Releases / 3 / CIA-UAP-011

The Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range

File

CIA-UAP-011

Type

Document, 3 pages

Agency

CIA

Date

December, 1973

Place

USSR

Released

Release 3, June 12, 2026

Open the original on war.gov

The government's description

This CIA Intelligence Information Report from December 1973 provides information on the Soviet Sary Shagan Weapons Testing Range, including details about its facilities, weapons systems (System-75 SA-2 and System-300/Aldan warheads), rumored laser weapon research, and unidentified aerial phenomenon observed at the site. A more redacted version of this report has been available on CIA's public website.

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THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT ~INALLY· fVALUATEC, lt-;lTHLICENCf
CON f 1 D f .N f I AL
REPORT NO.
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K- :5 1 1 / 0 l 6 ~ ~ · ••
DATE 0IS TR. . ?. [~ Dec emh~ r
1 '~ • •
COUN TRY • USSR
19;2 - ~6vemher 1973
D~
November
Sl•BJECT
The Sa ry Shagan .weapons Testing
Range
Ge rmany
ACO
SOURCE
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FIELD NO.
I former So,·iet cit i : en who se :- v,·.'.
Tins r eport )
I
Summ.. r}' : This report · provides limited inforution on the Sary
Sh agan weapons testing ·range , to• include facilities, work •reu,
se curity fencing, the regional headquar~ers (V/ Ch 03080). a,,d a
warhead checkout unit ( Vl'Ch 03142). Also included if li•i~H
information on the followina: System•7S [SA•2) and Syttea-300/
Aldan (ABM-1 GALOSH) \.arheads·: rumored laser resefn:h; ud aa
unidentifi ed aer i a l phenomenon. End of Sumaan. ·
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3910084- / -5

INTELLIGENCE

311/01638-77

10. Besides the System-75 SA-2] warheads, Site 4 also
checked the warheads for a missile(s) known a3 the System-300
and/or Aldan. (Field Comment: ‘.ource did not ow if Aldan was
another name for the Svstem-50' ris e, or if they were two
similar missiles.) The System-3(0/Aidun warnea fter being
checked at Site 4 were taken to Site 35 for launching. According
to rumor, the missile was for antimissile defense (orotivo

raketnaya oborona - PRO). (Field Comment: Source identified the
ysten-SU0TR dan missile in available reiérence material as the

ABM- 1/GALOSH.

li. The warhead for the System-300/Aldan missile was about
two meters long and 80 to 100 certimeters in diameter. The war-
head weighed approximately 400 kilograms, and it contained an
unrecalled number of black cassettes, 45 x 12 centimeters, which
housed an unknown number of metal balis (sharikii. Warheads for
the System-75 [SA-2] missile had approximately [00 grey cassettes,
30 x 7 centimeters, each of which heid about 200 to 300 metal balls,
each no more than 1.5 centimeters in diameter. (Field Comment:
Source had no knowledge regarding nuclear warheads. He opined
that all systems could be equipped with nuclear warheads. However,
Source stated all work done by his department was basically

experimental (opytnaya) .)

13. According to hearsay, experiments involving laser weapons
were being conducted at an unknown location at the range. Sup-
posedly, the tests involved powerful antennas (no further details).

14, On one evening in late Summer 1973, Source observed an

Ppa hh a,

OE TE ETP TH TIWARNING NOTICE - SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
FIRK-311/01658-77

-5-

unidentified phenomenon at Site 7. While watching a sport com-
petition between Canada and the: USSR on television, he stepped
outside for some air and observed an unidentified sharp (bright)
green circular object or mass in the sky. The object was situated
west of the site at’an angle of sighting of approximately 70
degrees. The altitude of the object was undeterminable. (Field
Comment: Although there were no clouds in the sky that evening,
Source believed that the green mass would have been higher than
cloud level. Source could not estimate the diameter of the
object.) Within 10 to 15 seconds of observation, the green circle
widened and within a brief period of time several green concentric
circles formed around the mass. Within minutes the coloring dis-
appeared. There was no sound, such as an explosion, associated

with the phenomenon. (Field Comment: Source had no opinion as
to what this phenomenon was. IheYTé was no resultant rumors.

Source could not provide any further details.)