In early 2017, the National Cryptologic Museum Foundation facilitated the receipt and transfer to the National Cryptologic Museum of three large different Soviet missile telemetry processing units provided to the U.S. by Russia as required by the “Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) that was implemented by the U.S. and Russia starting in 1994 and continued through 2009. Russia provided this equipment to the U.S., and the NSA used the equipment to process telemetry data magnetic tapes provided directly by Russia to the U.S. on certain ICBM and SLBM tests they conducted.
The three equipment units are unique in that they were built by Russia prior to START and included Russian language documents, extensive Russian spare parts, and training for U.S. personnel. This material was also provided to the NCM. Click here to view/download a 10-page PDF document by Richard Bernard about the background and project plan for the START telemetry processor exhibit.
In September 2017, the new exhibit opened in the Cold War section of the NCM. See photos below and click on each for a larger image.
* We are grateful to NCMF member Dick Bernard (In Memoriam Registry honoree) for taking the lead in obtaining these unique items for the Museum.
