Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-13
NAVY AIR PROGRAM
NEARS COMPLETION
Fiscal Year Ending Next June
Concludes Five-Year
Appropriations.

program, designed to place this coun-
try's flying fleet" on a basis Of eff
cheney comparable with any in the
world, is entering its last stages, accord
ing to an official review of the program
issued last night by the Navy Depart
ment.
The program should reach its climax
with 1000 useful airplanes" in service
by June 80. 1881, the Navy Department
stated The fiscal year which began
this month is the last appropriating
year for the program, it was announced.
Deliveries of aircraft contracted for
during the present fiscal year should
be completed during the next fiscal
year, it was pointed out.
The five-year program is intended to
give the Navy full strength in all air
craft units contemplated under the
terms of the original treaty on limita-
ton of naval ornaments.
The program will give the Navy and
Marine Corps 667 operating and 1913
reserve planes of all types, including
training planes. When the program is
completed in 1882 it will be necessary
to purchase, each year, 333 planes of
all types to replace planes destroyed or
which become obsolete or worn out, in
order to maintain the treaty strength.
Now Operates 1928 Planes.
The close Of the past fiscal year two
weeks ago found the Navy with 1913
"useful airplaneS" on hand and 267 on
order For the current fiscal year ap-
preparations have been made available
for the purchase, at an estimated cost
of $12,3261 100, of SUFFICIENT airplanes
to give the Navy on hand or on order
1000 useful airplaneS on June 80, 1881,
after crash and obsolete wastageS have
Ialf faI
The five-year program includes not
only airplanes, but also the compile
ton of the two gigantic Navy dirigibles
now under construction at Akron, Ohio,
which will be the largest aircraft in
the world. Each will be nearly twice
the size of the Graf Zeppelin. From
the operation of these aerial giants the
Navy will determine whether dirigibles
should become part Of the permanent
national defenses.
The five-year program Is a carrying
out of the naval policy laid down fol-
lowing the original Limitation Confer
ence and which, in addition to the
dirigible program, includes the follow
ing air policies:
TO build non-rigid airships for de-
Velopment purposes only until their
usefulness shall have been proved.
To direct the principal effort OIL the
part Of the air service that Is to OPP
crate from the ships Of the feet.
To direct the development Of heavier
than-air craft principally toward spot
ting planes and toward torpedo,
bombing and scouting planes that can
operate from ships. To combine the
three later functions in one plane.
To develop q combat plane for use
from shtpboard.
To acquire combat planes only as
necessary for training and Tor current
requirements.
TO develop q scouting seaplane Of
long range for operations from a shore
base or from a tender.
To operate a spotting plane from
each capital ship and each modern
cruiser.
To determine by trial the practicable
tty and deSirability of operating add
tional planes from capital ships and
from cruisers.
To determine by trial the practical
bility and desirability of operating
planes from destroyers and submarines.
To give every possible encouragement
to aviation in civil life with a view to
advancing the art to provide aviation
available for war.
Year Behind Schedule.
The five-year program which was laid
down in accordance with this policy was
delayed a year by lack OF authorlza-
ton and appropriations from Congress
and now is nearing completion year
behind schedule, though the delay has
not resulted in any basic changes In the
program.
During the past fiscal year the Navy
has purchased a total of 423 airplanes
and 600 aviation engines. including all
experimental types. Aside from the ex-
perimental types the purchases included
$40 planes for the regular Navy and Az
for the Naval Reserve.
This number" the Navy Department
explained. lis somewhat larger than
the number originally estimated for.
The fact that more planes were pro-
cured without any increase in funds Is
due partly to small decline In prices
of certain types of planes, but mainly to
active competition and to the timely
exercise by the Bureau Of Aeronautics
of options contained in a number OF the
contracts covering both planes and en-
gines."
The total amount appropriated by
Congress for purchase Of airplanes for
the Navy during the fiscal years 1927
to 1880, inclusive, is So, 445, 500, &C
cording to the Navy Department
record The f1ve-year program called
for a total appropriation OF $65 .032,-
500 for these four years, so that the
amount APPROPRIATED 1OE puTCIldSc VI
planes under the first four years of the
program was 2,552,0o0 less than the
amount authorized.
1.-The increase from year to year
In the number of useful planes on
hand" the Navy Department stated,
''necessitates larger expenditures for
their maintenance, operation and re-
pair and for training operating per-
sonnet. Added facilities are conse-
uuently required, both ashore and afloat.
This is also true of the rigid-airship
program, in accordance with which one
airship Is now under construction and
O second is soon to be commenced.
ITO meet these growing demands
constant increase IN appropriations is
necessary. This increase must go on
until the fve-year program is COM
oleted and the existing shortage of
Flames required by the naval aero
.lautic organization is accordingly filled.
When the program is completed the
expenditures will stabilize, and steadily
increasing appropriations, both for the
purchase of airplanes and for their
maintenance, will not be required"