The Washington times., 1938-02-25
ADMIRAL COOK
ASKS $50 MORE
NAVAL PLANES.
Describes Fleets Need
At House Inquiry

chief of naval aeronautics, told
the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee today.
His was the first testimony be-
fore the committee on the aviation
phase of the billion-dollar naval
expansion program.
SHARE FACILITIES NEEDED
Admiral Cook placed the total
cost of the proposed $50 additional
planes at $106, 100000. More
shore facilities would have to be
authorized and built before the
augmented naval air force could
operate, he said.
The increase would bring the
total number Of Navy planes to
8, 900.
Chairman Vinson CD of Geor-
gia, announced he would offer an
amendment to the pending bill to
permit the Secretary Of the Navy
to appoint a board Of five naval
officers to investigate the need
for additional submarine, destroyer
and naval air stations.
Regarding the value of planes in
battling an enemy fleet, Admiral
Cook testified:
Experience has proved that
airplanes in themselves are not
capable of operating independ-
emily over the vast area OF the
open sea.
PLANES NEED SHIPS
For this reason no fleet oper-
ating in the various sea areas,
at great distances from land, can
be assured of the vital assistance
afforded by airplanes unless it
provides within the fleet itself
the means of baSing and eff
GENTLY operating such airplanes.
"The offensive mission OF our
naval aviation, insofar as battle
ships are concerned, is not to
attempt to sink them, which
would require a terrific uneco-
nomical concentration of force
on only a few battleships, but
to severely injure all the battle
ships that their speed, maneu-
verabihty, as well as accuracy
and volume of gunfire, are suf-
ficiently reduced to give our own
battle line marked superiority"
One of the Navy's greatest needs
today is more patrol planes and
tenders Ito make them mobile so
they can accompany the fleet"
he declared.
PATROL PLANE BEST
"The greatest advantage OF
the patrol plane over the large
land plane bomber is that it can
operate from any reasonably
sheltered water and does not re-
quire large and specially pre-
pared landing fields which would
most probably not be available
in all areas of fleet operations"
the Admiral added.
"It is strongly recommended
that the first two years OF the
proposed construction program
be used to make up the serious
existing shortage in patrol
plane procurement for the 1910
and 1941 fiscal years will be ap-
proximately $12,00O,O0O to $15'-
600, 900 each year."
ECONOMY HIT
Representative Mas (RO OF
Minnesota. questioned Admiral
Cook as to the nations experiment
tai program.
1T is my estimation that this
country will lose its lead in av1a-
ton due to the fact foreign coun-
tries are making large sums
available for experimental pur"
poses," the Admiral replied,
pointing to the "inadequacy" OF
the present experimental pro-
gram.
Admiral" Mass said. "1 read
in the paper this morning that
the Navy and War Department
are in possession of highly con-
fidential' reports showing that
battleships can easily be Grip
pied by air attack. Does the
Navy possess such reports?"
TEST INCONCLUSIVE
81 talked with Admiral Leahy,
chief of naval operations, this
morning and he said the Navy
has no such report and that the
last time the Navy tested the
accuracy was five years ago on
the cruiser Pitts burg h." he
answered.
"Well I talked with the War
er,artr1nent and thev said they