File: 970312_aaded_01.txt
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SUBJECT: USAF INTEL IRAQ'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS
(CW) FOR A DESERT ENVIRONMENT - INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC
23 OCT 1990
MEMORANDUM FOR AF/SG
SUBJECT: Iraq's Efforts to Improve its Chemical Weapons (CW) for
a Desert Environment - INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
This memorandum responds to your request for
information on efforts by Iraq to improve persistency of its CW
agents in the desert.
[(b)(1)sec 3.4(b)(1)]
Iraq has
succeeded in improving the properties of its nerve agents. The
nerve agents have apparently been enhanced to increase their
persistency in desert environments. In addition, they reportedly
have been made more stable, thus increasing their shelf-life.
The report does not specify how the Iraqis improved
the persistency of their CW [(b)(1)sec3.4(b)(2)]
we believe [(b)(1)sec 3.4(b)(1)]
was referring to the Iraqi capability to produce
GF which, unlike the other nerve agents Iraq has available (tabun
and sarin), is semi-persistent and can last up to twenty-four hours
in a hot environment.
At the end of the Iran-Iraq war, the shelf-life of
Iraqi nerve agents was limited to only a few weeks. This problem
was caused by impurities left over during chemical processing.
With the help of foreign companies, the Iraqis have been able to
produce binary sarin weapons, which can be stored indefinitely.
[(b)(6)]
JOHN P. CASCIANO, Col, USAF
Acting Assistant Chief of Staff
Intelligence
cc: CV
CVA
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