Evening star., 1953-10-07

excited. Today, however, the
Second of q Series
headlines are full of urgent de-
mands for sharp increases in this
country'S protective armor. The
news that the Russians are add
ing the hydrogen bomb to their
atomic arsenal may not have
materially affected the strategic
problem of defending America,
Psychologically, however, it has
transformed it overnight into
just about the most important
problem there is.
What, if anything, can be done
in a strictly defensive sense
to strengthen the Nation?
Key to Nations Defense.
The heart of the military de-
tense of the United States proper
is an unimpressive, yellow brick
building on side street in Colo
RADIO Springs, Colo, headquarters
of the Air Defense Command.
There, top-ranking Air Force
officers carry on a day-to-day
struggle with one Of the more
breath-taking assignments in
military history: Protection of
an air border stretching 10000
miles across Canada and the de-
fense of some 80 million cubic
miles of air space oyer the United
States.
To help it accomplish its
mission, ADO can count on as
siStance from various other de-
fenSive components. 1t has the
Alaskan and Northeast Air Com
mands-the latter covering
Labrador, Newfoundland and
Greenland. 1t has the Canadian
air defense organization and
nearly completed screen of radar
warning stations. constructed
within the last three years at
cost of some $500 million.
Within the United States. ADO
disposeS of three main defen-
sive weaponS-the Eastern, Gen.
trail and Western Air Commands
with headquarters at Newburgh,
N. Y; Kansas City. Mo-, and San
Rafael, Calf. In addition, it is
bolstered by the Army Anti-Air-
craft Command and a civilian
organization Of aircraft spoilers
and trackers made up Of about
10000 volunteers.
Seven Minutes to Alert.
Within seven minutes Of the
first warning flash that an en-
emy attack force is approaching
the United States, the whole
country would go on an air de-
fenSe readiness alert and the
first interceptor- fighters would
be airborne. AS subsequent re-
ports on the size and course of
the attacking group flow into
Air Defense Direction CenterS,
the entire apparatus of defense
would go into operation. Civilian
agencies in directly threatened
States would go under a red
alert condition-attack imminent
or under way. Other probable
targets would receive the yellow
alert signal. Anti-aircraft bat
teries located around vital tar
gets would be manned for action.
Under the guidance of the di-
rection centerS, airborne fight
ers would be pinpointed to the
target planes. Division control
centerS, directing all the forces
in the air division area would de-
termine the force of the attack,
muster available reinforcementS
and direct them to the defense
of most critical areas. The latest
planes in the Air Force arsenal,
equipped with the newest elec-
tronic, rocket-f1ring equipment
would be thrown into the Strug-
gle, along with every available
World War II model.
1t sounds impressive. But the
rousing description of what is
supposed to happen must be
measured against the result it |
can be expected to produce.
Present Official Estimates.
The present official estimates:
l. The Nation can count on a
maximum warning before an at
tack of Is minutes or no warn |
ing at all.
2. Given ample warning, at |
least two out of three enemy
planes would reach their tar
gets and unload their bombs.
In the opinion of many quail
fed people. an air defense of the
United States against atomic |
weapons is. and in all probability |
will remain, impossible.
The scientists, civilian leaders |
and assorted experts who took |
part in the East River Project |
came up with two conditions |
that would have to be met before |
this country could organize a
defense that would offer reason
able hope of survival. First. they |
emphasized the Importance of |
increasing warning time before |
an attack. Second, they required |
a larger percentage of kills
among the attacking force, or |
diversion from their targets.
Recent Developments.
In the light of these demands. |
two recent developments have
aroused a good deal of optimistic
interest.
The first is the creation by
Canadian scientists of a new
and comparatively inexpensive
electronic listening device"
which detects aircraft automat-
ically and relays the information
on to a central listening point.
Nicknamed the ''McGill Fence"
after the university where it
was developed-the new gadget
has been hailed as the answer
to the creation of a real defense