Evening star., 1939-11-23
THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON
u. S. Anti-Aircruft Defense
insufficient to Guard Capital
Despite Projected Expansion, Civil
Authorities May Be Forced to Defend Cities

tion at attitudes of 5000 to 10000
feet and of light caliber guns to
fight low-fying aircraft.
Frees Aviation for Offensives.
The anti-aircraft artillery, he
pointed out, performs the same mis-
sion for the Air Corps that coast
artillery performs for the Navy
to release aviation from defense
missions and enable its concentra-
ton for offensive action.
1t is regarded as likely that in the
future greater part of the anti
aircraft artillery may be assigned
to duty in the rear areas, leaving
each of the combat organizations in
the forward areas to defend itself
against enemy aircraft, by rifle and
machine gunf1re or with whatever
other weapons are available.
This despite experience in the
Ethiopian war that only one in 33
airplanes struck by small arms fire
was brought down and in Spain that
airplanes were hit by as many as
several hundred bullets and still
managed to reach home airdromes.
These experiences point to the need
fol more effective weapons than
rifles and machine guns against air.
craft.
Consideration is being given as
result of experiences in Europe,
Ethiopia and China to development
of gun of larger caliber than the
present standard American 3-inch,
with opinion favoring one of about
81 or 3.8 inch caliber. 1t also is
regarded as desirable to develop
small gun, with opinion favoring a
20-millimeter size, to replace the
machine gun.
Capt. LovelTs Recommendations.
In his essay, Capt. Lowell listed the
following recommendations for "the
establishment of stable anti-air-
craft armament policy:
| /. Develop and standardize q de-
lection system not dependent on
| vision;
2. Discard the searchlight and
sound locator unit;
8. Develop a heavier aircraft
gun with a caliber of about 81 or 38
inches, using the present standard
3-inch gun to reinforce the fires of
the larger weapons:
4. Develop mechanically oper-
ated fire control director;
S. Discard the machine gun as
primary armament for arlti-aircraft
| artillery troops;
6. Develop a light caliber can
non (20-mm) to replace the ma
chine gun for anti aircraft artillery
troops.
7. Develop special vehicles (mobile
fortresses) to transport the lighter
caliber cannon for convoy and spe-
cial objective protection;
8. Permit no dual purpose design;
9. Place the development of a fire
control system for the automatic
cannon in the highest priority.
THE protection of the citizen
population against aerial attack
causes the nations of the world
grave concern Capt. Lowell said,
especially in Europe, where the
flying distances are relatively small.
Some knowledge has been gained
from the attacks on the cities of
Madrid, Barcelona. Shanghai and
Canton, but because the more ef-
fective chemical agents were not
employed we may look for worse
conditions in the future.
Protection a Civil Function.
"The protection of the civilian
population in any community must
be function of the local civil gov
ernment. The protection against
enemy aircraft can be handled by
special agencies similar to the police
force and the fire department. 1t
would obviously be impossible for
the armed forces to protect all of
the population centers of the Ma
ton. There would be no army left
to conduct an active defense.
1T is believed that the mayors of
all large communities should take
the necessary action, in time of
peace, to formulate plans for the
coordination of all the civil agen-
cies and for the designation and
training of all of the volunteer Of
flcials and reorganizations needed
to. organize defense against air
attack. The most practicable de-
fense for civil community is to
utilize all means of passive defense
possible. Many aerial attacks will
probably come at night and here the
blackout is the best possible answer" :"
In time Of war, it was pointed out,
the anti-aircraft artillery must be
ready to protect vital industrial and
transportation centers on the out
break Of hostilities and must be
capable of quick expansion to full
war strength.