THE ROLE OF THE SOVIET DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENSE FOR ARMAMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 2, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
25X1
DATE / J,7 /~' f/L E Central Intdligcrxe AFncy
DOC NO. 1-~ cf~' d Da3~
OIR
P &PD I
Directorate of Intelligence
2 May 1986
The Role of the Soviet Deputy Minister of Defense for Armaments
Summary
The deputy minister of defense for armaments is the central authority in
the Soviet Ministry of Defense (MOD) for supplying the Soviet Armed Forces and
security troops with armaments and related equipment. The deputy minister Is
responsible for functions that in the United States are handled by the
Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Logistics, and the chiefs of the
service material commands. His office coordinates the planning, development,
production, testing, supply, storage, and repair of all armaments and related
equipment deployed with Soviet troops. It also monitors scientific research
work in Soviet science institutions in order to find and sponsor promising new
technologies for military applications. To carry out this mission, the deputy
minister oversees a number of main directorates, each concerned with a
different category of weapon system or component. He also works with the
deputy commanders in chief for armaments of the branches of service who
oversee the armaments personnel in the field. The current deputy minister of
defense for armaments is Army General Vitaliy Shabanov, a former
radioelectronics industry expert who has been deputy minister of defense since
1978. F-1 -
As one of the best-informed persons on military equipment in the USSR,
the armaments chief is an important adviser on arms control issues. His
office is represented at arms control negotiations and is probably responsible
for keeping chief Soviet arms control decisionmakers aware of technical issues
involved. As the main procurement coordinator for Soviet arms and equipment,
the armaments chief is closely tied to both military and industrial interests
and is probably a conservative force in major arms control negotiations. F-] 25X1
This memorandum was prepared by Defense Industries
Division, Office of Soviet Analysis. Comments and queries are welcome and may
be directed to Chief, Defense Industries Division
SOY M 86-20038
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
The deputy minister is also key in the Soviet bureaucracy for the
acquisition of weapons-related technology from abroad. He or his
representatives help assess the value of the various foreign weapon designs or
production technologies collected and make recommendations on their
incorporation into Soviet designs or production processes. Other activities
in which the armaments chief is involved include coordination of weapons
acquisition in the Warsaw Pact alliance and arrangement of foreign sales. F
Centralizing the authority and responsibility for armaments in one
individual provides a number of advantages to the Soviets. As the focal point
in Soviet arms procurement, the deputy minister of defense for armaments helps
the Minister of Defense to:
o Conserve scarce resources through coordination of weapons
development programs.
0 Coordinate military doctrine and armaments technology.
o Standardize weapons and equipment across branches of services and
throughout the Warsaw Pact.
o Raise--through training and propaganda--the level of technical
knowledge and thus combat readiness in the Armed Forces.
o Assess the potential military threat to th USSR posed by new and
developing foreign weapon systems.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
The Role of the Soviet Deputy Minister of Defense for Armaments
Marshal Kulikov wrote in 1975 that "people and armaments' are the two 25X1
main components of the Armed. Forces." As the primary representative of the
Minister of Defense in the field of armaments, the deputy minister of defense
for armaments coordinates all aspects of the planning, procurement, supply,
and repair of armaments and related equipment of the Soviet Armed Forces.
Information on the activities of the office of the deputy minister of
defense for armaments is difficult to obtain. Much of the analysis contained 25X1
in this report therefore has been derived by piecing together occasional
references in open-source materials
. Analogies to similar organizations, such as the MOD 25X1
Rear services or a armaments procurement structures of the non-Soviet Warsaw
Pact nations, have also played a key role in this analysis. 25X1
Evolution of the Armaments Position
The position of the deputy minister of defense for armaments dates back
to 18 November 1929, when leronim P. Uborevich was appointed the first Chief
of Weapons of the Red Army (Raboche-Krest'yanskaya Krasnaya Armiya, or
RKKA). At that time, the Soviets were reestablishing the Armed Forces and
were planning the production of military equipment under the first Five-Year
Plan. A June 1982 article in the Soviet Military Historical Journal described
the position of Red Army Chief of Weapons ashaving responsibility and
leadership over all questions of artillery, chemical warfare, and chemical
support. He supervised all weapons matters for the Air Forces and the
motorized-mechanized troops, and performed inspector functions for the Navy.
The new Chief of Weapons was also in charge of the central artillery,
chemical, and military-technical directorates as well as the Military
Scientific Resear2ch Committee of the Revolutionary Military Council
(Revvoyensovet.)
In the middle and late 1930s, increasing demands were placed upon Soviet
weapons acquisition as the Civil War began in Spain and as German military
power grew. Ostensibly in search of greater effectiveness (although more
likely because of Stalin's plan to purge his officer corps), a major
reorganization of the Soviet Armed Forces took place in April 1936. The
position of Chief of Weapons (held since 1931 by Marshal Mikhail N.
Tukhachevskiy) was abolished and his functions assigned to other Red Army
components, such as the newly created General Staff. During World War II the
provision of armaments to the front temporarily became a task of the Rear
Services. F-1
1 According to the Soviet Militar Enc~yclopedias the term "armaments"
vooruzheniye) includes weapons and related equipment of all types as well as
the means of their introduction, establishment, and control within the units
of the Armed Forces. F-1
2 The Revvoyensovet is an organizational antecedent to the Soviet Ministry of
Defense Collegium. F7
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
After the war, the Soviets reorganized their military structure to take
account of the lessons learned in combat. To monitor the reconstruction of
the defense industrial base and to oversee the creation of such bases in
Eastern Europe, the post of deputy minister of defense for armaments was
recreated in 1948 and assigned to Marshal of Artillery Nikolay D.-Yakovlev,
previously head of thS Main Artillery Directorate (Glavnoye Artilleriskoye
U ravleni a or GAU). Soviet accounts of World War II indicate tat
Ya ov ev's ability to procure and supply artillery equipment and ammunition
had impressed both Stalin and Marshal Zhukov during and after the war.
The early 1950s marked the beginning of a tremendous drive in Soviet
science and technology. Mitrofan I. Nedelin, head of GAU during 1948-50,
became deputy war minister for armaments in 1952. Nedelin played a leading
role in the development of nuclear and rocket technologies. Shortly after
Stalin's death in March 1953 (while Soviet strategic doctrine was in flux), he
was transferred to a command position in artillery; but in 1955, as Khrushchev
began to consolidate power, he once again became deputy minister of defense
for armaments. After the creation of the Strategic Rocket Forces (SRF) in
1959, Nedelin served concurrently as SRF Commander in Chief (CinC). Nedelin's
armaments position appears to have been temporarily left vacant after his
accidental death in 1960.
In addition to the armaments post, there also has existed at times the
position of deputy minister of defense for radi oe l ectroni cs. The first public
identification of this position was the appointment of Admiral Engineer Aksel'
I. Berg in September 1953. We do not know the exact functions of this
position, but the Soviet Militar Encyclopedia credits Berg with "great
service in outfitting s ipso the Soviet Navy with the latest radio apparatus
and in the development of radar equipment for the USSR." Berg was replaced-in
1956 by Colonel General A. V. Gerasimov.
In 1964 the position of deputy minister of defense for radioelectronics
was abolished. Gerasimov became deputy chief of the general staff for
armaments and apparently assumed both radioelectronics and armaments
responsibilities. At this point it appears that all central direction in the
field of armaments was absorbed into the General Staff and that procurement
for the individual service branches may have been accomplished by
organizations directly subordinate to the branches themselves.
Colonel General (later Marshal of Signal Troops) Nikolay N. Alekseyev was
named deputy minister of defense for armaments in 1970. During World War II,
he had been chief of a department of the main artillery directorate, and he
served as chief of the Scientific Technical Committee of the General Staff
from 1960 to 1970. His appointment reestablished the position of armaments
chief and seems to have marked a major reorganization of the defense
procurement apparatus. At this point, responsibility for coordinating weapons
3 GAU was a predecessor to several of the main armaments directorates that
exist today. F__~ 25X1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
leronim Petrovich Uborerich. Chief of
Armaments of the Workers and Peas-
ants Red Army, 1929-31
Mikhail Nikolayevich Tukhachevskiy.
Chief of Armaments of the Workers
and Peasants Red Army, 1931-36
Nikolay Dmitriyevich Yakorlev. Depu-
ty Minister of Defense for Armaments,
1948-52
Aleksandr Ivanovich Berg. Deputy
Minister of Defense for Radioelectron-
ics, 1953-56
Anton Vladimovich Gerasimov. Deputy
Minister of Defense for Radioelectron-
ics, 1957-64, then 1st Deputy Chief of
the General Staff for Armaments,
1964-70
Nikolay Nikolayevich Alekseyev. Dep-
uty Minister of Defense for Arma-
ments, 1970-80
Mitrofan Iranorich Nedelia. Deputy Vitally Mikhaylovich Shabaaov. Dep-
Minister of Defense for Armaments, uty Minister of Defense for Arma-
1952-53, 1955-60 f; ments, 1980-present
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
procurement appears to have been largely removed from the services and again
The current deputy minister of defense for armaments, Army General Vitaly
M. Shabanov, was formerly a deputy minister of the radio industry: 25X1
Ustinov's choice o a 25X1
ra ioe ec ronics industry expert probably reflects the need to fill this
position with someone knowledgeable in the bureaucratic politics and
industrial processes of defense production. Shabanov's appointment probably
also illustrates the increasing importance of radioelectronics in modern
Soviet weaponry. Furthermore, Shabanov's election to full membership on the
CPSU Central Committee in June 1983, an honor not accorded his predecessor, is
probably an indication of the growing perception on the part of the Soviet
leadership of the need for better coordination of defense acquisition. His
election to the Central Committee is part of a policy commenced under Brezhnev
of-granting political prestige to those involved in weapons production.
Structure and Missions
As deputy minister of defense for armaments, Shabanov serves as a member
of the MOD collegium, a consultative body composed of the first deputy and
deputy defense ministers that advises the Minister of Defense. As the focal
point for all weapons procurement matters, Shabanov also works frequently with
the ministers and representatives of the defense industries, officials of the
Military Industrial Commission (VPK), and high-level officials of the State
Committee for Foreign Economic Assistance (GKES).
Shabanov and his staff are based in Moscow, where they coordinate an
extensive apparatus for weapons procurement. This centralized apparatus
includes several MOD-level organizations as well as a large number of
armaments supply depots, repair facilities, and other MOD enterprises
designated to provide technical and armaments support to the branches of the
The armaments chief controls a number of MOD-level main directorates (see
appendix B) that monitor R&D, production, storage, supply, and repair of
4 Procurement directorates previously subordinate to the General Staff
were placed directly under Alekseyev. It is unclear whether the main
directorates subordinate to the services were also placed immediately under
the supervision of the deputy minister. Nevertheless, responsibility for
coordinating the work of all these directorates was entrusted to him at that
time.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
specific types of equipment for the Armed Forces.5 A deputy to the armaments,
chief heads a Scientific Technical Council (NTK), which probably consists of
highly trained engineer-officers and leading academicians from universities
and institutes. This council advises the deputy minister on weapons-related
technical problems. We believe that the armaments chief also maintains a
staff, which prepares documents, calls meetings, and otherwise acts as a
permanent secretariat to the chief and the NTK.
Procurement of military equipment is probably coordinated with the
branches of service through the deputy commander in chief for armaments (the
exact title varies) of each branch. The deputy CinC for armaments monitors
all research and production activity for his service and serves as an adviser
to the CinC on technical matters.
Storage, maintenance, and servicing of weapons in the field are also
coordinated with the deputy CinCs of each branch of service. In the Air
Forces and the Air Defense Forces field management is carried out by a
separate deputy CinC, while in the Strategic Rocket Forces, the Ground Forces,
and the Navy the some deputy may be responsible for overseeing both
procurement and field management. These deputy CinCs, while immediately
subordinate to their respective CinCs, appear to receive technical direction
from the deputy minister of defense for armaments.
Planning
Individual Weapon Systems. Weapons planning in the Soviet Armed Forces
is a complex process involving representatives from organizations subordinate
to Shabanov, the General Staff, the five branches of service, and the Rear
Initiating Requirements. I Inew weapon
concepts may evolve within the military, within industrial institutes, or
elsewhere in the economy. Concepts in which interest has been indicated
either by MOD officials, the Politburo, or its advisory body for national
security affairs, the Defense Council, are probably reviewed for technical
feasibility by the main directorate responsible particular type of
equipment. if the concept is
considered ease e, the main armaments directorate will probably draft formal
technical requirements. These requirements specify such factors as size
constraints, weight or displacement, pro up lsion characteristics, necessary
special materials and logistic support.
5 in addition to
the central-level weapons procurement organizations there are counterpart
organizations within some of the branches of service as well. These
counterparts include the 5th Directorates of the Navy and the Air Forces
(electronics), and the Mine Torpedo Directorate and Rocket Artillery
Directorates of the Navy. With the exception of the Naval Mine Torpedo
Directorate, whose product is applicable only to the Navy, these service-level
counterparts probably work with the MOD-level main directorates to produce
equipment required exclusively by that service.
a
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
At the same time, the idea is probably reviewed by the main staff -of the
branch of the service for which the weapon is intended. If the main staff
agrees that the proposed system meets operational needs, it will compose
tactical requirements for the system and pass these back to the main
directorate. tactical
requirements include factors such as speed, endurance, durability, intended
types of operations and theaters, manning levels, and, for delivery systems,
the tYPes of w apons and electronics systems to be included in the proposed
system.
Formulation of the final weapon requirements, known as the Tactical-
Technical Requirements (taktiko-tekhnicheskoe trebovaniye, or TTT), is
probably completed by the main directorate and submitted back through the
service main staff and up to the deputy CinC for armaments of the service.
then probably passes the requirements to the service CinC for approval.
Checking for Standardization and Efficiency. At the same time that the
requirements are receiving final approva by the service, they are probably
passed to Shabanov. He and his staff check to ensure that weapon and component
requirements have been standardized to the greatest extent possible.
Standardization facilitates weapon design, production, and servicing, and,
according to Chief of the Rear S. K. Kurkotkin, "constitutes one of the
principal directions taken to improve the organization of production and the
military goods supply systems, to increase efficiency of economic support of
the troops; and, consequently, Armed Forces combat readiness as well."
Shabanov's lone experience in defense industry management likely helps him in
Shabanov's office probably also checks to make certain that all possible
economies (that would not affect product quality) have been included.
Shabanov's mandate to keep costs down gives him a somewhat unique role in a
sector sometimes considered to have a blank check for its weapons wish
lists. The fully approved proposal is probably then submitted through the
General Staff for incorporation into the Five-Year Plan for the Development of
the Armed Forces, the military portion of the national Five-Year Plan (see
section on national planning below).
Soviet students of military science frequently make the claim that
technology drives doctrine-- that the pressing advance of science and
technology opens doors to the discovery of new battlefield-approaches. In the
course of acquisition planning, the deputy minister of defense for armaments
is likely an active consultant to those on the General Staff who formulate
military doctrine.
Involvement in the National Planning Process. In addition to
coordinating the planning of in ivi ua weapon systems, the deputy minister of
defense for armaments is a central figure in the national defense planning
process. Although specific information on Shabanov's participation in this
process is scarce, analogy to the Polish system suggests that it is he who
coordinates the formulation of those portions of the Soviet one-year, five-
year, and long-range defense plans that deal with weapons.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
armaments planning process is initiated by the deputy minister of defense for
armaments and the General Staff, who solicit proposals from the armaments
directorates and the military commands regarding current weapons requirements
and future requirements for R&D and capital investment. Similar plans are
generated by other military! components as well, such as the Rear Services and
the Engineering Troops.
The task of the deputy minister of defense for armaments is to prepare,
on the basis of policy guidance that originates with the Soviet Defense
Council, an integrated requirements plan for the weapons and combat equipment
needs of the entire Soviet military, in Poland 25X1
this preliminary plan of requirements must describe in detail every weapon and
type of equipment. Timetables and financial estimates must be included. The
plan deals with weapon supply, R&D, industrial expansion and mobilization
reserves. Formulation of this plan is coordinated with the mobilization plan,
long-range, has one or more variation, with a justification for~each. 25X1
After the compiled requirements plan has been reviewed by the deputy
minister of defense for armaments and approved by
passed to Gosplan. 25X1
eas> > ities Ind limitations, and then submits it to the VPK for 25X1
consideration. The VPK, in consultation with the deputy minister of defense
for armaments, reviews the plan to ensure that it does not call excessive
demands on the defense industrial base. The VPK-approved version is then
returned to the deputy defense minister and the General Staff, who, after
reviewing it once more, submit it for signature to the Minister of Defense.
The signed plan proposal is then forwarded to the Defense Council for
approval. F___] 25X1
Formulation of the military budget proposal is accomplished by the
Central Finance Directorate, which is attached to the General Staff. The main
armaments directorates draft budget proposals for armaments, and submit them
to the Central Finance Directorate. In the Polish case, two representatives
from the equivalent of the office of the deputy minister of defense for
armaments are assigned to the directorate. Their participation in this
organization allows them to press the case for devoting increased proportions
of the military budget toward weaponry.
6 During the 1960s, the armaments requirements plan was prepared by the
General Staff. When Alekseyev was transferred from his position as Chief of
the General Staff Scientific Technical Committee to become deputy minister of
defense for, armaments in 1970, he appears to have taken this planning function
with him. u
7 When the requirements plan is revised and accepted by Gosplan, it becomes a
formal "supply plan." It is unclear, however, whether Gosplan reviews the
entire plan or rather just a list of the resources required to meet it.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Monitoring Weapons Procurement
Oversight and Tasking of Basic Research. The deputy minister of defense
for armaments uses the Section on Applied roblems of the USSR Academy of
Sciences to monitor basic and applied scientific research performed by Academy
institutes. We believe that the Section, although formally attached to the
Presidium of the Academy, is actually directly supervised by the deputy
minister, and that it is the coordinating body for all plans concerning MOD-
related research and development projects undertaken at Academy facilities.
We believe that the primary function of the Section on Applied Problems
is to screen and evaluate Academy of Sciences research proposals for possible
military sponsorship, and to task promising basic scientific research. When
Section personnel have identified Academy of Sciences projects of interest,
military representatives of the main directorates are assigned to Academy
facilities to monitor program timetables, aid project officials in obtaining
necessary supplies and funds, and ensure adherence to technical standards and
procedures. Thus, the deputy minister is probably the focal point for
coordinating the development of new military technologies and weapon
concepts.
Development, Production, and Testing. The main directorates subordinate
to the MOD armaments chief are the central customer-agents in the weapons
acquisition process. As the bridge between the Ministry of Defense and the
defense industries, the main directorates follow the procurement process from
the generation of requirements to the delivery and storage of weapons for the
troops in the field. Specifically, the directorates:
Issue the tactical-technical requirements for weapons.
Monitor design and engineering.
Test prototypes.
Negotiate prices and contracts and handle payment.
Monitor quality during series production.
Operate ranges and facilities for testing equipment.
Accept produced items on behalf of the services.
Store and maintain finished weapons and equipment in specially
designated depots throughout the country.
Supervise the repair and modification of armaments and equipment in
special military repair plants. F-1
8 This may not be the case for all types of equipment. In the Air Force, for
instance, repair plants appear to be the responsibility of the engineering
aviation service. F__1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Interactions of the Deputy Minister of Defense for Armaments
First Deputy Minister of Defense. Chief of General Staff (Vice Chairman
of Collegium)
First Deputy Minister of Defense. Commander in Chief Combined Armed
Forces, Warsaw Pact
First Deputy Minister of Defense for General Matters
Depute Minister of Defense and
Commander in Chief for Strategic
Rocket Forces
Deputy Minister of Defense and
Commander in Chief for Ground
Forces
Deputy Minister of Defense and
Commander in Chief for Air
Defense Forces
Deputy Minister of Defense and
Commander in Chief for Air Forces
Deputy Minister of Defense and
Commander in Chief for Naval
Forces
General
Staff
Service
Headquarters
Deputy
Commander
in Chief for
Armaments
Section on Applied
Problems Attached
to the USSR
Academy of
Sciences
Defense
Industry
Ministries
Quahry Control
Test
Ranges
Deputy Minister of Defense for
Rear Services
Deputy Minister of Defense for
Civil Defense
Deputy Minister of Defense and
Chief of Main Inspectorate
s leputy Minister or Defense for
irmstaests
Deputy Minister of Defense for
Construction and Troop Billeting
Deputy Minister of Defense for
Cadres
Scientific
Research
Institutes
Military
Representatives
Defense
Industry
Facilities
Military
Industrial
Commission
State
Planning
Committee
Program Control Budgeran Control
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Much of this work is accomplished by means of military representatives
assigned to institutes, design bureaus, and production, test, and repair
facilities throughout the Soviet Union. The military representatives
communicate military needs to the managers at plants and research facilities
while keeping the MOD informed about technological developmenjs with mi itary
application, and of industrial capabilities and shortcomings. 25X1
The deputy minister of defense for armaments himself becomes involved
with these military representative teams on occasion. Historical evidence
shows that when Nedelin was deputy minister of defense for armaments, he
participated actively in the oversight of defense industries. In his
biography of Nedelin, SRF CinC Chief Marshal of Artillery Tolubko says that
the late deputy minister "systematically became involved in the creative
activitiy of the design offices and the manufacturing plants," and that he
"met regularly and worked jointly with the scientists, designers, engineers,
test officers, and many other people" who were involved in the procurement and
production of nuclear weapons. 25X1
Storage, Repair, and Modernization. Personnel of the main directorates
continue to ave some res onsi i ' ent even after it has
been delivered. once armaments and 25X1
equipment are delivered, they are stored by the representatives of the main
directorates in special depots until distributed to the units. Careful
accounting is kept on the quantity and condition of equipment in storage. 25X1
After the equipment pment has been released from the depots to the troops, it
becomes'tthe responsibility of the main directorates when it requires capital
repair. Armaments and equipment requiring capital repair are returned to
repair plants or mobile repair bases where the work is monitored by military
representatives of the MOD. 25X1
A further key responsibility of the main directorates is the upgrading of
weapons and equipment, which according to Soviet military writings, improves
their performance capabilities, extends their life and allows standardization
for routine maintenance. Upgrading usually appears to be undertaken when the
equipment has been submitted for capital repairs. Smaller improvements may be
accomplished during routine m intenance under the supervision of main
directorate personnel. 125X1
10 The Soviets divide repair into three categories: light, medium, and
capital. Light repair, which includes scheduled maintenance and simple fixes,
is performed at the company, battalion, and regimental (or equivalent)
level. Medium repair, which includes the replacement of two or more major
assemblies, is performed at the division or army level. Capital repair, the
most serious
i
l
,
nvo
ves complete disassembly and rebuilding.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Armaments in the Field. Technical supervision of the storage,
maintenance, and servicing of Soviet armaments in the field appears to extend
organizationally from the deputy minister of defense for armaments down
through deputy CinCs in the services to at least regimental level- in the
ground armies. At each echelon in the ground armies, there is a_deputy
commander for armaments who controls the distribution, maintenance, and repair
of armament and equipment, as well as a deputy commander for technical affairs
who performs the same functions for armored and other vehicles. In the Navy,
there are deputies for armaments and repair at the fleet, flotilla, and
squadron levels. The Air Forces have deputy commanders for the engineering
aviation service at the divisional air forces and air armies echelons. We
believe that each deputy is immediately subordinate to his commander but is
also subordinate in substantive matters ue the armaments mananomant 'adder.
ooperative network with the rear services and other organizations at each
echelon.
According to the Internal Service Regulations of the USSR Armed Forces,
the deputy for armaments maintains all the records on parts and equipment,
investigates equipment malfunctions, and monitors the condition and status of
weapons and equipment. In addition, he coordinates actions with subordinate
units, implements the commander's orders and policies, and advises the
commander on all matters pertaining to the status and combat readiness of the
unit's equipment. During war, the deputy for armaments keeps current with the
needs of the units in the field and supervises the supply of new equipment and
the collection and limited repair of damaged equipment. The deputy commander
for technical affairs has the same responsibilities with regard to armored and
25X1
25X1
25X1
The deputy commander for armaments and the deputy commander for technical
affairs supervise personnel belonging to special technical services across the
branches of the Armed Forces and keep them in a state of readiness. According
to the Soviet Military Encyclopedia, a service (sluzhba) is a system of
established organs of direction and military formations intended for the
supply and servicing of the Armed Forces according to their specialties.
Services responsible for the supply and servicing of armaments include the
Armored Vehicle Service, the Engineering Aviation Service, the
Missile/Artillery Armament Service, the Auto-Tractor Service, and others. At
each echelon, the deputy for armaments and the deputy for technical affairs
have deputies who are chiefs of the applicable services. The deputy minister 25X1
of defense for armaments occasionally becomes directly involved with armaments
in the field through inspection tours of military installations and units.
banov, for example, travelled to visited Afghanistan in February 1980. 0 25X1
The deputy minister of defense for armaments has also been a strong
advocate of increasing the technical skills of the units in the field. Both
Shabanov and his predecessor Alekseyev have authored several articles in
military journals on the need for better, more thoroughly trained troops
because of the higher technological levels of the equipment being introduced.
e
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
in a ion, a armaments organizations operate within
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Innovation by the troops in the field is also a concern of the armaments
chief. An August 1978 article by Alekseyev in Equipment and Armaments claims
that "in the first two years of the Tenth Five-Year an alone, more than two
million efficiency proposals by young innovators have been1Ytilized in the
national economy, and a cost benefit of 2.4 billion rubles has been obtained
from the introduction of these proposals." For this reason the deputy
minister of defense for armaments works closely with the MOD Department of
Inventions to arrange innovation competitions and Exposition such as the
annual entral Exposition of Scientific and Technical Creativity of the Young.
Ancillary Functions
Arms Control Inputs. The armaments chief and his staff are key technical
advisers to Soviet policymakers on arms control matters. When the first
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) began in 1969, Colonel-General
Alekseyev, then chief of the Scientific Technical Committee of the General
Staff, participated as a delegate. He continued through fall 1970, when he
was appointed Deputy Minister for Armaments. At that time Lieutenant General
Konstantin A. Trusbv, Alekseyev's deputy who had followed Alekseyev from the
General Staff to his new position, replaced him at the talks. One Soviet
delegate to the talks commented that Alekseyev continued to participate in the
talks from Moscow "only indirectly," but another Soviet delegate noted that
supervision of the negotiations for limitations on antisatellite weapons was
one of Shabanov's responsibilities.
Shabanov has also participated in the extensive Soviet media compaign
against the US Strategic Defense Initiative, and probably acts as an advisor
on possible Soviet responses to the SDI. In a July 1985 article in Izvestiya,
for example, Shabanov charged the United States with seeking military-
technical superiority over the USSR and warned that "if Washington does not
take reasonable ships to curtail work in this direction, the Soviet Union will
have no alternative but to take countermeasures."
Coordination of Warsaw Pact Armaments. The Soviet deputy minister of
defense for armaments plays a role in Warsaw Pact weapons acquisition through
the Pact weapons planning organization, the Technical Committee. Headed by a
Deputy CinC of the Warsaw Pact, Soviet Colonel-General Ivan A. Fabrikov, the
Technical Committee conducts studies on future technical developments in the
Warsaw Pact armies and coordinates within the framework of the-Warsaw Pact the
,n
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
25X1
25X1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
scientific research and development activities necessary for equippin the
non-Soviet Warsaw Pact nations with modern, standardized weaponry. 25X1
the deputy defense ministers with 25X1
responsibility for arms procurement from each of the Pact countries serve on
the Military-Scientific Technical Council, which is attached to the Pact
deputy CinC for armaments. In the Soviet case, this would be Shabanov or a
representative of his office. The Council's task is to study and make
recomnendat the most important proposals prepared by the Technical 25X1
Committee.
Foreign Sales. In addition to his responsibilities for domestic and non-
Soviet Warsaw Pact weapons acquisition, the deputy minister of defense for
armaments monitors Soviet procurement of armaments and related equipment for
foreign sales as well. He also appears to participate in the negotiation of 25X1
sales of turnkey military production facilities and technologies to other
countries although this may be in an advisory capacity. In March 1984, for
example, ihabanov accompanied the late Minister of Defense Ustinov. on a trio
to India
an institute was created in the 25X1
Main ip ui ing Directorate, for which the armaments chief has
responsibility, which designed and provided actual assistance in the 25X1
construction of foreign shipyards, particularly in socialist allied countries
such as Cuba. It is likely, therefore, that Shabanov is actively involved in
discussions relating to the transfer of production capabilities as well as
with problems in domestic production intended for home use. 25X1
Technology Transfer. Acquisition of foreign technology frequently allows
the Soviets to shorten leadtimes in the development of new systems, to cut
costs by avoiding expensive mistakes, and to develop some systems that might
otherwise be out of reach of Soviet industry. Despite these advantages,
however, the acquisition of foreign technology (legally or illegally) is an
expensive and time-consuming task. Before the decision is made to devote
manpower and other resources toward acquisition, the requirement for a
particular item or a set of plans from abroad is carefully scrutinized. 25X1
The deputy minister of defense for armaments participates in the
technology transfer decisionmaking process through his membership on the
Interagency Commission on Intelligence Information. This commission was
created by an order of the VPK in 1979. Its mission is to organize the study
and utilization of Western technology acquisitions. In addition to the deputy
minister of defense for armaments, other members of the Commission include
representatives of the defense industry ministries
Participation of the armaments chief and his representatives on this
commission affords the MOD another way to influence future development of
defense capabilities. They are able to review new types of foreign production
processes for possible acquisition for defense industry facilities. They are
also able to influence the channeling of acquired weapons or technologies to
industrial institutes or institutes of the main armaments directorates, where
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
the advanced materials and technolo ies used in these arms can be studied by
industrial or military experts. ~ 25X1
Wartime Responsibilities. In the event of general war, the deputy
minister of defense for armaments would be responsible for ensuring the
continuous flow of armaments and equipment to the fronts at a greatly
increased tempo. Military representatives of the MOD main directorates are
responsible during peacetime for ensuring that sufficient reserves of
production materials are maintained at all plants that contribute to the
defense effort. They also make sure that contingency plans for wartime
production are available. Should war break out, the main directorates would
help direct any planned relocation of industries and provide instructions for
new modes of production. 25X1
In addition to overseeing the work of the main directorates during
wartime mobilization, the deputy minister of defense would also serve as a
liaison to the Main Organization-Mobilization Directorate and the Main
Operations Directorate of the General Staff, providing status reports-on
armaments su lies and performance from the deputy commanders for armaments in
the field. 25X1
12 25X1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
Appendix B
Identified MOD Main Directorates
Responsible for Armaments
Main Directorate
4th GUMO(a)
5th GUMO
12th GUMO
Main Rocket Artillery
Directorate (GRAU)
Main Directorate for
Rocket Armaments
and Equipment (GURVO)
Main Directorate for
Space Resources (GUKOS)
Responsibilities
Air defense weapons
Electronics
Nuclear warheads
Tactical missiles and artillery
Strategic missiles
Space boosters, satellites
Main Auto-Tractor Directorate (GAVTU) Military transport vehicles
Main Armor Directorate (GBTU) Tanks, armored vehicles
Main Shipbuilding Directorate (GUK) Warships, submarines
UI Organization
(a) GUMO is the Russian abbreviation for glavnoye upravleniye, or main
directorate.
25X1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
SUBJECT: The Role of the Soviet Deputy Minister of
Defense for Armaments
External Distribution
1 -- Darryl Garrett
Senior Policy Analyst
Office of Science and Technology Policy
1 -- Ambassador Jack Matlock
Soviet Affairs Senior Specialist
National Security Council
1 -- Dr. Paul J. Berenson
Special Assistant for Assessments and
Executive Office for Defense Science Board
Department of Defense
1 -- Donald C. Latham
Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Command,
Control and Communications
Department of Defense
1 -- Major General Schuyler H. Bissell, USAF
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence
Department of the Air Force
1 -- Lt. General Sidney T. Weinstein
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence
Department of the Army
1 -- Rear Adm. William 0. Studeman
Director of Naval Intelligence
Department of the Navy
1 -- Ambassador Morton I. Abramowitz
Director, Bureau of Intelligence and Research
Department of State
1 -- Robert Baraz
Director, Office of Analysis for the Soviet Union
and Eastern Europe
Department of State
1 -- William D. Howells
Director, Office of Political-Military Analysis
Bureau of Intelligence and Research
Department of State
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
1 -- Raymond Firehock
Chief, Intelligence Division
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Department of State
Room 7802, Headquarters
OCR/DDI Rep
25X1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3
SUBJECT: The Role of the Soviet Deputy Minister of
Defense for Armaments
Internal Distribution
NIO/USSR-EE
NIO/GPF
NIO/SP
NIC/AG
D/OSWR
C/PES
DDI Registry
CPAS
OCR
D/SOVA
DD/SOVA
EXO/SOVA
C/SOVA/ES/CIB
C/SOVA/DEIG
DCtSOVA/DEIG
C/SOVA/DEIG/DID
C/SOVA/DEIG/DID/ITB
C/SOVA/DEIG/DID/SPB
C/SOVA/DEIG/DID/DMB
C/SOVA/DEIG/DED
C/SOVA/NIG
C/SOVA/NIG/EPD
C/SOVA/NIG/DPD
C/SOYA/RIG
C/SOVA/RIG/EAD
C/SOVA/RIG/TWAD
C/SOVA/SIG
C/SOVA/SIG/SFD
C/SOVA/SIG/SPB
SOVA/DEIG/DID:1 (2 May 1986)
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/24: CIA-RDP86T01017R000605510001-3