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 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110009-4

supplies are requisitioned through separate channels. Depots for general and special supplies are located throughout the country, with a greater density in western Czechoslovakia. Equipment is usually stored near each major unit to augment the unit or, in some cases, to supply new units in the event of mobilization.

Maintenance is performed at various organizational levels and is excellent in quality. At the individual level the responsibility of the soldier for proper care of his equipment is stressed, and—because the Czechoslovaks have high mechanical aptitude—the standards of individual use and care of equipment generally are better than those of other Warsaw Pact ground forces.

C. Air and air defense forces (S)

The mission of air defense of the country and tactical air support of the ground forces are the responsibility of the Directorate for Air and Air Defense Forces (referred to in open sources as Air Force and Forces of Air Defense—LVPVOS). This directorate is on a command level with the Czechoslovakian ground forces. The commander of the LVPVOS is a Deputy Minister of National Defense and is directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense.

The LVPVOS is divided into two operational commands—the 7th Air Defense Army (7th ADA) and the 10th Air Army (10th AA). The 7th ADA is comprised of fighter interceptors, surface-to-air missiles, antiaircraft artillery, and aircraft control and warning (ACW) radars. The mission of this command is to defend Czechoslovakia's territorial airspace against penetration by hostile aircraft and cruise missiles. Czechoslovakia is also charged with the defense of the air approaches to the U.S.S.R. under the overall supervision of Soviet Air Defense of the Homeland (PVO Strany). The primary mission of the 10th AA is to provide air support to Czechoslovakian ground forces through air superiority, interdiction, and close air support operations. In wartime this air army would operate as an extension of Soviet tactical aviation in a southwest front. The 10th AA probably also has the responsibility to support all air force operational units in training, administrative, and personnel matters. In addition, logistical, transportation, meteorological, and other air force support services are under the supervision of this Air Army.

Overall, the air defense of Czechoslovakia is good at medium to high altitudes. As the altitudes of penetrating aircraft are decreased, the problems of detection, tracking, and interception become greater. The reason for this weakness at low altitudes is the lack of effective low-altitude detection radars, surface-to-air missiles, air-intercept radars, and air-to-air missiles.

The ground support capability of the Czechoslovakian Air Force (CAF) is good. Within the CAF, priority for aircraft modernization has gone to air superiority, fighter-bomber, and reconnaissance regiments. As a result, Czechoslovakia has the most modern tactical air force of the non-Soviet Warsaw Pact countries, although it is numerically smaller than the Polish tactical Air Force.

1. Operations

For the purpose of air defense, Czechoslovakia equates to a Soviet air defense district and is a part of the overall Warsaw Pact air defense system. The country (district) is divided into two air defense divisions, the 2d Air Defense Division headquartered at Brno, and the 3d Air Defense Division with headquarters at Zatec. These divisions are arbitrarily designated the Eastern and Western Air Defense Zones, respectively. The Eastern ADZ encompasses the provinces of Moravia and Slovakia, and the Western ADZ covers the province of Bohemia. Subordinate to each zone are fighter and SAM regiments. The zonal headquarters coordinates all defense operations in its zone and provides communication facilities and warning information. The decision whether to utilize

'''FIGURE 8. Training on 82-mm M59 recoilless rifle (U/OU)'''

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110009-4