Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-01-14
Stir
New Rivalry in
Forces
Controversy Centers
On Atomic Engines
And Guided Missiles

- WSA A0044S4 0AAO4AS tI4S
Armed Forces rumbled today az
the Atomic Energy Commission
studied stepped-up demands TO,
atomic weapons.
ACC Chairman Gordon Dean
said in a radio interview yesterday
that increased demands by the
military services and improve
ments in the uranium supply in
dicate there should be an expan-
sion in atomic products" pre-
sumbly A-bombs.
1--WE are working overtime To
explore this complex Expansion
problem" he said. 1T is a little
too early to say exactly what will
come out Of these studies but we
should know within a few weeks. .
The Senate House Atomic
Energy Committee recently in
structed the ACC and Defense De-
partment to report what degree
of atomic program expansion il
justified and how it may be
achieved.
Rivalry between the Army
Navy and Air Force, similar to the
controversy between the Navy ano
Air Force three years ago ovel
the B-36 bomber and the original.
ly planned supercarrier, has harec
again over atomic-age weapons.
10 Supercarriers Planned.
It was pointed up by announce.
ment Saturday Of the Nays plar
to build up a 10-ship feet OIL
supercarriers, some Of them nu.
clear powered. It also was under
scored by disclosure of an incident
related today by neutral sources
but confirmed by Pentagon off,
cials.
The issues of the currently re-
vived controversy deal not only
with atomic-engined ships, SUBJ
marines and airplanes, but also
guided missiles.
The earlier incident, as de-
scribed today, began with efforts
by Gen Hoyt Vandenberg. the
Air Forces member on the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, to get jos ap-
lproval Of a request to build q
big airplane needed eventually
for testing an atomic power plant.
After being turned down at jos
meetings over q year and q half,
the Air Force finally got per-
mission to build q nuclear-engined
airplane. This repeatedly came
only after i threat Of intervene
ton by a Government quarter
outside the Defense Department.
Contracts Awarded.
The Navy Department an
nounced last August 81 award OF
contract to the Electric Boat
Co. for building the hull Of an
atomic-powered submarine. The
Air Force announced on Septem-
Der S a contract with Consolidated
Vultee Aircraft Corp. for build
ing the atomic-powered airplane
In some aviation quarters there
was suspicion that the Navy had
help from the Army in the jos
maneuvering, the trading point
for the Army being guided mis-
siles. The Army. as is also the
case Of the other two services
would like to get control of q
bigger area Of the guided missile
program.
But the issue is sharper be.
tween the Air Force and Army
because both services have en-.
tered the tactical portion of the
program. The Army has done de.
velopmental work and formed 9
guided missile ground unit since
the end Of World War II. Thu
Air Force moved into the field last
fall with an announcement that i
was putting a tactical guided
missile, the Matador. into pro.
duction.
Bombing Is Issue.
The issue between the All,
Force and Navy is almost entirel,
IN the area of strategic warfare
the bombardment Of an enemy's
war-making industry and trans
Iportation system.
/ At first the question wa:
whether conventionally powered
1long range bombers like the B-36
or airplanes from carrier task
force were the best weapons 70,
such warfare.
\ However, nuclear engines, with
their potentially unlimited range
have entered the controversy
both for ship and aircraft propul.
sion. The Nays atom-powered
submarine viii be an experiment
to determine use of similar power
for big vessels like the carrier.