Evening star., 1953-06-24
Navy Guided Missiles
To Be Ready Soon ior
Use Aboard Ships
By John A. Giles

The Navy's guided missile pro-
gram has reached such an adj
Nanced stage that it expects to
be using at least three types of
the deadly weapons aboard ships
during the fiscal year beginning
July /.
This disclosure came in heavily
censored testimony before the
House Military Appropriations
subcommittee which was released
today. -,
The names Of the weapons
were not stated but it is known
the Navy has been concentrating
on the anti-aircraft Terrier, the
air-to-air Sparrow and the sur
9ace-to-air Regulus missiles.
Ammunition Needed
The Navy report to Congress,
which is considering a $97 bill
lion budget for the sea arm sub
mitted by President Eisenhower,
also revealed:
l. A multi-million speedup in
ammunition production. A total
of $818 million of new funds for
this purpose was asked, a $50
million increase over this year.
The total includes $160 million
for the expenditures of ammuni-
tion by warships and carrier
based aircraft pounding the
Communists in Korea. Rear Ad-
miral Malcolm F. Schoeffel. chief
of the Bureau of Ordnance, said
actual spending for deliveries
and production payments would
total $12 billion this year and
$1.1 billion next year. Much of
this money was carried over
from previous appropriations.
2. The 60,000-ton Forrestal
class carriers. capable of ham
ding any plane which designers
can now conceive, is still re-
garded as the top priority item
of Naval construction. A priority
list submitted by Secretary Rob-
ert B. Anderson listed a third
such ship first among some Is
major vessels the Navy wants
to build next year. Two such
ships are now building.
Truce Effects Minimized.
8. A Korean truce will have no
effect on shipbuilding or aircraft
procurement and have relatively
little effect on personnel planned
next year Admiral D. B. Dun
can, Vice Chief of Naval Opera
tions, commented there are GER
tain rather substantial time fac
tors connected with the armi-
stice proposals. For matter of
several months there will be no
decrease in the force levels" He
added there would be an imme-
diate reduction in ammunition
expenditures alone.
4. Unlike the Air Force, which
Is chatting about the administra-
tion'S cut in its spending pro-
gram, the Navy feels it's budget
sis a sound and practical budget
=. and essential in the light of
world conditions" according to
Mr.. Anderson. The Truman ad-
ministration asked $11.3 billion
for the Navy.
S. A nuclear power plant suit
able for large ship still is un-
derway. Admiral William M.
Fechteler, Chief of Naval Opera
tions, said that is being con-
structed on shore and, depending
upon the performance of that
particular plant. we will make a
decision as to whether it is suit
able to go into large ship" Two
atomic powered submarines are
being constructed now.
Major Missile Projects.
"The Navy has three major
guided missile projects which are
expected to enter the fleet dur
ing the period 1953-54," Admiral
Fechteler informed the Subcom-
mittee. Supporting these three
projects are several other re-
search projects. Some of these
later weapons would replace,
others would supplement existing
weapons.
There are also three other
guided missile projects OF a