Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-04

flight mere onepercent (such Hitler allowed
his V-2s) could cause the lCBM to hit 60 miles away
from Point Zero.
Making the situation still more difficult is that in all
likelihood the ICBM will have to set practically its
entire course during the first 200 miles of its flight Once
it gets up into the ectosphere it probably won't be able
to do any steering whatsoever Its rudders won't have
any "air' to lean against up there.
There have been days when the ICBM experts were
in black despair over this guidance problem.
I'VE thought it was just beyond mans capacity to
solve" one ICBM man told me.
1t now be reported, though, that the dark mood
has passed. ICBM men optimistic that they will
soon have the matter licked
Navigator: An Eiectronie Brain
The latest thinking provides for the ICBM to be
ceestialnavgation missile 1t will set itself on the
rect ectoSpherc path by means Of automatic tracking
telescopes which will shoot the stars and transmit the
data to an electronic brain capable of instantly gur
ing the intricate mathematical equations. This
brain" will determine the right course and to it
that the ICBM follows it.
Just lately whispers have been heard that the ICBM
may also carry some singular infrared instruments to
guide down from the ectosphere at the end of its
flight directly into the center of its target These nsru
ents are said to be sensitive that they distinguish
between city and the suburbs around it at an altitude
OF 100 miles. They do 1t through variations In neat
Is there any possible defense against the lCBM,
assuming that Communist Russia gets one, too?
Most authorities think not! They say it moves too
incredibly fast for anyone to ward off its blow
Can you imagine intercepting j? Harold E. Talbot,
the former Secretary of the Air Force deectedy said
Two of might just we'll stand at opposite ends of
dark hall and pitch needles at each other in the fond
expectation that the needles might collide"
If we can't invent way to intercept them the only
the United States will have against Russian
ICBM is to try to knock out its launching sites.
We can use our own ICBMs to do this the revolu-
tonary atomcpowered planes which the Air Force has
under Development These atomic planes will be able to
fly for week without Fefueling They can be kept per-
manenty alof ready for instant action in of war.
with their long crusability Secretary Quares says,
they can utilize the air virtually parking strip
Quares believes, incidentally that there will still be
big place for the manned plane in the Air Force even
after it has the lCBM.
The ICBM is just one way to blow up city, not the
only way he declares In general manned plane can
do better job than missile. live pilot select an
alternate target that preliminary intelligence didn't dis
close. With manned plane, human intelligence is
merely six miles from the target, not six thousand
That the ICBM deal out atomic death faster than
any other weapon, Secretary Quares doesn't dispute,
though Like every conscientious Air Force officer ne
hates the very thought of it. His dream is that the
horror ncarnate in the ICBM may actually prove
boon by lettering any potential aggressor from starting
war which could set the ICBM's whizzing.
Evan fRno Ira he