24 May 1962 – Report from Malinovskiy and Zakharov on Ministry of Defense proposals to reinforce the Group of Forces in Cuba
Top Secret
Especially Urgent
To the Chairman of the Security Council
Comrade N. S. Khrushchev
I hereby report:
I. On the possibility of sending reinforcements to Cuba via aircraft
1. On conveying special [nuclear] warheads for the Luna and R-11M missiles on airplanes.
A test was carried out at the range, as practical recommendations were worked out for transporting the special warheads for the R-11M missiles on an An-8 airplane, 2 each, and on an An-12 airplane, 4 each.
As regards transporting warheads for the Luna missile, their load options will be practically the same as for those for the R-11M missile.
Because there is no cargo hatch or means of attachment, conveying the special warheads on the Tu-114 airplanes will not be possible.
2. On conveying operational R-11M and Luna missiles on airplanes.
Practice runs were performed to load, attach, and transport R-11M and Luna training missiles on An-8 and An-12 airplanes, with the An-8 loaded with 2 Luna missiles or 1 R-11M missile, and the An-12 loaded with 2 Luna missiles or 1 R-11M missile.
3. The dimensions of the cargo hold and the capacity of the An-8 (5-8 tons) and the An-12 (7-16 tons) do not allow the air transport of launchers, special ground equipment vehicles, or the PRTB [mobile repair bases] for the R-11M and Luna missiles.
The Tu-114, in spite of its heavy lift capacity (up to 30 tons) and flight range (up to 8000 km), is poorly suited to transport the missile equipment, since it is not fully developed in its transport variant.
II. Ministry of Defense proposals to reinforce troops in the Group in Cuba
For the purpose of reinforcing the Group of Forces in Cuba, dispatch:
1. One Il-28 bomber squadron, consisting of 10-12 aircraft, to include delivery platform aircraft and support aircraft (jammers) with automobile-type PRTBs and six atomic bombs (407N), each with a yield of 8-12 thousand tons;
2. One R-11M missile brigade, consisting of three battalions (total people: 1221, R-11M missiles – 18) with PRTBs (people – 324) and 18 special warheads that can be stored by the PRTB;
3. Two to three Luna battalions, attaching them to the independent motorized infantry regiments that have arrived in Cuba.
Each Luna battalion will have 2 launchers and 102 persons.
With the Luna battalions, send 8-12 missiles and 8-12 special warheads.
Send one PRTB (150 persons) for purposes of preparing and storing the special warheads for the Luna missiles.
The above-listed Il-28 squadron, one R-11M missile brigade with PRTB and two to three Luna battalions with PRTB and missiles are to be sent to Cuba in the first half of this October.
The 6 atomic bombs, 18 special warheads for the R-11M missiles, and 8-12 special warheads for the Luna missiles are to be sent on the transport INDIGIRKA [on] this 15 September.
The Ministry of Defense has very recently conducted test firings of the S-75 air defense system against ground targets in the range in flat-terrain conditions, and achieved good results. Accuracy was ± 100-120 meters at a distance of 24 km.
Results of the trial calculations on the computer suggest a capability of also firing against seaborne targets with positive results.
In order to conduct fire on ground or surface targets, the S-75 systems already fielded require slight finishing work on the missile guidance control units using the resources of a factory crew, and for industry to fabricate certain additional equipment.
Marshal of the Soviet Union
R. Malinovskiy
6 September 1962
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