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TOP SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
To The President - 2
When Mr. Dulles inquired where we had obtained our information, we
replied: "From your own and other elements of the national intelli-
gence system.
Two days later, August 8, when Mr. Dulles briefed the Senate Sub-
committee to which the CIA reports, the figures he gave that comit-
tee were the same as the figures he had originally given me.
The estimates he presented the Senate on August 8th are as follows:
The Soviets have fired many missiles up to 700 miles in range;
also many up to 1,000 miles. The total firings in these two
categories are estimated to be some 300.
So far the Soviets have accomplished 12 test firings of 1100
155mg and
miles, and are considered to be operational with this
missile this year.
The Soviets are known to have established a new 3500 nautical
mile test range
In the ICBM field, Russia is concentrating on a 5500 mile
missile, with a warhead which may weigh 5,000 pounds.
Six ICBM missiles have been launched to date, of which four
are known to have landed in the impact area.
It is estimated the USSR will have an operational quantity
of ten of these 5500 mile missiles some time during 1959.
They may have this capability some time in 1958.
From 2 to 3 years after the Soviets acquire these first ten,
they will have 500 operational ICBM's.
The picture of the Soviet test program, as indicated by Mr. Dulles,
finds the Soviet progressing from the basis of 12 IRBM test firings
and 6 ICBM test firings to date, to 500 operational ICBM's two to
three years from now.
The above presentation in itself is immediate ground for concern
that Mr. Dulles' figures are too low, because the short lead time
from this brief test schedule to 500 operational missiles two to
three years from now is incompatible with the program planned for
our own ICBM, the Atlas.
Electrostatic reproduction made
for preservation purposes by the
Eisenhower Library for replacement
TOP SECRET
of a deteriorating manuscript item.
SECURITY INFORMATION
Document source description
Letter to President Eisenhower from Senator Stuart Symington concerning the position of Soviets and long range missiles.
Page data
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Document data
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DTO data
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"ocrText": "TOP SECRET\nSECURITY INFORMATION\nTo The President - 2\nWhen Mr. Dulles inquired where we had obtained our information, we\nreplied: \"From your own and other elements of the national intelli-\ngence system.\nTwo days later, August 8, when Mr. Dulles briefed the Senate Sub-\ncommittee to which the CIA reports, the figures he gave that comit-\ntee were the same as the figures he had originally given me.\nThe estimates he presented the Senate on August 8th are as follows:\nThe Soviets have fired many missiles up to 700 miles in range;\nalso many up to 1,000 miles. The total firings in these two\ncategories are estimated to be some 300.\nSo far the Soviets have accomplished 12 test firings of 1100\n155mg and\nmiles, and are considered to be operational with this\nmissile this year.\nThe Soviets are known to have established a new 3500 nautical\nmile test range\nIn the ICBM field, Russia is concentrating on a 5500 mile\nmissile, with a warhead which may weigh 5,000 pounds.\nSix ICBM missiles have been launched to date, of which four\nare known to have landed in the impact area.\nIt is estimated the USSR will have an operational quantity\nof ten of these 5500 mile missiles some time during 1959.\nThey may have this capability some time in 1958.\nFrom 2 to 3 years after the Soviets acquire these first ten,\nthey will have 500 operational ICBM's.\nThe picture of the Soviet test program, as indicated by Mr. Dulles,\nfinds the Soviet progressing from the basis of 12 IRBM test firings\nand 6 ICBM test firings to date, to 500 operational ICBM's two to\nthree years from now.\nThe above presentation in itself is immediate ground for concern\nthat Mr. Dulles' figures are too low, because the short lead time\nfrom this brief test schedule to 500 operational missiles two to\nthree years from now is incompatible with the program planned for\nour own ICBM, the Atlas.\nElectrostatic reproduction made\nfor preservation purposes by the\nEisenhower Library for replacement\nTOP SECRET\nof a deteriorating manuscript item.\nSECURITY INFORMATION"
}