SATELLITE PHOTOS SHOW NEW SOVIET CARRIER BEING BUILT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: August 8, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
LEVEL 2 - 1 OF 7 STORIES
The Associated Press
The materials in the AP file were compiled by The Associated Press. These
materials may not be republished without the express written consent of The
Associated Press.
August 8, 1984, Wednesday, PM cycle
SECTION: International News
LENGTH: 465 words
HEADLINE: Satellite Photos Show New Soviet Carrier Being Built
BYLINE: By ED BLANCHE, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: LONDON
KEYWORD: Soviet Carrier
STAT
BODY:
Satellite photographs indicate construction work has been speeded up on the
Soviet navy's first nuclear -powered aircraft carrier, which may be ready for
sea trials by 1988, Jane's Defense Weekly reports.
The three photos, published by Jane's on Tuesday, show the 75,000-ton carrier
being constructed in two halves at a Black Sea shipyard.
Western defense specialists say the carrier, which they believe will be
called The Kremlin, is the first of up to eight Soviet carriers equal in size to
the USS Enterprise, the largest American carrier.
The Soviet carriers will be "potentially formidable adversaries for the U.S.
Navy's carrier battle groups," the weekly said.
Work began in January 1983 on the nuclear -powered carrier, which NATO
code-named Black Cam-2.
Jane's quoted intelligence sources as estimating the carrier will be ready
for sea trials in early 1988, and operational by 1994.
The weekly said that "clearly the carrier has been accorded priority by the
commander-in-chief of the Soviet navy, Admiral of the Fleet Sergei Gorshkov."
Jane's spokesman Richard Coltart declined to say where the satellite photos
were obtained.
Jane's editors are known to have an extensive network of sources in both the
East and West. The weekly is produced by the Jane's Publishing Co., which issues
military yearbooks considered authoritative by defense circles.
Capt. John Moore, editor of Jane's Fighting Ships, told The Associated Press
in a telephone interview, "The carriers will add significantly to Soviet naval
power."
LEXIS NEZI!4 ~
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
The Associated Press, August 8, 1984
The photographs show the carrier's hull in two parts a 866-foot bow section
with half of a flight deck and a 239-foot stern section with the other half of
the flight deck.
Analysts believe the stern section will be mated to the bow section by
September 1985.
One of the photos indicates the carrier, lying below two giant overhead
cranes, will likely be armed with vertical silo-launched surface-to-air missiles
forward of the ship's superstructure, Jane's said.
The weekly said navy pilots have been training on a full-scale mock flight
deck at an air base in the Black Sea area for three or four years, using
arrester wires and angled takeoffs.
Western intelligence sources believe the carrier will initially carry
fixed-wing MiG-23 Flogger strike planes, but will later be equipped with
supersonic Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker all-weather fighters.
Moore believes the carriers, which will join four smaller flat-tops carrying
vertical short takeoff YAK-36s, will boost the Soviet navy's strike capability
"in limited wars of intervention operations."
Intelligence sources believe the Soviet carriers are designed to provide air
cover for naval forces deployed beyond the combat range of land-based fighters,
a major gap in Soviet naval capability.
GRAPHIC: Laserphoto NY7
The materials in the Xinhua file were compiled by The Xinhua News Agency. These
materials may not be republished without the express written consent of The
Xinhua News Agency.
AUGUST 8, 1984, WEDNESDAY
LENGTH: 226 words
HEADLINE: bigger soviet nuclear aircraft carrier under construction
DATELINE: london, august 7; Item No: 080828
BODY:
the soviet navy's first 75,000-ton nuclear -powered aircraft carrier is
being under construction at a black sea shipyard as it was shown in satellite
photographs published today in this week's edition of "Jane's defence weekly".
the remarkably detailed computer-enhanced photographs which the magazine said
were taken last month from a space satellite at a height of about 480
kilometers show that the huge ship is being built at nikolaev where the earlier
smaller 45,000-ton kiev-class carriers were built.
LEXIS ~.>
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
The Xinhua General Overseas News Service, AUGUST 8, 1984
the authoritative london-based weekly said the vessel is being constructed in
two sections, apparently because the dry dock is too small, with the bow
section, 264-meter long, in one dock and the stern section, 73-meter long,
alongside in another.
analysists believe the stern section of the carrier is due to be floated out
in autumn, possibly in September, 1985, and then mated up with the bow. sea
trials are expected to begin in 1988-89.
according to "jane's defence weekly", the new soviet nuclear -powered
carrier, apparently named kremlin, could go into operation by about 1994, and
between four and eight vessels of this class would ultimately built. they would
give the soviet union for the first time the ability to challenge the power of
the u.s. navy's carrier battle group. cqcq oly
The materials in the AP file were compiled by The Associated Press. These
materials may not be republished without the express written consent of T hE
Associated Press.
August 7, 1984, Tuesday, AM cycle
SECTION: International News
LENGTH: 605 words
HEADLINE: Satellite Photos Show New Soviet Carrier Being Built
BYLINE: By ED BLANCHE, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: LONDON
KEYWORD: Soviet Carrier
BODY:
Three satellite photographs showing the Soviet Navy's first
nuclear -powered aircraft carrier, under construction in a Black Sea
shipyard, indicate that work has been speeded up on the 75,000-ton flattop,
Jane's Defense Weekly reported Tuesday.
The photos, published in the weekly, show the carrier being constructed in
two halves at the Nikolaiev shipyard-444, alongside a smaller Kiev-class carrier
and an amphibious landing ship.
Western defense specialists believe the carrier, which they believe will be
called The Kremlin, is the first of up to eight Soviet carriers equal in size to
the USS Enterprise, the largest American carrier.
The Soviet carriers will be "potentially formidable adversaries for the U.S.
Navy's carrier battle groups," the weekly noted.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
The Associated Press, August 7, 1984
Work began in January 1983 on the nuclear -powered carrier, which NATO
code-named Black Cam-2.
Jane's quoted intelligence sources as estimating the carrier will be ready
for sea trials in early 1988, and operational by 1994.
The weekly said that "clearly the carrier has been accorded priority by the
commander-in-chief of the Soviet navy, Admiral of the Fleet Sergei Gorshkov."
Jane's spokesman Richard Coltart declined to say where the satellite photos
were obtained.
Jane's editors are known to have an extensive network of sources in both the
East and West.The weekly is produced by the Jane's Publishing Co., which issues
military yearbooks considered authoritative by defense circles.
Capt. John Moore, editor of Jane's Fighting Ships, told The Associated Press
in a telephone interview, "The carriers will add significantly to Soviet naval
power.
The photographs show the carrier's hull in two parts - a 866-foot bow section
with half of a flight deck and a 239-foot stern section with the other half of
the flight deck.
Analysts believe the stern section will be mated to the bow section by
September 1985.
Moore said an angled flight deck will be built onto the vessel later.
One of the photos indicates the carrier, lying below two giant overhead
cranes, will likely be armed with vertical silo-launched surface-to-air missiles
forward of the ship's superstructure, Jane's said.
The weekly said navy pilots have been training on a full-scale mock flight
deck at an air base in the Black Sea area for three or four years, using
arrester wires and angled takeoffs.
Western intelligence sources believe the carrier will initially carry
fixed-wing MiG-23 Flogger strike planes, but will later be equipped with
supersonic Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker all-weather fighters.
Moore believes the carriers, which will join four smaller flat-tops carrying
vertical short takeoff YAK-36s, will boost the Soviet Navy's strike capability
in limited wars of intervention operations."
Noting the Soviets have had little experience with carriers using fixed-wing
jets, Moore said, "It's going to be a long time before these ships are going to
be operational.
"The Russians are virtually starting from scratch as far as carriers are
concerned. They have learned a lot, but they still have a long way to go," Moore
said.
Intelligence sources believe the Soviet carriers are designed to provide air
cover for naval forces deployed beyond the combat range of land-based
LEYIIS
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
The Associated Press, August 7, 1984
fighters, a major gap in Soviet naval capability.
Last month, U.S. Adm. Wesley McDonald, supreme allied commander in the
Atlantic theater, said that the Soviets "have accepted the task group concept.
"They have the cruisers, destroyers, frigates and submarines. The only
ingredient lacking at present is an aircraft carrier. At the moment, the
Soviets are vulnerable in mid-Atlantic."
LEVEL 2 - 4 OF 7 STORIES
Copyright @ 1984 Reuters, Ltd.;
Reuters North European Service
AUGUST 7, 1984, TUESDAY, AM CYCLE
LENGTH: 171 words
HEADLINE: MAGAZINE SAYS PHOTOS SHOW SOVIET NUCLEAR CARRIER BEING BUILT
DATELINE: LONDON, AUG 7
KEYWORD: CARRIER
BODY:
THE MAGAZINE JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY TODAY PUBLISHED WHAT IT SAID WERE
SATELLITE PICTURES OF A SOVIET NUCLEAR -POWERED AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEING
BUILT AT A BLACK SEA SHIPYARD.
THE PHOTOGRAPHS, WHICH THE MAGAZINE SAID WERE TAKEN LAST MONTH ABOVE THE
NAVAL YARD AT NIKOLAYEV, SHOW A LARGE VESSEL UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN TWO PARTS.
THE AUTHORITATIVE LONDON-BASED WEEKLY SAID A 264-METRE (867-FOOT) SECTION WAS
BEING BUILT ALONGSIDE A 73-METRE (240-FOOT) STERN SECTION. ANALYSTS BELIEVE THE
TWO WILL BE FLOATED AND JOINED BY ABOUT SEPTEMBER NEXT YEAR.
IT SAID THE COMPUTER-ENHANCED PHOTOGRAPHS, SHOWING DETAILS SUCH AS TREES AND
VEHICLES AROUND THE SHIPYARD, INDICATED WORK ON THE 75,000-TON CARRIER HAD BEEN
SPEEDED UP.
THE MAGAZINE QUOTED ITS SOURCES AS SAYING SEA TRIALS COULD BEGIN IN 1988-89
AND THE CARRIER, APPARENTLY NAMED KREMLIN, COULD GO INTO OPERATION BY ABOUT
1994.
BETWEEN FOUR AND EIGHT OF THE CARRIERS WERE PLANNED AND THEY COULD PROVE
FORMIDABLE ADVERSARIES FOR THE U.S. NAVY'S CARRIER BATTLE GROUPS, JANE'S SAID.
LEVEL 2 - 5 OF 7 STORIES
Proprietary to the United Press International 1984
August 7, 1984, Tuesday, AM cycle
SECTION: International
~v E~zc1.
LE)IIS
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
Proprietary to the United Press International, August 7, 1984
LENGTH: 409 words
BYLINE: By MICHAEL DENNIGAN
DATELINE: LONDON
KEYWORD: Janes
BODY:
Jane's Defense Weekly Tuesday released satellite photographs of a huge
nuclear -powered aircraft carrier under construction in a Soviet shipyard and
said the vessel was a ''potentially formidable adversary'' for the U.S. Navy.
Three ''computer-enhanced'' photographs released by Jane's showed two
sections of the 75,000-ton carrier, code-named BLACK COM 2 by NATO, lying
side-by-side at Nikolaiev Shipyard 444 an the Black Sea.
The photographs ''suggest that ... work on her has been speeded Up'' since
construction began in January 1983, Jane's said. ''Clearly the (carrier) has
been accorded priority'' by Admiral Sergei Gorshkov, commander-in-chief of the
Soviet navy, it said.
Jane's spokesman Richard Coltart said the photographs ' 'were taken by
satellite only last month'' but he declined to reveal how they were obtained.
The respected publication said its sources estimated the carrier, which will
be twice as large as any vessel now in the Soviet fleet, would be ready for sea
trials in 1988 and 1989 and would be in service about 1994.
''It is believed that up to four and possibly eight strike carriers are
planned, each with 75 aircraft on board, with the emphasis on fixed-wing
interceptor-attack aircraft, making them potentially formidable adversaries
for the U.S. Navy's Carrier Battle Groups,'' Jane's said.
NATO defense officials said construction of the huge new Soviet carriers was
significant because they will match the firepower and clout of U.S. attack
carriers for the first time, although it will be the early 1990s before any
become operatmonal.
Jane's said it was believed the carrier now being built would be named
Kremlin.
Soviet pilots have been training for three or four years on a full-scale
carrier flight deck built of concrete an land at an air base in the Black Sea
region, Jane's said.
''The pictures clearly indicate that the (carrier) is being built in two
parts: the major portion measuring 871 feet in length, lies beneath the
shipyard's two giant overhead gantry cranes which have a combined lift of more
than 1,000 tons,'' Jane's said.
The vessel will measure 1,105 feet once its 871-foot bow and 234-foot stern
are joined together, Jane's said.
IFY(IS NF1>XiS Li
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0
Proprietary to the United Press International, August 7, 1984
''It will be twice as big as anything they (the Soviets) have got now,''
Coltart said.
''Analysts believe that (the stern) section will be floated out stern first
and mated to the remainder of the carrier by September-October 1985,'' Jane's
said.
LEVEL 2 - 6 OF 7 STORIES
Copyright @ 1984 The Center for Strategic and
International Studies, Georgetown University;
The Washington Quarterly
1984 Summer
SECTION: GENERAL ARTICLES; Val. 7, No. 3; Pg. 99
LENGTH: 9283 words
HEADLINE: Technology Diversion
BYLINE: Fred Asselin - Fred Asselin is on the minority staff of the Senate
permanent subcommittee on investigations under Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA.). The
views presented do not necessarily reflect those of the senator.
BODY:
Until November of 1983, the Microelectronics Research Institute in Capetown,
South Africa seemed to be a legitimate high technology enterprise. It had a
respected academician in a senior position and claimed to be adhering to United
States restrictions an the applications of militarily useful computers it
purchased in the U.S. Most important, MRI had been given a stamp of approval by
U.S. consulate officers in Capetown. They had visited the Institute and
concluded that it was everything it purported to be n1.
But appearances were deliberately misleading. In fact, MRI was secretly
owned by a 41-year-old Soviet KGB operative named Richard Mueller. A West
German and since 1979 a fugitive from American justice, Mueller had MRI arrange
for the purchase in the United States of a $1.5 million Vax 11/782 high speed
computer from the Digital Equipment Company. After receipt of the computer and
special production machinery used in the design and manufacture of militarily
critical semiconductors, Mueller had the cargo shipped from Capetown to Moscow.
However, last November, while the freight was still at sea, U.S. authorities
learned of Mueller's plan and were able to intercept the cargo at transshipment
points in Western Europe.
Mueller, a wealthy man who had mansions in Capetown and Hamburg, disappeared,
leaving behind his pretty blonde German wife Sieglinde, his Porsche, Mercedes
Benz 500, two Rolls Royces, a 120-meter swimming pool, tennis court and Steinway
piano and a stable of 100 East Prussian horses. Sieglinde Mueller told
reporters she didn't know where her husband was. He was reportedly last seen in
Vienna n2.
Disrupting Mueller's technology diversion scheme was seen as a big
achievement by American authorities. Treasury Secretary Donald Regan, whose
Customs Service agents had played a key role in interdicting the shipment,
LE)=115
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/11: CIA-RDP90-00845R000100570005-0