TRENDS IN THE SOVIET ANTARTIC PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R000600040009-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 15, 2004
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: February 1, 1974
• Content Type: IR

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Trends in the Soviet Antarctic Program
BGI RP 74-10
February 1974
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Central Intelligence Agency
Directorate of Intelligence
February 1974
TRENDS IN THE SOVIET ANTARCTIC PROGRAM
1. The USSR's Antarctic program appears to have
stabilized and matured follow-;ng a period of uncertainty
and then rapid expansion during the 1960's (Figures 1 and
2, following page 1). Most of this past expansion as well
as the present mix of scientific programs can be traced
to decisions reached during a major policy study in 1966,
and refined in subsequent annual reviews. These stated
objectives emphasize research that will yield practical
benefits, particularly from marine and mineral resources,
and from meteorological and geophysical forecasting.
2. The Nineteenth Soviet Antarctic Expedition (SAE),
1973-74, is remarkably similar in size and scope to the
previous three expeditions. For the fourth consecutive
year the USSR will probably man six year-round stations.
No mention has been made this year of plans to open a
new station, Russkaya, on the coast of Marie Byrd Land
(see map, page 2). Attempts during the last two expeditions
to establish Russkaya failed; last year's try led to a
delay in ship scheduling and eventual entrapment of the
resupply ship Ob' for three months in the *i ce pack.
Indications several years ago that Mirnyy station might
be abandoned have been negated by a current rebuilding
program.
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STAT
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Figure I
-1r I I I ? I I _
0
1960-61 61-62 62-63 63-64 64-65 65-66 66-67 67-68 68-69 69-70 70-71 71-72 72-73 73-74
SAE 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Humber of Pcrsoc~l,el on Soviet t%RI "ic Expedificcls
Total Expedition Personnel
Ships' Crews
Aviation Personnel
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300
250
200
I~unlbnr of "infer PorimineI on Soviet -.ntorcfi'sc Fxpeeticions
Total Winter Personnel
150
100
Winter Scientists
0 I 1----L- 1 1L_ I I I I 1
1960-61 61-62 62-63 63-64 64-65 G5-66 66-67 67-68 G8-69 69-70 70-71 71-72 72-73 73-74
SAE 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Humber of Sun lm Personnel on Soviet Antarctic Expeditions
100
Total Summer PersonnoI "
Summer Scientists'
L-1 L
1960-61 61-62 62-63 63-64 64-65 65-66 36-67 67-68 68-69 69-70 70-71 71-72 72-73 73-74
SAE 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
'0n last five SAE's includes 12 to 25 man scientific detachment on
Vize and Zubov, officially listed by USSR as ship's crew.
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rigure 2
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3. According to the Soviet press, about 750 persons
are on the Nineteenth SAE. Some 350 of these are crew
members of the five ships supporting the expedition. The
400 regular expedition members are allocated roughly as
follows: 240 persons at permanent stations, more than
100 on field parties, and about 50 on shipboard research
and support activities. The 240 station personnel are
augmented during the present summer season by an additional
100 to 200 members of the overlapping Eighteenth SAE.
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4. One of the best indicators of trends in the
Soviet Antarctic effort is the total number of wintering-
over scientific workers. During 1973, the scientific
contingent at six Soviet stations numbered 112, almost
triple the 41 who stayed in 1962. Of this total,
Molodezhnaya had about 40, Mirnyy and Vostok had 20 each,
and Bellingshausen, Leningradskaya, and Novolazarevkaya
were about equal with 10 each. All other countries active
in Antarctica, including the US, support fewer than 50
scientific workers on the continent during the winter
season.
5. Scientific activities at the six Soviet stations
encompass the entire range of atmospheric and earth
sciences common to the Antarctic programs of other
countries. The largest are meteorology, radi owave
propagation, satellite geodesy, glaciology, medicine,
and geomagnetic research. Significant recent developments
in these fields include: a meteorological rocket launching
program at Molodezhnaya; an ice drilling program at Vostok
that has reached a depth of 1000 peters and is designed to
reach the bottom of the 3,500-meter-thick ice; a biomedical
program that includes a new medical research center at
Molodezhnaya; a new computing center at Molodezhnaya for
processing meteorological and other data.
6. Activities during the austral summer season vary
considerably from year to year and are composed of distinct
marine and continental components. The marine portion
fluctuates with the number of research vessels available
to the expedition: in recent years two or three ships
have been available to conduct research between expedition
logistic duties. (Soviet research vessels without logistic
duties related to Antarctic shore stations are not
considered to be part of an SAE even when conducting
research in Antarctic waters.)
7. Seasonal field research conducted on land during
the last three expeditions has considerably exceeded that
o'~ any previous expedition. Nearly all of it has been
based at a temporary camp on the Amery Ice Shelf in East
Antarctica. In each of the three seasons more than 100
scientists and support personnel using aircraft and
helicopters have operated from the Amery camp. This year
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they plan to complete mapping of the entire mountainous
area extending 800 kilometers inland from the Amery camp
using data compi led from geol ogi cal , gravity, seismic,
aerial photographic, radio ice sounding, and magnetic
surveys. Soviet researchers have stated that these data
will be used to evaluate the area's mineral resources.
They have given no indication of the nature or scope of
future field programs. An ambitious project, announced in
1971, to install 34 automatic geomagnetic stations
throughout East Antarctica has not been pursured according
to the original schedule; it may now be accelerated using
resources freed by completion of the field project around
the Amery Ice Shelf.
AIR AND SEA LOGISTICS
8. The five ships being used on the current expedition
provide the largest combined cargo capacity of any Soviet
Antarctic Expedition. Two, the Vasiliy Fedose ev and the
Oleriek, are ice-strengthened cargo vessels of 8,108 gross
tons identical to the Navarin and similar to the OW,
both used on previous expedi t i ons . The Nina S a a d_ki s
a somewhat smaller refrigerated cargo ship that requires
an escort i n ice . The Bashkiriya is a 5,21 1-gross-ton
passenger vessel of the same class as the Nadezhda
!Cru ska a, used by the 18th SAE. Finally, the Professor
Vize is an ice-strengthened research, passenger, and
cargo vessel that has been used on four previous expeditions.
9. The USSR employed five ships in its Antarctic
operations once before, on the Sixteenth SAE. In that
instance, however, one was a fuel tanker which is used in
alternate years to resupply the large tank farms at
Molodezhnaya and Plirnyy. The first 12 SAE's (1955-1967)
used an average of two ships -- the multipurpose vessel
Ob', and usually a passenger vessel. The last six SAE's
prior to this year have averaged four ships -- the Ob',
the Professor Vize or its twin the Professor Zubov, a
tanker in alernate years, a freighter in four of the years ,
and in one season two Navy hydrographic vessels.
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10. Although they are not considered part of the
Soviet Antarctic expedition, other research vessels from
USSR Academy of Sciences and fisheries fleets also operate
in the Antarctic each year. During the current season,
for example, a fisheries research ship will tow a manned
submersible in Antarctic waters.
11. The USSR has not used aircraft to ferry personnel
and supplies to Antarctic since 1964, at least partly be-
cause of a lack of adequate landing facilities at the
continental stations. Aircraft are, however, used in most
years to shuttle some of the annual relief personnel as
far as Australia, where they are picked up by one of the
expedition ships.
12. The USSR has often acknowledged a need for larger
aircraft for intercontinental and intracontinental support.
A Soviet Antarctic specialist has noted that this require-
rent will soon become critical because production of the
IL-14 has been discontinued. This plane is similar in size
to the DC-3 and provides the only Soviet capability to fly
to the interior station Vostok. The USSR has recently
shown interest in purchasing the larger C-130 aircraft from
the US to net these needs.
13. On the continent itself, light aircraft and
helicopters are used to ferry personnel and cargo from
ship to shore and between stations and also in support
of field parties. This capability has increased slightly
this year over that of the past few years, continuing a
trend that has been noticeable for some time. On hand for
the 19th SAE are four IL-14's, two AN-2's (small biplanes),
and fou: MI-8 helicopters, each with a payload capacity of
7,000 pounds.
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