Laurel outlook., 1948-01-07
Radar to Warn
Of Air Attack
Plan Umbrella to Cover U. S.
And Check Surprise
Air Invasion.

WASHINGTON.-Two leaders In
the department of national defense
disclosed plans to hoist a radar
umbrella" over the United States
to warn of approaching bombers or
rockets from any portion of the
globe.
The plans, aimed at preventing a
future aerial Pearl Harbor, were
sketched briefly at a press confer
ence by Defense Secretary James
V. Forrestal and DR.. Vannevar
Bush, head of the military's new re-
search and development board.
Both said the nation is now with
out an early warning system to pro-
tect it from a surprise air attack.
But Forrestal disclosed that some
of the nations top scientists are
working on one.
He said a new board of scientists,
headed by Julius Stratton of Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology, is
studying the problem and will seek
to bring together military and CT
william agencies involved.
Bush said all the services pos
sessed radar and other types of
warning equipment. But he added
that it had not been decided how
they would be put together in a
system blanketing the entire nation.
ANY country to be prepared
against surprise attacks must have
an early warning network" Bush
said.
Arctic Problem.
While he and Forrestal did not go
into details, military officials who
have been working on the "um-
brella" idea said it probably would
involve a coordinated system of
shore, ship and air radar equip
ment.
On the Arctic approaches to the
North American continent, ground
radar systems linked to form an
electronic curtain would warn inn
mediately of any hostile aircraft or
missiles. A similar approach might
be used in event of a threat to South
America.
For the United States proper,
military experts said, the system
probably will include some combi-
nation of ship and plane setup. Land
or ship-based planes could make
continuous radar reconnaissance
patrols covering the entire length of
both coasts in event of possible
danger.
The tips of the radar umbrella"
on spotting the approach of hostile
aircraft, would flash a warning to
fighter plane control centers and
anti-aircraft stations on shore. The
fighters would speed out to intercept
bombers. The anti-air-
craft would be set to shoot down
those that got through.
InterceptOr Missiles.
In the problem of hostile guided
missiles, the armed services are
working to develop ~interceptor mis-
siles equipped with homing devices
and which, operating with the aid of
radio rays, would pick up and ex-
olode attacking missiles.
The defense umbrella" officials
conceded, is a long-range PROPOSE
ion involving many problems. One
If these is that World War II radar
a range of only $50 miles. With
radar stations costing some
800, 900 apiece and requiring 200
men to operate, the cost of a net
work of such stations would be pro-
libitive at present.
Future plans, however, call for in
.reasing the range of the radar de-
,ices. The use of planes, which al
a wide territory and more
'ver increase the radar's range by
Using above the earth's curvature, Il
s another solution.
The air force is working on an
nterdependent radar system in, :.
Alaska to guard the Arctic ap-
'roaches to the United States. Co
rdinated defense by the United
'tates and Canada against possible
uture trans-Polar air, attack also is
contemplated.