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When
forming national security policy or conducting foreign affairs during
times of peace as well as war, our leaders need to know the military
capabilities and intentions of other nations. The Defense Intelligence
Agency (DIA) serves as the nation's chief collector and producer
of foreign military intelligence.
During
the Cold War, DIA analysis focused on the Soviet military. One product
of this effort was a series of illustrations depicting Soviet weapons
systems and advanced technology, which were made for official briefings
and publications. The artists and intelligence analysts who created
them drew upon eyewitness accounts, photography, overhead reconnaissance,
and other sources. Many of the illustrations remain classified.
Most
of the 12 paintings displayed here have never been seen in public.
They depict Soviet systems in four areas of Cold War competition:
manned space flight, offensive weapons, defensive weapons, and reconnaissance.
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