IS Approval

"To the Chair of the State Committee of Defense, comrade I.V. Stalin

On IS tanks

We present for your approval a GOKO decree project titled "On the production of IS tanks"
The project includes:

1. Adoption of the IS tank designed by comrade Kotin by the Red Army. The tank passed state trials and completely satisfies tactical-technical requirements.
2. Production of the IS tank at the Kirov factory, starting with 25 units in November and 75 units in December.
3. Production of an IS tank with a 122 mm D-25 gun (A-19 in tank form) in September.
4. Production of an experimental IS-152 SPG with a 152 mm gun-howitzer on the IS chassis by October 15th.
   Such an SPG, while having more powerful armour, will weigh no more than the existing SPG on the KV chassis (45.5-46 tons) and will have a faster speed.
5. Production of IS-152 SPGs at the Kirov factory, starting with 5 units in November and 30 units in December.
6. Due to IS tanks and IS-152 SPGs entering production, the KV-85 will be removed from production in November and SU-152 in December.
7. In order to further increase the armour and armament of tanks, the project proposes production of experimental 800 hp tank diesel engines in November and use of the current M-30 aircraft diesel in tanks with 1100-1200 hp power.

We ask for your approval.

L. Beriya

V. Malyshev

Y. Fedorenko

B. Korobkov

September 2nd, 1943"

RGASPI 644-2-211