IDENTIFICATION OF WARSAW PACT NUCLEAR DELIVERY AIRCRAFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000700230001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 28, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 23, 1975
• Content Type: MEMO

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23 January 1975
Identification of Warsaw Pact
Nuclear Del veLZ Aircraft
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Conclusions
a.. The size of the nuclear strike elements of
Warsaw Pact Frontal Aviation evidently is more de-
pendent on pilot training and qualifications than
aircraft characteristics Although there are about
700 Soviet aircraft in t NATO Guidelines Area
(NGA) assigned to units ,..gat have a nuclear tole,
recent intelligence information and analysis indi-
cates that only some 300 of the pilots in these
units are--according to Soviet standards--qualified
to fly nuclear strikes. As such, the Pact apparently
does not have a group of specially dedicated or con-
figured aircraft in the NGA that is directly comparable
to NATO's nuclear dedicated air forces. This seriously
complicates the problem of identifyinn and enumerating
Pact nuclear air elements if they are to be considered
for arms control purposes.
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This memoran um was prepared in the Office of
Strategic Research of CIA and inform aZl reviewed b 25X1A9A
analysts in the Defense Intelligence 1 ::1
who concur 'n its ccnclusions. Com-
ments and queries may be addressed to
view completed
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5. Recent Pact defectors have also testified
that nuclear delivery within Soviet tactical air
regiments is -i "squadron" mission.
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6. Most: Warsaw Pact coutl,al- aircriCl in the NATO
Guidelines Area are probably tr;clhnica.1..1y capable of
delivering nuclear weapon,; (see figure llowc!ver,
only some 700 of these aircraft are ass' clned to units
The significance
of the new analysis is that accord a.rig to Soviet
standards only a portion of the pilot,.:,, in these
units--perhaps 300 in all--are qualified to fly nuclear.
strike missions.
7. This conclusion has .important arms-control
implicatir. e . It indicates that the Warsaw Pact probably
does not have a group of :;pucia.L i.y dcd:i.cat-c'i and c:r.~nf i. Jug c ci
aircraft for nuclear delivery that. compares to NA'.CO's
nuclear dedicated air forces. NA'.I'O assigns particular
aircraft nuclear missions and fits them with unique
nuclear weapons control devices. In contrast, the
Warsaw Pact apparently assigns nuclear missions to
particular pilots in its tactical ai.r units rather than
aircraft.
8. Accordingly, the task of isolating those
elements of Pact tactical aviation earmarked for the
nuclear delivery mission to serve as the basis for
reductions or ceilings on tactical nuclear weapons is
seriously complicated.
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4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
Total
Aircraft
Inventory
Figure 1
Pact Nuclear Delivery Air Forces
in the NATO Guidelines Area
Aircraft
With
Technical
Nuclear
Capabilities
'mac I ear
Qua__-" :ed
Pi _o t- s
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Approve
Aircraft
With
Probable
Nuclear
Missions