Western science helps Soviet military power

Press, 4 July 1983, Page 20

Western science helps Soviet military power

NZPA correspondent, London

The Soviet Union is steadily eroding the West’s lead in developing military high-technology weapons and communications systems, mainly by pirating new Western advances, according to the editor of Jane’s Military Communications Yearbook. “The irony of the situation is that the more advanced and sophisticated Western electronic hardware becomes, the easier it becomes for the Soviet Union to acquire it,” the editor, Mr Bob Raggett, noted in the latest edition of the annual. The Soviet Union is buying sophisticated Western commercial equipment that can be used by the military and stealing classified

circuitry through clandestine deals with Western entrepreneurs, he said. “Recent evidence has shown a great increase in illegal dealing. Advanced Western component and integrated circuit manufacturers ... have - discovered direct copies of their classified integrated circuit chips in Soviet electronic equipment.” Mr Raggett urged Western governments and defence establishments to intensify efforts to maintain their electronic edge. “Such is the speed of technological advance that it is not inconceivable that, if major funding and mani>ower effort were put into the exploitation of this technology,

by the end of this century electronic systems could render a nuclear attack by an unfriendly power virtually impossible.” Mr Raggett noted that command and communications systems, including electronic countermeasures to jam radio, radar and missile guidance frequencies, now play a vital role in military strategy and efficiency. He said Britain’s war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands last year has been hampered by the inadequacies of its military communications system.

The war also showed how poorly equipped Britain, a N.A.T.O. member, would be to wage a military campaign in Europe, he said.