'WEAPONS NEVER BEFORE SEEN’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31169, 20 September 1966, Page 15

'WEAPONS NEVER BEFORE SEEN’

(N.Z.PA. Reuter —Copyright) PRAGUE, September 19. Soviet, Czechoslovak, Hungarian and East German troops go into action near Prague today in Warsaw Pact military manoeuvres which will include the use of weapons never before seen in public.

On the eve of the , week-long manoeuvres ! yesterday, the East • German newspaper. “Neues Deutschland.” said Russia had developed completely new weapons with previously undreamtof powers of destruc- ! tion.

The newspaper said the weapons were part of Russia’s system of air, rocket and cosmic defence, but gave no further details. It has been announced in Prague that weapons not previously seen in Communist military parades will be used

in the exercise—aimed at testing the whole range of Communist defence-preparedness in Europe. The exercise—described in Prague as Europe’s biggest since the Second World War will be geared to the “flexible reaction” strategy of N.A.T.O. planners in West Europe and the possibility of a limited nuclear attack from the West. AIR EXERCISES Though the manoeuvres will centre on the Bohemian salient of Czechoslovakia —between the West German and Austrian frontiers —organisers deny there is any intention of ‘ “sabre rattling.” Air exercises will range ! over the whole of Czechoslovakia. with Czechs and Soviet

airmen flying 1800 m.p.h. MiG 19s and 21s, SU7 low altitude bombers and ANI2 heavy transports. The manoeuvres will include paratroop drops, action in “nuclear - contaminated areas.” landing operations and emergency grouping and dispersal of forces.