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the equipment and space needed for research. In this way, more graduate engineering personnel have been drawn into industrial installations.
Reliable statistics on the supply of scientific and technical manpower are not available. In 1966 an estimated 18,000 were employed in various types of governmental research institutes. Mid-1968 publications from East Germany indicate that about 100,000 graduates from universities, polytechnical schools, and trade schools were employed in research and development activities at 1,800 research centers. Approximately 23,000 of the workers with diplomas from higher schools were employed by industry in research and development. During 1965 the Academy of Sciences employed about 12,000 workers, nearly 3,000 of whom were scientists with professional degrees.
The number and quality of research facilities vary greatly depending on the field of science. Most of the institutes employ 10 or less full-time employees. Some of the AW institutes are well equipped, while research institutes at the universities generally have insufficient equipment. Chemical research facilities appear to be adequate for the level of the research effort, although modern, well-equipped facilities are lacking for research in certain aspects of organic and inorganic chemistry related to production. The research equipment associated with nuclear physics is of high quality and sufficient for the limited research being done. Good quality facilities are available for research in solid-state and plasma physics.
D. Major research fields
1. Air, ground, and naval weapons (C)
Since World War II East Germany has not attempted indigenous development and production of air, ground, and naval weapons and has conducted very little military-related research. The country lacks the manpower and diverse research and production facilities needed to undertake any major weapon system development program. Aside from small arms, nearly all weapons used by the military forces are of foreign design and manufacture. There is no evidence of significant growth in ground or naval weapons developmental capability nor on any aeronautical system development, although some significant research and development are being accomplished on certain support equipment.
A post-World War II attempt to reestablish an aircraft industry was abandoned in the early 1960's with the collapse of an indigenous jet transport development project and the phase-out of licensed production of Soviet transport aircraft. Since that time, only aeronautical research of an academic nature has been carried out in institutes and schools located primarily in East Berlin and Dresden. Although some residual capability in aerodynamics and structures may exist, the absence of any important development programs has diverted most of the remaining engineers into other fields. The only effort in the aircraft field consists of the maintenance and overhaul of fighter and support aircraft of the air force and transports of the state airline, INTERFLUG. There is some glider and amateur aircraft design and construction in progress, but these activities are not significant in terms of a national capability.
East Germany lacks the scientific and technical manpower and the diverse research and production facilities necessary to undertake an independent native guided-missile program. Under Soviet supervision, some research was performed on rocket motors suitable for small tactical missiles. Although there has been no well-defined propulsion technology program, work is underway in related fields. The chemical industry is contributing to the development of propellants by its research on fluorine, hydrazine, ammonia, and a variety of nitrates. Work related to solid propellants includes the study of binders and the effects of ultrasonics.
Naval design and construction has shown neither originality nor conspicuous success. The country designs and constructs its own naval craft mainly in the patrol, minesweeping, and auxiliary classes and has developed a class of sophisticated gas-turbine submarine chasers. In general, all armament is of Soviet origin, although navigation radars for naval use are domestically designed and produced.
East Germany is capable of producing conventional slow-speed diesel propulsion units up to 8,150 horsepower for merchant vessels and has developed a successful series of higher speed diesels for naval use in minesweepers and patrol craft. Research is being conducted on a crosshead-type diesel to run on cheap residual fuels. Research and development on gas turbines, including marine applications, has resulted in one operational gas-turbine propulsion system for naval use, but only after 10 years of frustration.
The East Germans appear to have a large, clearly defined organization for ship construction research and development, primarily directed toward merchant ship production, although a major deficiency in the lack of extensive model test facilities. There is, however, a modest model test basin at Marquardt, near Potsdam, and the Institute for Shipbuilding,
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R00020011022-9
