Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-16
$38 Billion Asked to Run
military Establishment

lship conversions planned by the
Navy, there will be three cruisers,
five destroyers and eight frigates.
all capable Of firing guided mis-
siles.
The least change appears to
be in the Marine Corps. 1t will
continue to maintain three divi-
sions and three air wings. The
divisions will be equipped with
atomic weapons.
Personnel wise the armed
forces will remain about the
same-2.8 million. 1t was ex-
planned that while a four to six
per cent cut in military man.
power had been considered last
fall. the Hungarian and Middle
East situations brought about an
abandonment of such thoughts.
1t will be another year lat least"
before further consideration Of
reduction takes place.
Peacetime Record Set
| Expenditures for the program
would be the largest in peace
time history.
Here's the Presidents pro-
posals as to money:
Spending-S38 billion as COM
pared with $50 billion this year,
divided as follows: Army, $91
billion; Navy. $l0.4 billion; and
Air Force, SITS billion.
New cOntractual authority
$685. billion against 1858 billion.
The Army would get $50 billion;
Navy, S10.9 billion; and Air
Force, SITS billion.
/ However. the military actually
will place contracts for S40.6 Bill
lion during the year. This comes
about through unspent funds
still on the books. money from
surplus sales. etc. The larger
total would be divided thus:
Army, S9.7 billion: Navy, Sill
billion; and Air Force $18.8
billion.
/ Explaining the big sums, Mr..
! Eisenhower said:
I'VE are now engaged in the
development of a whole new
family of ever more advanced
weapons for all the services.
Large expenditures will be re-
quired to bring these weapons
into use."
Aircraft Spending Rises
! A total of $73 billion worth Of
contracts would be placed for
; aircraft. including 100 more B.
, SIS. The total is slightly above
, this year Spending for aircraft
was estimated at SGT billion.
Research and development
contracts would total SIS billion
or slightly less than this year,
since the big ones for intercon-
tinental and intermediate range
, ballistic missiles already have
been placed. Spending for re-
search and development con-
, tracts already will approach SIG
billion.
:. Major procurement and pro-
duction expenditures are esti-
mated at $12.2 billion or S542
million more than in the current
year. Expenditures for guided
missiles will be up IS per cent
and ship construction UP about
IL per cent.
Breakdown of Forces
Here is a breakdown of the
/ military forces Mr.. Eisenhower's
! plan would provide: r.,
: Army-Approximately / MIL
} lion officers and enlisted person.
: ncl. 1t now has 991,60O. In ad-
dition TO the divisions and atomic
support commands, there would
continue to be nine regimental
combat teams. Anti-aircraft bat
tslions would be reduced from
: 1873 to 1877. Mr.. Eisenhower cx-
planned that the Nike missile
: proeram would be expanded and
spoke of the increased uso Of
new weapons and equipment Gin
Guiding those with nuclear capa-
!, bilities" in anti -aircrafe defenses.
A total of 697, 900 drill-status re-
! servists. including 100000 Ma
tional Guardsmen. Aircraft will
number 5000. compared with
: 4,200 row.
, Navy-A strength of around
, $4,000. compared with the pres
ent 637.199, A total of 983 ships,
. including 422 warships. The
: number Of w2rships would be
: increa sed by l6. Support craft
, would BE- cut. Seventeen carrier
air groups. Twenty carrier air
! squadrons, an increase of che.
/, A reserve of 100000 and nearly
$4,000 in the Marine Corps. Air-
:. craft-ll 500 The Navy would
! place orders for 1880 planes,
: mostly fighters.
Air FOrcc-A strength of 925.-
900, or some 10000 more than
now. Defense officials said $50
planes in the reduction are due
: TO changing the Civil Air Patrol
: from a military to civilian
5 status. They said $4,000 of the
\ planes to be maintained. or half
S the total, are combat types,
tnearly all modern jets. The Air
e Force would order between 1900
a and 1000 planes, mostly neavy,
t expensive bomberS and inter-
: ceptors. All the II heavy bomber
e wings would be equipped with
S B-52s.
e Airborne Post Dinner