Evening star., 1948-05-02

balanced whole.
cant departure of the group from
the regiment. A combat groups
supply problem, far more than that
of the most modern mechanical or
air-borne regiment, Is deeply rooted
in the Nations manufacturing, sci-
|entiflc, technical and raw materials
capabilities.
The kind of equipment which
won't come out second best If the
United States is forced into a third
world war, is vastly complex. costly.
and has high rate of obsolescence.
There can be no question that the
few extra miles and high altitude
performance which the British built
into their Spitflres turned back Hit
ler's bombers when 1t looked as II
all England would be razed.
Jets Open New Front
This occurred while military air.
craft still relied on the relatively
slow development of conventional
engines known to all. In other
words, either side could come up
with very close approximation Of
what the other could do. The ad-
vent Of jet, rocket and flying stove-
pipe" methods of propulsion, how
ever, presents a new frontier where
almost anything can happen, pos.
sibly with atomic force.
These facts, which gradually be-
came apparent, even before WI day,
have led to increasing anxiety in
this country over the plight of the
aircraft industry. 1t seemed rea-
sonable that technical and produce
tion stats should be kept at
minimum in selected plants. This
was and still is primary objective
OF the 70-group plan.
Under this proposal, the regular
Air Force would have 81 heavy
bomb groups, 5 light bomb groups,
% fighter groups, 3 all-weather
fighter groups, 4 tactical reconais.
sance groups, S long-range recon.
nalssance groups for weather oh.
servation, Photographic and map
ping missions. 10 troop carrier
groups and % separate souadronx
for liaison, search and rescue and
other duties.
IL, 400 Graft Planned
The Regulars would be backed up
by 27 groups in the Air National
Guard and "a groups in the Air Re-
serve.
1t was estimated this plan would
call for total of some 12,400 air.
craft in operation with all units,
backed by mobilization reserve of
8,lo0 planes. Some $500 of the re.
serve planes are available and the
remainder are to be procured over
a period of years.
The obsolescence rate, especially
rapid with thousands of planes left
over from the last war, would mean
that 5000 new planes should be
produced annually to maintain the
operational fleet and 1000 more to
keep those in storage up to date.
Personnel requirements would b
an ultimate total of $4,000 for the
Regular Air Force, $500 for the
National Guard and $4,000 in
training for the Air Reserve.
For obvious reasons, the Air
Force has released nothing on plans
for the deployment of the proposed
70-group force in the United States
and abroad, although present sta
tions OF the undermined IS groups
are a matter of record.
The Air Force, which had a total
of some 375,0o0 officers and men
at the end of April, is under au.
thorlzed strength not through lack
OF volunteers, it was said, but be.
cause of lack of funds.
Applications for enlistment havs
increased along with growing ten.
sion abroad, and took decided
spurts after President Trumana
grave statements on the world SIT
uation. More young men are apply
Ing than can be accepted and
trained, 1t was said. An estimated
10000 new and repeat enlistments
occurred in April.
Need Specialists
In addition, the Air Force hs,
on file applications from 10000
former officers. about half of whom
have stated their willingness to sc-
cept noncommissioned officer status.
OF some 10000 seeking to return
as commissioned officers, about two
thirds are pilots, navigators and
radio operators.
The belief that Congress will ap-
propriate additional funds for the
Air Force has stepped up the ac-
ceptance rate in recent weeks. The
need just now is for technicians
and specialists in radar. electronics
and communications, it was said.
The present deployment of the
Air Force is % groups and some
104,0 men overseas, with 80 groups
and about 271,000 men on duty In
the United States.
Our outposts and occupied areas
are very thinly covered by Air
Force units. In Alaska, at present,
single fighter group and one spe-
cial emergency rescue squadron rep
resent the force, although other
units were rotated there last winter
for Arctic training.
! The Far Eastern Air Force has
l6 groups consisting of two heavy
bomber groups. two light bomber
prnlirs eight fighter rro,1ns tuo