PENTAGON OFFICIAL WARNS OF SOVIET DEFENSE ADVANTAGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100190025-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 28, 2011
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: February 21, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/28: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100190025-7
r'iR.Tr LF M?E'RED
WASHINGTON TIMES
21 February 1985
Pentagon official warns
of Soviet defense advantage
By Walter Andrews
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The Soviet Union is improving its
capability to deploy a nationwide
missile defense system in violation
of the 1972 ABM treaty, and the
United States should be prepared to
.make a military response, a senior
Pentagon official warned yesterday.
Richard Perle, assistant secre-
tary of defense for international
security policy, told the Senate
Armed Services Committee that,
"We plan to make the compliance
issue a significant element of new
arms control negotiations with the
USSR."
In prepared testimony, the assis-
tant secretary said, "We must now
create penalties for violations that
deny the benefits of the violations to
the USSR."
"By Penalties, I mean U. S.
responses ... [that) could involve
research, development or deploy-
ments which at least offset the
advantage obtained by the Soviets,"
said the official.
He said two new Soviet high-
altitude, anti-aircraft SAM missile
systems - the SA-10 and the
SA-X-12 - are now being deployed
and would have potential for
shooting down ballistic missiles if
combined with large, so-called assistant secretary said, "The Soviet
phased array radars. Union has violated almost all of the
American surveillance satellites most important arms control
have disclosed that the Soviets have agreements signed since 1963"
built six of these radars in ap arent The Standing Consultative Corn-
violation o the 1 7 treaty mission (SCC)setuptoresolve arms
"Because large radars take years to control disputes "has been largely
construct, the radar limitations are unsuccessful over the years in
its [the treaty's) core provision" the resolving compliance concerns," Mr.
Pentagcn's arms control specialist Perle said.
said in prepared testimony. For example, the official said the
The 1972 treaty limited each United States resolved the violation,
nation to one ABM system under the against the SALT agreement provi-
theory that a more stable peace sion of no more than one heavy
would be realized and a nuclear ICBM "by accepting the SS-19 as a
attack more readily deterred if each 'light' ICBM. There are now 2,000
side were equally vulnerable to mis- warheads aimed at us on SS-19 mis-
siles. siles."
Mr. Perle told the committee "at ::. - - -The Defense Department also has
this time, we are looking at a series determined that the Soviets have
of military response options to a flight-tested the SS-X-25 as their
Soviet ABM 'breakout.'." ' The second new ICBM "in violation of
res onse needed for the t e of the treaty limit of one new type," Mr.
Soviet breakouts " roiecte v the Perle said
intelligence communitywould-be He said the Soviets have flight-
expensive, he warne tested both a new medium, solid-
An American response "could fueled ICBM similar to the
mean reacting not only to clear evi- American MX and the SS-X-25,
dence, but also to ambiguous evi- which is similar to the U.S. Minute-
dence, because such evidence would man missile currently deployed in
probably be the only type we would silos.
get if the Soviets choose a covert "Moreover, they [the Soviets) have
deployment approach;' the official other new ICBMs under develop-
said. ment; and we are concerned that
In perhaps his most hard-hitting they, too, might violate SALT II limi.
statement yet on violations, the tations," Mr. Perle said.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/28: CIA-RDP90-00965R000100190025-7