WEAPONS TEST CELLS IN THE USSR, CHINA, EGYPT, AND AUSTRIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05439A000500070023-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 2003
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: March 1, 1965
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070023-8
Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070023-8
 .mop( 4
S' P.q..
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION REPORT
USSR, CHINA, EGYPT, AND AUSTRIA
WEAPONS TEST CELLS IN THE
= G I
Declass Review by NIMA/DOD
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
D
___.r _. N Ine6n. twM:b
 Eight. usual configurations, identified as
weapons test cells, have been observed to date
at 6 sites. in the USSR, China, Egypt, and
Austria. In the USSR the test cells were ob-
served near Chapayevsk, Pavlograd, and Volsk;
in China, near Pai-cheng; in Egypt, near Cairo;
and in Austria, near Felixdorf (Figure 1-). Five
of the 6 sites have been associated`iirectly or
configurations as weapons test cells (formerly
termed "baffle grids") is based on the following:
a) the fact that all of them are located in areas
which also contain explosives /munitions plants
(the test cells in China are actually a component
of an extensive weapons /munitions test com-
FUNCTION# INTERPRETATION OF A WEAPONS TEST CELL
A weapons test -cell is used to test model
and. actual munitions with respect to the distri-
bution, range, and penetration of the fragments
or contained missiles in- various types of frag-
test cell are curved walls lined with, or con-
sisting of, witness plates which record the
distribution and/or penetration of missiles pro-
duced when the test device or munition is ex-
 25X1 D
TOP SEC
RET
ploded. The data can then be collected and
analyzed for the purpose of producing more
effective munitions as well as for determinating
criteria for their use. The design of the fa-
cilities, although basically simple, permits col-
lection of a maximum quantity of data per
detonation and in a form readily subject to
various forms of anlysis.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OBSERVED WEAPONS TEST
CELLS
The physical characteristics of each weap-
ons test cell observed in the USSR, China, and
Egypt are presented in Figures 2-7. A summary
of physical characteristics is presented in Table
1, which also includes the angles of arc in the
test cells.
Weapons Test Cells in the USSR
Three weapons test cells have been observed
in the Soviet -1 Union, 1 each near Chapayevsk
FIGURE 2. WEAPONS TEST CELL OBSERVED NEAR CHAPAYEVSK, USSR= The test cell was dism y
25X1 D
and Pavlograd, and 1 at the Central Chemical
Proving Ground, Shikhany, near Volsk. 2/
The test facility near Chapayevsk (Figure 2)
is visible on , but had
been dismantled by= the facility was located
2S nautical miles (nm) east-northeast of the
city. Chapayevsk is the site of Chapayevsk
Explosives and Munitions Loading Combines
309 and 15, Chapayevsk Chemical Plant 102, and
A second test cell (Figure 3) first seen on
photography, is located 6 nm
east-southeast of Pavlograd, which is also the
site of the Pavlograd Explosives Plant. The
test cell is located beside the northern end of
a long, narrow, cleared area that may be an
artillery or tactical rocket test range.
A third facility (Figure 4), located
approximately 10 nm west-northwest of Volsk,
n addition to numerous
TOP SECRET'
 Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070023-8
Next 1 Page(s) In Document Exempt
Approved For Release 2003/12/09 : CIA-RDP78TO5439A000500070023-8
 plant. The weapons test cell was first observed
on photography of This facility
differs from the others described in this report
in that 3 of the 5 arcuate segments apparently
have rectangular openings of various sizes which
may represent doors and windows. Any or all
of these openings would probably be covered
by witness plates during a test.
Weapons Test Cells in China
Three weapons `test cells (Figures 5 and 6)
appear to be integral parts of the weapons/
munitions test facility at Pai-cheng (Tao-an),
China. 5/ One test cell was present on photog-
raphy of 1 1 the other 2 1I
Two of the cells consist of
6 segments; the other cell has 5 segments.
. A small, revetted control building is located
between the pair of weapons test cells (Figure
5). This building was present in
At that time, a similar pair of test cells was
located approximately 2 nm to the east-north-
east; these test cells have since been moved
or abandoned.
 Weapons Test Cell in Egypt
The weapons test cell in Egypt (Figure 7)
is located within the secured area. of Plant 81
(Carne Huckstev Munitions Plant) which is ap-
on ^photography. Low oblique photography
of showed some or all of the segments
lying flat on the ground; the complete facility
with the segments erected was visible ott pho-
tography.of The Egyptian facility
differs from those in the USSR and China in that
it consists of only 4 segments, each pair of
25X1 D 25X1 D
Ground photography provides an additional
example of a weapons test cell located in
Felixdorf, Austria. This facility was designed
to test plastic hand grenades and the walls or
witness plates are located at distances of 2, 3,
and 5 meters from the point of detonation.
Figure 8 is a view of part of the test cell.
 Pavlograd, USSR
I
Volsk, USSR
Pai-cheng, China
(Test Cell No 1)
Pai-cheng, China
(Test Cell No 2)
Pai-cheng, China
(Test Cell No 3)
Cairo, Egypt
*The radii were measured to the center of the arcs, beginning with the arc closest to center-of the circle, then
next closest, etc.
"The angle of arc is that angle formed by two radii extended to the edges of the arc. The angles were
measured, in order, from the innermost arc to the outermost. -
***The heights given here are for the inner wall, the next 2 inner walls, and the outer wall, respectively. -
 TOP SE
:R ET
25X1 D
25X1 C
MAPS OR CHARTS
15th RTS. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0165-16HL, 3d ed, Jan 63, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
SAC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0234-22HL, 2d ed, Jul 63, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
SAC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0166-25HL, 3d ed, Aug 63, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
2nd RTS. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0447-12HL, 1st ed, May 62, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
ACIC.I US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0284-15HL, 2d ed, May 62, scale 1:200,000 (SECRET)
DOCUMENTS
1. No author given. "Martin-Orlando Begins Operation of Unique Armament Research Facility," Missiles and
Rockets, Vol 15, No 25, 21 Dec 64, pp. 32-34 (UNCLASSIFIED)
25X9 4-
5. NPIC. R-170/64, Test Facility, Tao-an, China, Max 64 (TOP SECRET
6. NPIC. Camp Huckstep Munitions Plant (Plant 81), Cairo, Egypt, Feb 65 (TOP SECRET
25X9
TOP SECRET