WASHINGTON--An Army sergeant stationed at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland was arrested yesterday on charges of attempting to deliver defense information to the Soviet Union, the FBI announced.

Sgt. Daniel Walter Richardson, 42, an instructor in the tank turret division at Aberdeen, was arrested shortly after noon at the Chesapeake House Holiday Inn in Aberdeen, the FBI said.

"Richardson is accused of attempting to deliver information relating to national defense to a representative of the U.S.S.R.," spokesman William Carter said, reading from a statement issued by FBI Director William S. Sessions and Maj. Gen. Harry E. Soyster, commander of U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, INSCOM.

Federal law enforcement sources speaking on condition of anonymity said the information involved was not classified and had to do with the tank turret division.

The sources also said that there was no Soviet at the arrest site. They said that Richardson evidently initiated the contact with the Soviets and that federal authorities monitored those contacts. As a result, a federal undercover agent set up a meeting with Richardson that resulted in his arrest.

It appeared that no information actually changed hands. One law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that if Richardson had actually delivered the information, that would have been in the charge.

Richardson, of Oakland, Calif., joined the Army in 1968. His specialty is tank turret repairman and he is qualified as an instructor. He is assigned to the 601st Ordnance Battalion, which is based at Aberdeen.

Lt. Col. John Chapla, a spokesman for the Army, had no information on other jobs Richardson has held in the Army or how long he has been at Aberdeen.

Richardson was being held at the Aberdeen Proving Ground "and will most likely have an appearance before a military judge within seven days," Carter said.

Asked if Richardson might face charges in a civilian court, Carter said it was more likely that he would be charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Under the Uniform Code, Carter said, Richardson is subject to being charged with violation of two specifications of Article 106A which deals with espionage; two specifications of Article 92, failure to report contact with a foreign government; Article 121, larceny of U.S. government property; and Article 108, unauthorized disposition of U.S. government property.

The most serious offense, espionage, carries a maximum penalty of death under the military justice code.

Carter said he did not know how long the investigation by the FBI and INSCOM had been going on prior to the arrest.