CW/BW Threat Weapon Effectiveness Assessment
Filename:0500memo.90
31 DEC 1990
U-70,350/DB-6E
THRU: DB-6
TO: OICC
INFO: DT, DB-8
SUBJECT: CW/BW Threat Weapon Effectiveness Assessment
1. On 31 December 1990, DB-6E representatives participated in
a meeting at DNA hurriedly called (the night before) by CRDEC
to address the threat posed and means of predicting/evaluating
the effectiveness of potential and real Iraqi chemical and
biological weapon attacks of US/allied forces and facilities.
An agenda is attached enclosure 1. [ (b)(2) ]
2. DIA has been asked specifically to provide the following
data [ b.2. ] to CRDEC by COB 2 January 1991:
a. Confirmation of or changes to DIA message DTG 212155Z
September 1990, subj: Iraqi Chemical Munitions Characteristics
Baseline. (enclosure 2)
b. Reference pg. 2 agenda, para. 1. matrix "Set of Rows". (CW
& BW weapon systems.)
(l) Most prevalent system; which one is most apt to be
employed or has most munitions (i.e, "CW projectile: 122 mm
howitzer or 152 mm gun)?
(2) For system identified above, what is the employment mode
anticipated (i.e., for the 122 mm howitzer, battalion three
volleys over a square kilometer)?
c. Comment on availability and use of
(l) CW: "Cocktail," Binary, V-type agents.
(2) BW: Anthrax, Biotoxin
3. Comments to [ (b)(6) ], [ (b)(2) ] or [ (b)(6)
], [ (b)(2) ] by COB 2 January 1991 would facilitate a
timely reply. (Followed up with something in writing.)
2 Enclosures a/s [ (b)(6) ][ (b)(2) ]
271800ZSEP90
SUBJ: IRAQI CHEMICAL MUNITION CHARACTERISTICS BASELINE,
CORRECTED FORMAT (U)
REF: DIA/VP MSG. DTG 212155Z SEP 90. SUBJ: IRAQI CHEMICAL
MUNITION CHARACTERISTICS BASELINE (U)
1. (U) IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION DESERT SHIELD AND TO PROVIDE A
CONCISE BASELINE INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT OF THE IRAQI CHEMICAL
WEAPON (CW) THREAT THE REFERENCE WAS PRODUCED CONTAINING A
COORDINATED SUMMARY OF KNOWN, REPORTED AND POSSIBLE IRAQI CW
SYSTEMS AND THEIR FILL AGENTS. THIS INFORMATION IS BEING USED
BY THE ARMY'S CHEMICAL RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGINEERING
CENTER (CRDEC) FOR FURTHER THREAT ASSESSMENT. IN TRANSMITTING
THE REFERENCE MESSAGE THE FORMAT OF THE DATA TABLES WAS
COMPRESSED. THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS THE PROPERLY FORMATTED
INFORMATION.
A . CHEMICAL WARFARE ( CW ) WEAPON SYSTEMS .
KNOWN IRAQI CHEMICAL FILL AGENTS
SYSTEM GA GB GF HD CS D-HD
MISSILES:
SCUD B ( FN1. ) - P X X - -
AL HUSAYN ( FN1 ) - P X X - -
AL ABBAS ( FN1 ) - P X X - -
AIR-DELIVERED:
250-KG BOMB X X X X - X
500-KG BOMB X X X X - X
90-MM
ROCKET(FN2) - - - X
ARTILLERY:
130-MM - X - X X
152-MM(FN1) - X X P X
155-MM(FN3) - X X X - P
ROCKETS (MRL):
122-MM(FN1) X X X X - P
122-MM WITH
CANISTER(FN4) - X P X
MORTARS:
82-MM - X - X X
120-MM - X - X X
B. ESTIMATED WEAPON SYSTEM FILL WEIGHTS, KILOGRAMS.
KNOWN IRAQI CHEMICAL FILL AGENTS
( ALL WEIGHTS ESTIMATED )
SYSTEM 6A 6B 6F HD CS D-HD
MISSILES:
SCUD B(FN1) - 512 530 596 - -
AL HUSAYN( FN2 ) - 69 71 80 - -
AL ABBAS(FN2) - 189-241 196-249 220-280 - -
AIR-DELIVERED:
250-KG BOMB 47 47 47 55 55
500-KG BOMB (106) (108) (101) (125) - (125)
) 90-MM ROCKET - - - UNK - -
ARTILLERY:
1.30-MM - 1.6 - ( 1.9 ) UNK -
1.52-MM - 3 3 ( 3.5 ) UNK -
155-MM - 3 3 (3-5) - (3-5)
ROCKETS ( MRL ):
122-MM (3.1 ) (3.1) (3.1) (3.6) - (3.6)
122-MM WITH
CANISTER (FN3) - 8-10 8-10 ( 9-12 ) - -
MORTARS:
82-MM - UNK - UNK UNK -
120-MM - 1.6 - (1.9) UNK -
NOTES:
(FN) EQUALS FOOTNOTE.
(FN1) - FILL WEIGHT BASED ON 300-KM RANGE.
(FN2) - FILL WEIGHT BASED ON 600-KM RANGE.
(FN3) - THE WARHEAD FOR THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN STRETCHED TO ACCOMMODATE
THE ADDITIONAL FILL AGENT CANISTERS.
( ) - THE FILL WEIGHT FOR THESE SYSTEMS IS UNKNOWN. THE VALUES, IN THE
TABLE, IN PARENTHESES, ARE ESTIMATES BASED ON SIMILAR USSR CW SYSTEMS.
UNK - THE FILL WEIGHT FOR THESE SYSTEMS IS UNKNOWN AND THERE IS NOT A
SOVIET EQUIVALENT.
C. DESCRIPTION OF KNOWN IRAQI CW FILL AGENTS.
GA - TABUN, SEMIPERSISTENT NERVE AGENT.
GB - SARIN, NONPERSISTENT NERVE AGENT.
GF - GF, SEMIPERSISTENT NERVE AGENT.
HD - SULFUR MUSTARD, PERSISTENT BLISTER AGENT.
CS - CS, RIOT CONTROL AGENT, NOT CONSIDERED A CW AGENT BY THE U. S.
D-HD - DUSTY SULFUR MUSTARD, BLISTER AGENT. DUE TO ITS SMALL DROPLET
SIZE ( 1-5 MICRONS ) DUSTY MUSTARD CAN PENETRATE THE PROTECTIVE
ENSEMBLE. NEAT SULFUR MUSTARD HAS A DROPLET SIZE OF 200-500 MICRONS.
D. POSSIBLE IRAQI CW FILL AGENTS.
IN ADDITION TO THE KNOWN AGENTS DESCRIBED IN SUBPARAGRAPH C., IRAQ IS
BELIEVED TO BE DEVELOPING A VX-TYPE NERVE AGENT. THE NECESSARY
PRECURSOR CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ SINCE 1988 TO PRODUCE UP TO 200
METRIC TONS ( MT ) OF VX. ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT KNOWN WITH CERTAINTY THAT
VX HAS BEEN PRODUCED, IT IS ASSESSED THAT UP TO 10-20 MT COULD BE
AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY. REPORTS ALSO INDICATE THAT PHOSGENE OXIME (CX),
A SEMIPERSISTENT BLISTER AGENT, MAY BE STOCKPILED. THE SIZE OF CX
STOCKPILE IS UNKNOWN.
2. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS MESSAGE WAS COMPILED WITH DATA
AND ANALYSIS FROM [ (b)(2) ]
). THE TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ACTION IS [
(b)(6) ], [ (b)(2) ].
NOTES:
(FN) EQUALS FOOTNOTE.
(FN1) - BINARY AND/OR UNITARY FILLS.
(FN2) - HELICOPTER DELIVERED.
(FN3) - PREFERRED WEAPON FOR ARTILLERY CHEMICAL ATTACKS.
(FN4) - THE WARHEAD FOR THIS IRAQI SYSTEM HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO
ACCOMMODATE 2 OR 3 CANISTERS OR BOTTLES CONTAINING CW AGENT. THE
WARHEAD MAY EITHER CONTAIN CANISTERS OF SIMILAR CW AGENT OR A MIXTURE
OF CANISTERS WITH DIFFERENT AGENTS. THIS LATER CASE IS SOMETIMES
REFERRED TO AS A COCKTAIL.
X - MOST LIKELY FILL.
P - POSSIBLE FILL.
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