New missile threat

Press, 15 July 1986, Page 20

New missile threat

By Tony Catterall in Bonn mobilise 200 divisions for a war, with another 55 divisions coming from its allies.

The Soviet Union in introducing highly accurate short and medium-range missiles with conventional warheads which present a new threat to Western Europe, according to a classified report to the Bonn Government. General Altenburg says the Western alliance does not need to fear a Soviet attack at present, not least because of the risks involved for Moscow. But the extent of the Soviet Union’s armaments, which exceeded what is needed for defence and to maintain its position as a world power, makes possible the planning of a short conventional war in Europe — in which the risks are calculable.

It has also greatly improved the quality of its weapons systems. the Soviets themselves speak of a “second revolution” in the military area, General Altenburg says, to which the new missiles, warheads, and tank armour belong. A German Defence Ministry spokesman confirms that the report, leaked to the Right-wing “Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung” newspaper, is “essentially correct.”

But he adds that General Altenburg also presented "recommendations, on the traditional line of improving conventional defence to raise the nuclear threshold.”

The basic goal of Moscow’s "regional military superiority” is to achieve political influence in Europe, if necessary by blackmail through the threat of using military force. The Soviet Union possesses the greatest fully mechanised army in the world, being able to

The Inspector-General of the Bundeswehr — the Chief of Military Staff — General Wolfgang Altenburg, says in a report that the new warheads would allow a surprise attack deep into West German territory.

An accuracy of up to about 10 metres in the near future for missiles with a range of about 950 km could not be ruled out, he told a German Cabinet meeting. Independently targetable nonnuclear warheads for the SS-21 and SS-23 missiles were already available, says General Altenburg’s report, which was leaked last week.

The new warheads, the report maintains, will allow the Soviet Union to take out airfields and command centres in a surprise attack.

The report also speaks of a new tank armour developed by the Soviet Union.

About 30 per cent of the approximately 26,000 Warsaw Pact tanks stationed in East Germany have been equipped with the new armour, which could not be penetrated by the West’s Milan, Hot, and Tow antitank missiles.

Copyright: London Observer Service.