From: utzoo!henry
Newsgroups: net.space
Title: computers aboard Russian shuttle 
Article-I.D.: utzoo.2165
Posted: Sat Jun 12 23:35:24 1982
Received: Sat Jun 12 23:35:24 1982

Remember that the computers that would have gone aboard the DynaSoar
would have been designed in the early sixties.  While there is no
doubt that the Russians are behind in computer technology, twenty
years gives a lot of leeway.

Furthermore, consider this.  Assume a fleet of a dozen shuttles (none
of this mucking about with four or five!).  Assume five computers per
orbiter.  Assume 100% spares allowance for the lifetime of the birds,
plus another 50% for simulators, testing, and software development.
That's a total of 150 computers.  I would give long odds that the
Russians could get (say) 150 68000's simply by buying them in the West,
using a few dummy companies to cover the ultimate destination.  Ditto
for the support chips.  Things like export controls are designed to
stop bulk buying for weapon systems and the like;  there is no way to
stop small-quantity smuggling of parts that are commercially available
across the counter.