Editing Industrial espionage (section)

====Soviet {{Transliteration|ru|spetsinformatsiya}} system====
A secret report from the [[Military-Industrial Commission of the USSR]] (VPK), from 1979–80, detailed how {{Transliteration|ru|spetsinformatsiya}} ({{langx|ru|специнформация}}, "special records") could be utilised in twelve different military industrial areas. Writing in the [[Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]], [[Philip Hanson (civil servant)|Philip Hanson]] detailed a {{Transliteration|ru|spetsinformatsiya}} system in which 12 industrial branch ministries formulated requests for information to aid technological development in their military programs. Acquisition plans were described as operating on 2-year and 5-year cycles with about 3000 tasks underway each year. Efforts were aimed at civilian and military industrial targets, such as in the [[Petrochemical industry|petrochemical industries]]. Some information was gathered to compare Soviet technological advancement with that of their competitors. Much unclassified information was also gathered, blurring the boundary with "[[competitive intelligence]]".{{sfn|Hanson|1987}}

The [[Soviet military#The Cold War|Soviet military]] was recognised as making much better use of acquired information than civilian industries, where their record in replicating and developing industrial technology was poor.{{Efn|This may be explained by the fact that the defense industry was supported better than a civil one.}}{{sfn|Hanson|1987}}