Directorate T is the arm of the KGB that focuses on scientific and technological intelligence. Its foreign operation arm is known internally as Line X[1].
Background[]
By the 1970s the gap between Soviet and Western technology had increased to the point that Soviet technology was a significant step behind the Americans. In order to redress the balance, the KGB was charged with obtaining any and all information relating to Western technology.[2]
According to the files given to the French secret service by Colonel Vladimir Vetrov, a KGB Directorate T defector, by the early 1980s the KGB had 100 Line X officers based at 10 Western embassies, utilizing a network of 100 informants.
Line X[]
Oleg Burov
Based abroad, Line X is the foreign arm of Directorate T,
Officers[]
Currently the only credited staff belonging to Line X is Oleg Burov;
| Oleg Burov | Head of Line X at the Rezidentura. Son of the Russian Minister for Railways. |
Operations[]
Based out of the Rezidentura, Line X is portrayed on The Americans as a vital part of the Soviet foreign intelligence network. Oleg is shown to be receiving a great number of valuable scientific and technological intelligence from America.
Intelligence[]
Some of the intelligence received by Line X;
- A data dump from ARPANET (proto-internet, at the time used only by academic and military institutions)
- Plans for Nuclear X Laser Anti-Ballistic Missile Ray
- Propeller blueprints
- The ECHO program
- Samples of radar-masking paint