks ,Tonga 650-meter-radius arc between the north- western and southeastern corners of the area. Only four of these silos have been completed: three ICBM silos (types IIIF, IIIG, and IIIH) and a type 3 LCF launch control silo. The silos were ~ crmpleted in -1980, and vulnerability testing began in 1981. Sinc e then, seven silo tests, using HE simu- lators to generate ground shock and overpressure, have been conducted. Three of these tests oc- ~ erred in 1984. (S~WN) Repairs, Refurbishments, and Modifications: January-August 1984 31. During the four-month period after the vulnerability tests at silos 10 (type IIIF) and 12 (type IIIG) in September 1982, there were clear indica- tions that the silos had been damaged by the tests. An extensive effort to repair the damage took more than 18 months. During that time, activity in the first year appeared to be the evaluation and repair of damage in the core areas of the two silos. By winter 1983, it was apparent that major compo- nents would be removed from each silo. The silo doors and their associated mechanisms were re- moved. Preparations for removing the doors took place from January through March, and the refur- bishment from April through August. Because part of the refurbishment process probably necessitat- ed pouring concrete, a portable batch plant had been set up in area 89 by 0 and remained there until the end of August. Meanwhile, HE sim- ulators for the 1984 tests at silos 10, 12, and 13 were being prepared. (SAWN) ti~c,a- i a/ot~n i/8 -23- SECRET wwN ~r,~ 7_-15010/85 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET 32. Silo 10 (Type IIIF). The gantry crane at silo 10 had been assembled and erected on its rails by the end of January. During much of February, no major changes were discernible. The door was open at the end of the month. By it was at least 50 degrees past the typical vertica position and was supported by the gantry crane. For the door to reach this position, part of the activator mechanism was probably disconnected. The door itself was tom letel disconnected and lying on the apron on ~ With the door off, an excavation next to the west side of the silo was begun. Tl~e excavation was complete in early April and measured 17 by 15 by 7 meters. On components for a horizontal cylinder arrived at silo 10. These components, which had a outer diameter and a ~ inner diameter, were high. They had been at calibration area 122 next to calibration silo 156 (see paragraph 12). The assembled cylinder was in the excavation and attached to the silo headworks 3 meters below ground level byOThe assembled horizontal cylinder was ~~in diameter and 9 meters long. (S~WN) 33. The horizontal cylinder was probably pargeted by the first of May, as its appearance changed from dark and smooth to light and rough. When the excavation was backfilled in early June, a pipe with a 1-meter diameter was attached to a hole near the center top of the cylinder. This pipe extended aboveground a few meters west of the silo. During May, while the horizontal cylinder was being completed, work was also underway both on the silo door anti in the silo. The silo door was lying top down on the apron, usually with alight- toned cover over the plug area. This cover was also seen off the plug area several times and was an indication of activity at the door. On ~ sev- eral small components were laid out next to the eastern gantry crane rail. The components were probably pieces of the hinge and door actuator mechanisms and included the two hydraulic actua- tors (Figure 18A). The following day, a chute, prob- ably for pouring concrete, was next to the hinge area of the headworks. (SAWN) 34. On ~ the cover was off the silo door, and some of the material making up the bottom of the plug had been removed (Figure 18B). A crane was over the door, and apparently discarded components littered the area on the east side of the door and crane. During the next two RCA-14~0001~85 weeks, more of the plug area was removed. By the end of June, the bottom of the door had probably been completely disassembled. When next ob- served on ~ the silo door was lying top up. By 25X1 the top plate of the silo door had been 25X1 removed and light-toned blocks, possibly radiation absorbent material like paraffin, were being re- moved from or placed into the structure. Major structural beams of the door were clearly visible, and what appeared to be the concrete apron was visible between the beams (Figure 18C). On~ 25X1 much of the door had been reassembled. The top of the door appeared complete except for the top plate and any full material that was placed around the structural members which support the top plate (Figure 18D). The top plate of the door was installed by ~ Reassembly of the bottom side of the door must have occurred earlier be- cause the door remained top up on the apron until 19 August when it was back on its hinges. (S~WN) 35. Silo 12 (Type IIIG). By the beginning of January 1984, some of the activity which had oc- curred at silo 10 in the summer had already been completed at silo 12. A horizontal cylinder, very similar to the one installed at silo 10, was installed at silo 12 in October and November 1983. Howev- er, this excavation was still open at the end of January 1984, and a trench extended from it three quarters of the way around the silo headworks. The excavation and trench were filled in at the end of March, concurrent with the arrival of a antry crane and its erection at the silo. On ~ the silo door was open, and dark marks or voids were 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 on the bottom of the lu .The silo was not seen open again until when the door was off 25X1 and lying top down on the apron. (S/WN) 36. Work on the silo door was visible on[ when the middle of the light-toned plug fill or t e cover over the fill had been removed. By[ the light-toned material had been separated Z~X1 into quadrants. One quadrant was missing; anoth- er was lying flat on the plug, and the other two were raised into the air. A cruciform component was on the apron beside the door (Figure 19A). It had either been removed from or was to be in- stalled in the door. The next clear imagery, on[ revealed that the door had been turned over and that the spoke plate with the spokes attached had been removed from the rest of the door (Fig- ure 19B). The radial spokes were attached to at least three circular reinforcing rings, and the door -24- SECRET wNiNif~ Z-1501085 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET body was visibly offset beneath the spoke plate. I he spoke plate had been reattached to the body of the silo door by 0 and the fill between the spokes had been replaced in all wedges except one. (ti~WN) 37. By 0 the silo door had been turned over once again and was top down. The bottom plate was off, and light-toned blocks of material were being removed from the door body (Figure 19C). I he next day all the light-toned material, which could be to absorb radiation, was out of the door, and the primary structural beams aligned with the base of the door hinge were visible. On even more of the internal door structure was visible, and on ~ hoop-shaped components from the door were hanging over a support struc- ture next to the silo door. On Othe silo door was evidently being reassembled. A crane was over the door, and light-toned blocks were once again in the door body (Figure 19D). The -25- h~CA- i~/none/rt ~ SECRET Z-15010~t3.`i 25X1 25X1 25X1 ~tix1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET reassembly continued throughout the rest of June and was probably complete by0 Throughout the silo door disassembly and reassembly, work was underway at the silo. A small lifting mecha- nism was adjacent to the hinge, and the movement of objects and vehicles around the silo seemed to center in this area. On ~ the door pocket, which had been covered for two months, was ex- posed and appeared clean and refurbished. On r.~cA-1a/oool/H5 the silo door was closed atop the silo. The top of the door appeared dark with radial spokes faint- ly visible. (SAWN) 38. Silo 13 (Type IIIH). Silo 13, which was last subjected to a vulnerability test in 1981, did not undergo extensive refitting like silos 10 and 12. The door was not removed, and there was a limit- ed amount of activity within the silo coring. How- ever, ahorizontal cylinder like the ones at silos 10 WNIN 1 f l Z-15010#3.5 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 and 12 was attached to the headworks, and the equipment room was renovated and evidently re- connected to the silo through the cylinder. Work on the horizontal cylinder and equipment room was completed during April and May. In early May, before the cylinder was backfilled on the west side of tha silo, an excavation was started on the east sides. This excavation extended several meters be- low grade and was open until the first of June (Figure 20). Ono the excavations east and writ of the silo were filled in. Two square access ports to the equipment room were covered, and a 1-meter-diameter pipe from the top of the hori- zontal cylinder extended aboveground near the silo. T ha renovation was evidently complete; the silo door was closed, and work on the HEST simu- lator began. (SAWN) 39. Imagery Analyst's Comments. The disas- sembly and reassembly of the silo 10 and silo 12 doors required considerable time and effort, yet no imagery data suggested the doors were dam- agad. Any severe deformations of the silo doors would probably have been noticed, either because of a change in appearance or because the damage would have forced a change in door function. Howaver, both silo doors appeared unchanged by tha 1982 test, and they were opened and closed frequently during the 18-month period between the test and the door removals. Minor deforma- tions could have remained undetected, allowed the doors to function, yet threatened the survival of the doors in a second test. Therefore, minor deformations could be interpreted as the cause for the reconstruction, although there is at least one other possibility. 40. Kec onstruction may have been necessary to complete the analytical phase of the vulnerabili- ty test program. The purpose of vulnerability test- ing is to discover how a structure reacts to stress, to find where its point of failure is, and to pinpoint the mode of that failure. Failure modes in complex structures like silo doors-given the interaction of steel beams, plates, and fill materials-are un- avoidably complex. A truly scientific vulnerability tasting program would completely examine these complex structural responses-including disas- sembly of the most complex portion of the silo structure-the door, and its associated opening systems. 1 he disassembly and reassembly of the silo 10 and 12 doors may be another example of the Soviet's thoroughness in their vulnerability tasting program. (SAWN) Silo Vulnerability Tests and Preparations 41. On the Soviets con- ducted concurrent vulnerability tests at three ICBM silos within area 89. The silos-designated silo 10 (type IIIF), silo 12 (type IIIG), and silo 13 (type IIIH)-were subjected to ground shock and overpressure from HEST, BLEST, and DI-HEST sim- ulators and to unknown effects from HESS simula- tors. Preparations for these tests required that the silos be made ready for testing (see previous sec- tions) and that the HE simulators be built. Simula- tor construction began in December 1983, when surface casings for the DI-HEST array at silo 12 were installed. The final preparations were ob- served on when the HEST/BLEST overburdens were being groomed two days before the tests. While most simulator construction at the silos was relatively concurrent, preparation of silo 13 was slightly faster because significantly less was to be done to the silo itself. Construction of the HEST~BLEST simulators was begun earlier at silo 13 than at the other silos. The HE simulator "sets" over and around each silo were relatively the same; they differed in size and volume, but not in kind. The observed preparations of each simulator are described in the following paragraphs. All im- portant simulator measurements are included on Figures 21, 24, 26, 32, 33. (S/WN) 42. DI-HEST Arrays. Construction of arcuate DI-HEST arrays at each of the three silos was the beginning of simulator work in the test area. The installation of surface casing began at silos 12, 10, and 13 in December, January, and February, re- spectively. The outer casing measured in diameter, and the inner casing me meters in diameter. The depth of the surface cas- ing was at least 11 meters, which was the length the inner casing measured before installation. The installation took about a month at each silo. The position of the surface casings indicated that there would be a five-shaft array at silo 10 and at silo 12, but only afour-shaft array at silo 13. The arrays were each more than 50 meters from their respec- tive silos and built along arcs which did not use the silo as a center point (Figure 21). (SAWN) 43. A large drill rig was moved into the silo 12 test site in the middle of March, and drilling of the DI-HEST shafts be an. The drill rig remained at silo 12 until at least This onsite time of 97 days would have allowed more than 19 days to drill a shaft. Because the shafts were mined to the - 27 - h'CA- I a/oU01/t3 , SECRET Z-15010~t35 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 A A' ALL DI-HEST SHAFTS WERE 20 METERS APART SILO O SILOO SILO 10 & 12 DI-HEST SHAFT CONFIGURATION SILO 13 DI-HEST SHAFT CONFIGURATION Distances and azimuths are from the silo to the shaft. I I-mater level (for the installation of the surface casing) and were certainly less than 40 meters deep, drilling must have been extremely sporadic. A large drill rig was not observed in operation at the silo 10 DI-HEST array. Cloud cover during sev- eral periods could have masked its presence, or some other means might have been used to drill the shafts. The silo 10 DI-HEST array was certainly built, was exploded correctly, and consisted of five ,hafts spaced like the array at silo 12 (Figure 22). (S~WN) 44. The lar ~e drill rig was first seen at the silo 13 test bed on and it remained there until at least This onsite span of more than 58 days allowed 14.5 days for each of the four shafts to be drilled, an extraordinarily long time for drilling shallow shafts 1 meter in diameter. The use of a four-shaft instead of a five-shaft DI-HEST array at silo 13 was the first indication that the silo 13 test bed was probably being designed to generate less energy than the test beds over and around silos 10 and 12. The array had one less shaft for HE material and was further away from the silo (Figure 23). (S~WN) 45. HEST Structures. Work on the arch- roofed HEST structures began at silo 13, where prefabricated feces of the structure were first seen on HEST structures were made from the same type o components at all three silos, and their characteristics were similar (Figure 24). The only difference was that the silo 13 HEST footing blocks were installed in trenches on either side of the silo (Figure 23); thus, the height of the HEST structure was reduced, and the internal volume decreased by 360 cubic meters. This difference in installation was the second indi- cation that the silo 13 test bed would produce a milder environment than the test beds at silos 10 -29- RCA- l ~/ooo l/s ~ SECRET wNiN ~ t~ Z-1501085 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET and 12. The calibration silo 156 test in June had a similar reduced-volume HEST structure, and the technique was originally used at silo 6 (type IIID) in 19#30. Other than the reduced volume at silo 13, all other aspects of the arch-roofed HEST structures were normal. Arch pieces had arrived at silos 10 and 12 by mid-June, when the HEST structure was nearly complete over silo 13 (Figure 25). However, the completed back wall and accessway of the silo 13 HFSI structure, as seen in late June, must have restricted access to something because they were disassembled in July and not rebuilt until August. Construction on the HEST structure over silo 12 began on ~ and was completed by The silo 10 door was replaced by and construction on the silo 10 HEST struc- ture ~e pan. Most of the arched sections were up by ~ and the simulation structure was completely finished (and about to be covered) on (S~WN) r,~c,a- i a/oor~ i/fr 46. BLEST Beds. The BLEST beds constructed for the 1984 silo vulnerability tests remain a partial enigma. A review o t e avai a e imagery c i indicate that the three BLEST beds at silos in area 89 and the BLEST bed at calibration silo 156 were all similar. While the overall and bed subdivision sizes were resolved, and it was clear that rows in the inner beds were more closely spaced than either middle or front beds, no data on exact row spacing or actual container count was obtained. However, based on the past Soviet propensity for symmetrical BLEST arrangements and on the fact that the inner and middle BLEST beds measured consistently wider than the outer beds, a probable BLEST HE loading solution could be determined (Figure 26). The row spacing of the outer beds (1 - 31 - SECRET wN~Ni~~ Z-1501085 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET LENGTH EXTERNAL/INTERNAL DIAMETER EXTERNAL/INTERNAL HEIGHT EXTERNAL/INTERNAL EXTERNAL VOLUME INTERNAL VOLUME FLANGE VOLUME there were 18 and 27 rows in the middle and inner beds, respectively, the spaces between these tight- ly packed rows would not have been seen on the acquired imagery. While the correctness of the totals in the table cannot be confirmed, there is no doubt that the number of HE containers in the 1984 BLEST beds was at least twice that observed in the 1982 BLEST beds. The BLEST HE container RCA-140001 X85 volumes would, therefore, be more than 400 cubic 25X1 meters. (S~WN) 47. The first evidence of BLEST bed con- struction was seen at silo 13 on~when stacks 25X1 of HE containers were present. The bed was not started until after the arched portion of the HEST structure had been completed in early July. The BLEST beds around silo 13 were complete by ~ 25X1 Figure 27) and buried beneath overburden 25X1 WNIN 1 f I Z-15010/85 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Q Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET I? bad begun by plrl~~d b~. and had been com- Only the north side of the silo I l1 BI I ti I b~~d~ was observed, as the work was d~uu~ b~~iw~~eu and had been partially c~rvrred Iti~WN) by overburden (Figure began at silo 13 between and was essentially complete by The HEST and BLEST simulators at silo 13 were com- pletely covered by and the pile was roughly a pyramid b~when the overbur- den was being put over the HEST and BLEST simu- lators at both silos 10 and 12. The overburden over all three silos had been shaped into rough pyra- mids by Figure 29). The final groom- ing of the overburden did not take place until after -1t3. HEST~BLEST Overburden. Movement of uv~~rhurden over th~~ HFSI and BLEST simulators h~~ ~-~ i ~/~~nn i/tt~, SECRET Z-15010/85 25X1 25X1 ~~~. ~~~~ Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET th~~ lil f ST brd timing firing lines were connected. I hi, process was underway at silo 10 on ~(f figure 30). By the BLEST tim- ing~firing lines were attached at all three silos, and th~~ final grooming of the overburden was nearly e oniplete. 1 he overburden appeared to be in the ~~acked frustum typical of HEST~BLEST overburden a~ the Shagan River Test Area. Other evidence of thc~ lath stage of preparations included debris from ~h~~ Ht loading operation outside the HEST access- ways and the HE loaded into the screen structures (Figure 31 ). The sizes of the overburden frustum and the volume, less the HEST structures beneath them, are included (Figure 32). (S~WN) 49. HESS Structures. HESS structures have been used at five different test sites since they were first used at a calibration test in 1982. HESS struc- tures were present at two 1984 test sites: the multi- ple ICE3M silo test in area f39 and the cable~junc- -37- RCA- I4/n~~U !/t; ~ SECRET tti'NINIf l Z-150~0~85 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Q Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET lion test in area 108. While at least three different hypotheses exist for the purpose of the HESS, none have been proven. The three hypotheses are: an pressure simulator. Whatever its purpose, the HESS apparently functions within the design pa- rameters, as it is still being used. DIMENSIONS LISTED ARE THE OVERBURDEN FRUSTUMS LARGEST. BLEST OVERBURDEN HEST OVERBURDEN TOTAL OVERBURDEN 50. Work on the HESS bases began at silos 12 and 13 in late March and a few weeks later at silo 10. All HESS bases were complete by0 25X1 and work on them ceased until August. The up- 25X1 rights, which form. the boundaries of the screen enclosure atop the bases, were first erected at silo 13 and were erect at all three silos by~ 25X1 Three HESS structures were associate wit eac silo. Each set of structures was positioned with the DI-HEST array between them and the silo-with a 25X1 structure in the center, to the left, and to the right 25X1 of the array (Figure 33). The translucent material that is hung between the u ri hts to confine the HE was in place by and the HE was 25X1 partially loaded into the screen enclosures. A mea- RCA-140001 ~8 i -40- SECRET Z-1501085 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET ~ure~ment on ~ vindicated that HE con- tainers were stacked 4 meters high, which equalled 96 cubic meters of HE containers per structure (288 cubic meters of HE containers in the HESS at each silo). If the HE containers were later stacked to the top Dof the screen enclosures, each ~truchrre would hold 132 cubic meters or 396 cu- bic meters of HE containers per HESS. (S~WN) 51. Thf~ last pretest observation of the three posttest imagery was obtained on 0742 GMT, about one and a half hours after the detonation. Three huge craters from the detona- tions of the DI-HEST arrays dominated the appear- ance of the test site. Each crater was more than 100 meters long and more than 50 meters wide. They varied in depth from 6 to 10 meters below ground level (Figure 34). A dark stain from the explosions surrounded the entire test site but did not appear to extend further in any one direction, probably because of calm wind conditions at test time. Reentry had not occurred at the silos, al- though buses and other vehicles were at both silos 10 and 13 and new vehicle tracks were near silo 12. Actual reentry into the silos occurred in Octo- ber. The silo 13 door was opened, and the other 25X1 25X1 25X1 All screen structures had bases measurin 25X1 high explosive screen areas measuring - 25X1 and were loaded with approximately m o ~.o h c,a- i a/ooo i/85 - 41 - SECRET wNiNrFi Z-1501085 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET two silo doors, although not seen open, appeared undamaged. Activity during reentry seemed to concentrate on excavating back into the horizontal cylinders, probably to recover instrumentation data. (SAWN) 52. In order to show the differences in the shapes of the DI-HEST craters, two axis plots of Bach crater are included in this report (Figures 35 through 37). A striking difference is apparent in the axis plots through the silos at silos 10 and 12 when compared with the plot on the same axis at silo 13. A distinct scarp with a drop of three or more meters exists some 20 meters from both silos 10 and 12, and the near rims of the craters are at least 2 meters below ground level. These features are not present at silo 13 where the near rim of the crater is 4 meters above ground level. Some of the observed differences in the craters could be the results of the different DI-HEST array configura- tions, but most are probably because the silo 10 and silo 12 DI-HEST arrays were placed in fill mate- rial. The craters from the 1984 vulnerability test are in the same place as the craters created by the R(A-14~0001~85 - 42 - SECRET WNlN7Fl Z-1501085 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 0 20 -zo 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 ~~AZIMUTH i NORTH SOUTH RIM RIM F ~j ~`'~ ~~ P RETEST GROUN D LEVEL '.,~ ~.. ~~,~ FAR -~~ AZIMUTH RIM SILO 10 SCARP NEAR i RIM _ ___I ____. i ~ ~ t ,....r-~~ i I i -20 175 200 DIMENSIONS IN METERS m n 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25: CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 cn r*+ ~ +10 n ~ ~ ~ m -~ 140? AZIMUTH NORTH ~ SOUTH RIM 1 RIM PRETEST GRO UND LEVEL FAR RIM -~^A ZIMUTH SILO +I ~? I SCARP NEAR RIM 1 q qi qq - ~ - - I~ q ~ 175 200 DIMENSIONS IN METERS m n m 25X1 100 SECRET/WNINTEL Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25: CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25: CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 I I! I ~ I ~ ~ ~ --~~AZIMUTH I ' NORTH i~ SOUTH i RIM t ~ ~ RIM 1 PRET EST GROUND L EVEL FAR NEAR RIM RIM + AZIMUTH SILO 13 75 100 SECRET/WNINTEL -20 125 150 175 200 DIMENSIONS iN METERS 200 20 m n m '25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25: CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 SECRET 1982 vulnerability tests at these silos. The 1982 craters were nearly 100 meters long, 70 meters wide, and 8 meters deep and were backfilled for the drilling of the 1984 DI-HEST arrays. A much smaller and shallower crater (41 meters in diame- ter and was at silo 13 from the 1981 vulnerability test at that silo. The scarps and the appearance of the material that makes up the near rim areas of the craters at silo 10 and 12 suggest that the crater rims are actually the scarps and that fill material occupies a considerable por- tion of the two craters. Formulating test levels at the silos by using the crater volumes of these two craters should be done with caution. (S~WN) CONCLUSION 53. At present, all ICBM silos in the test area, except silo 11, have been subjected to at least two vulnerability tests and have probably been aban- doned. Silo 11, a type III LCF launch control silo, could be subjected to a test in 1985. Evidence suggesting refurbishment of this silo has been present since 1983. The opportunity to observe the ~ onstruction and testing of a new or modified structure exists at the silo 14 coring. When recon- struction of the silo doors had been completed at silos 10 and 12 in August 1984, the rail gantry cranes were moved from those silos to silo 14. At thc~ end of 1984, the crane pieces remained on the ground at silo 14. Their presence indicated major construction and future testing, probably in 1985 and beyond. The other major vulnerability test area is area 108 where C3-related vulnerability tests have been conducted. Little or no room is left in area 108 for the construction of new test beds. Because of the apparently highly structured nature of the test program at Shagan River and because most available space in the vulnerability test areas has been used, vulnerability testing may come to an end after the silo 11 and 14 tests. A complete listing of vulnerability tests at the Shagan River Test Area with associated alert numbers, dates, loca- tions, coordinates, types of simulators used, crater sizes, and remarks is included in this report (Ta- ble 2). This listing updates previous versions and includes 1984 test data and revisions of earlier test data. (S/WN) Af tAC Air Force Technical Application Center BEES1 berm loaded explosive simulation technique C3 command, control, and communications DABS dynamic air blast simulation DI-HEST direct induced high-explosive simulation technique EMP electro-magnetic pulse GMT Greenwich Mean Time HE high explosive HESS high-explosive screen simulator HEST high-explosive simulation technique ICBM intercontinental ballistic missile km kilometer kt kiloton LCF launch control facility SRF Soviet Rocket Force tgt target UG underground USAEDS United States Atomic Energy Detection System Kc,a-~a/oooi/ss -46- SECRET w~viN~~i z-~ so ~ o/ss Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 IMAGERY All al~pli~ able satellite imagery acquired through tS~WM was used in the preparation of this report. MAPS OR CHARTS ACIC. USAIC, Series 200, Sheet 023[3-15, scale 1:200,000 (UNCLASSIFIED) DOCUMENTS ~. NP~c. IAR-0010/II0, 1979 Soviet Vulnerability Testing Review, Shagan River Test Area, USSR (Sl, Mar 80 (LOP Sf-GREY ?. NPIC_ I-2U181~81 IAR-0162 #31 Nov 81 (SICKLE ~~~~, 1~2 (SI cRl ~ 1980 Sovie( Vulnerability Testing Review, Shagan River Tes( Area, USSR (S), RCA-14/0007/#32, 1981 Vulnerability Testing Review, Shagan River Tes( Area, USSR (SI, 4. NPIC. 1-1207583 RCA-14 0007 83, 1982 Vulnerability Testing Review, Shagan River Test Area, USSR (S), n~~g 133 ~s1CRLr ;. NPIC.. !- 1404184 RCA-14 0004 84, 1983 Vulnerability Testing Review, Shagan River Test Area, USSR (S), dun 84 (SLCKL 1 RCA-14~0034~75, Semipala(ins I xira~ ted inlunnation is classified SECRET 1 ~ira~ ted information is classified SECRET NWPG Shagan River Test Area (TOP SECRET RELATED DOCUMENTS NPIC. 1-2014580, IAR-0277 rnbilit Area 108 Shagan River Test Area, USSR, Disc, Opt 80 (sLCRL NPIC. ! 2000880, IAR-0103 80 Area 108 New Vulnerability Test Site-at Shagan River Test Area, USSR (S), dun 80 (SI CRLT NPIC. /._'0089/81 IAR-0114/131, Vulnerability Test Area CRLI 108, Shagan River Test Area, USSK (S), lun 81 (SE- NPI(~. / 145 ~ IAR-0051 82 New-T e Hardened Antenna at Shagan River and Voronezh, USSR (S), May 82 (Sf CRf i COMIRI X 029 I'rujt~ct 54 50080 Conuiu~nis and queries regarding this report are wela>m ~ ma be. directed to Navv Nun lear Division, Imagery Exploitation Group, NPIC, - 47 - h'(~A- is/oool/fi5 SECRET WNIN I Fl Z-15010/85 25X1 ~~x~i 25X1 25X1 25X1 ~~X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6 Secret Secret Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/25 :CIA-RDP85T00840R000201450001-6