Evening star., 1950-04-09
Military Would Drop
'0bsoIescence' as
Yardstick on Planes
By John A. Giles

High defense officials are re-
newing their afforts to replace
"obsolescence" as yardstick fol
measuring the capabilities of air.
planes and their state of modern
ization in relation to other air.
craft.
For years the Air Force ano
Navy have considered a fighter
plane in the obsolescent category
and therefore not modern enough
to be first line plane. after three
years. Similarly. bombers are con-
sidered in an obsoleScent state
after five to six years. The stand
ard is applied to the type, rather
than to individual planes.
The period covered in either case
is dated from the time the first
craft joins unit. Thus. it is pos
sible for new plane to be obso-
lescent the moment it comes of
the production line. since earlier
planes of the same type would have
oSCo AlOO Ol1dG SdUCSOly.
Concern Over Modernizati0n.
Concern over Capitol Hill dis
cussions Of alleged lack of modern
ization of this Nations air armada
has served to spur thinking on the
subject and to step up efforts to
find some other yardstick, it was
learned yesterday.
Defense officials mentioned the
possibility of classifying aircraft
as to Instability" or "adequacy'
against potential enemies. Any
such reassessment also will have
to take into account what planes
potential enemies possess.
Secretary of Defense Johnson
is said to feel very strongly that
the obsolescence yardstick should
be replaced. He told recent news
conference that he would not ap-
prove the elimination of a fighter
'just because it is three years
old" He pointed out that three
year-old fighter might be the best
such plane available.
The subject has been under
study at the Pentagon for years.
The late Secretary Of Defense
Forrestal ordered the Joint Chiefs
of Staff to come up with some
other system more than a year
ago. They have not been able to
develop a new plan.
Some As Good As New Ones.
Defense officials say that some
of the military aircraft three or
four years old, and therefore OBJ
solescent, are as good for most
purposes as some of the newer
models. This is true in the case of
at least one Navy fighter, they
state.
The services use the terms OBJ
solescent and obsolete almost syn
onymously. Obsolescent planes
go out of operation when it is con-
sidered they are of no further use.
Any change on the classification
system to reflect a more accurate
appraisal of aircraft might af-
feet the procurement level in
either direction.
B-29 Obsolescent in '52.
Under present standards the
Air Forces B-29 Superfortresses
will 60 into the obsolescent cate
CORY by June 80. 1852, although,
from all indications, they still will
comprise most of the Nations
atom bomb carrying strategic air
The controversial B-36 bonn
bardment planes. which are not
yet fully developed and which
only now are slowing coming of
the production lines, will start
their obSolescence period during
the 1851 fiscal year based on the
life of airplanes under the mod
ernizaticn concept of the Air
Force.
1t is these standards which have
brought about much of the de-
mand that the Air Forces 49,
group force be kept modern" and
that the level of procurement be
increased.