Archive

Large scale document archive

1979 May 24 - 1988 Dec 7
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/2534
Soviet Union (Soviet military expenditure and capabilities) (Part 1)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2017 Dec 29
Classification: Top Secret
Page count: 218
Any docs withheld? 5
Themes: British relations with the Soviet Union, Foreign policy (USA), Foreign policy (USSR & successor states), Foreign policy (Central & Eastern Europe), Defence (general), Security services & intelligence

PREM19/2534 - download whole file (PDF, 233.32 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 21

Date Value Title
79 May 24 Th Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office letter to No.10 (Joint Intelligence Committee Reports) [external policies; sub-Saharan Africa; military expenditure; maritime forces; Lord Hailsham criticises UK's own naval policy by comparison to Russia's] [released Dec 2017]
79 Dec 17 Mo Major Soviet Union: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Carrington, Harold Brown, Frank Cooper, Robert Komer, others) [meeting with US Defense Secretary: UK defence policy; Soviet defence budget; Western allies' defence budgets; Soviet education & technology; chemical warfare; defence technology specialisation in NATO; naval strength; Western naval presence in Caribbean; USSR/China; Middle East/Asia; Oman; Diego Garcia; AV8B aircraft; US/UK defence contracts] [released Dec 2017]
80 Mar 17 Mo Major Soviet Union: Pym PS letter to Cabinet Office (Secretary of State for Defence's Briefing Meeting on Soviet Capabilities) [list of Ministers attending; clash with 3-line whip] [released Dec 2017]
80 Jul 2 We Major Soviet Union: Pym PS letter to No.10 ("Build Up of Soviet Forces") [report/analysis/advice] [released Dec 2017]
81 Jul 27 Mo Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office minute to MT (JIC Report: Soviet military expenditure 1970-1980 and the outlook for the 80s ) [summary; comment; distribution] [released Dec 2017]
81 Aug 3 Mo Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office minute to Private Secretaries ("Soviet military expenditure 1970-1980 and the Outlook for the 1980s") [JIC report] [released Dec 2017]
82 Apr 2 Fr Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ('Whence the Threat to Peace': Soviet response to US booklet 'Soviet Military Power') [summary/analysis; MT requests brief] [released Dec 2017]
82 Aug 26 Th Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office briefing for MT (East/West military balance: FCO/Ministry of Defence brief on Soviet booklet 'Whence the Threat to Peace') [points to make by way of response in MT speeches and Questions] [released Dec 2017]
82 Oct 8 Fr Major Soviet Union: John Nott minute to MT ("Intelligence Briefing for the Cabinet") ["I feel that the Cabinet should - indeed is entitled to - know more about the problems which we face in the defence field"; MT agrees] [released Dec 2017]
82 Nov 10 We Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("Presentation on Soviet Military Capability") [arrangements for John Nott's confidential presentation to Cabinet Ministers] [released Dec 2017]
82 Nov 17 We Major Soviet Union: No.10 minute to MT (Ministry of Defence Presentation on Soviet Military Capability) [MT requests special briefing, having missed the presentation for Cabinet Ministers] [released Dec 2017]
82 Dec 20 Mo Major Soviet Union: No.10 minute to MT (Soviet military threat) [MT requests overall assessment of UK ability to counter the threat] [released Dec 2017]
83 Mar 24 Th Major Soviet Union: Heseltine minute to MT ("The UK's Ability to Counter the Soviet Military Threat to the UK Base") [cover minute for attached MoD paper; MT has questions] [released Dec 2017]
83 Apr 15 Fr Major Soviet Union: No.10 briefing for MT (meeting with Heseltine to discuss his paper on UK ability to counter Soviet military threat to UK base) [MT's main concerns] [released Dec 2017]
83 Apr 18 Mo Major Soviet Union: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Heseltine, Bramall) ["The UK's Ability to Counter the Soviet Military Threat to the UK Base"] [released Dec 2017]
83 Apr 19 Tu Major Soviet Union: Heseltine PS letter to No.10 (SA-X-12 surface-to-air missile) [response to MT's request for information] [released Dec 2017]
83 Apr 25 Mo Minor Soviet Union: No.10 minute to Cabinet Office ("Soviet Union: No First Use of Nuclear Weapons") [JIC report: cover minute only] [released Dec 2017]
83 Sep 5 Mo Major Soviet Union: Cabinet Office minute to MT ("The Soviet Global Perception") [JIC report & its circulation] [released Dec 2017]
83 Oct 6 Th Minor Soviet Union: No.10 minute to Cabinet Office ("Soviet Union: Initiation of Nuclear Operations") [JIC report: cover minute only] [released Dec 2017]
85 Nov 28 Th Major Soviet Union: John Stanley PS letter to No.10 (Soviet ballistic missile defence activity) [MoD paper] [released Dec 2017]