Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-30
MAJORITY
CONCLUSIONS
A. Airpower Forces in Being

will be far less time than ever
before in which to mobilize. AS
a result, the Importance OF
forces in being" has steadily in
creased to the point where they
are now indispensable.
CO The United States has a
strong strategic striking force
at this time. This is due ir
large measure, however, to
weapons designed. money APP
propriated, and contracts lei
many years ago; and even this
strength is declining relativel,
AS against the steadily growing
striking capacity of the Soviets
49, The defenSes of the Unitec
States have been weakened be-
cause of the failure to act or
national intelligence informa'
ton: and also because OF 6
tendency to either ignore OF
underestimate Soviet military
progress.
Soviet Force in Being
(4l The Soviets exceed thu
United States in the number o.
modern combat aircraft in opera
tional units c'forces in being" ,
They are currently producing
more combat aircraft than thu
United States. They have de-
creased the time used between
the original design and quantity
production of combat aircraft a
compared with the time required
by the United States.
5. We now have an insufficient
number of long range modern je
bombers and there is no program
to produce a sufficient number.
6. The growing shortage o
skilled manpower is resulting il
inadequate maintenance of air
craft, and therefore unnecesSar.
accidents and unneceSsar,
deaths. This manpower Shortag
results in our inability to main
tain proper state of aler
against possible attack.
Z. The United States has tn
capacity to produce an adequat
number of jet tankers, but ha
failed completely to do so; no
has 1t any adequate program t,
overcome that deficiency. Thi
neglect has seriously decreased
the effectiveness of our airpowel
8. The decline in the strategi
striking power of our Air Fore
as against that of the Sovie
cannot be overcome significantl
by the use of naval airpower.
Airbase Structive
9. The effectiveness of GU
strategic striking power, and ais
Of our air defense, is dependen
in large measure on an adequat
base structure at home an
abroad. The United States ha
an insufficient airbase structure
The present structure afford
neither the alert status, nor tina
dispersal necessary for security
This deficiency in the cont
mental United States is becomin
increasingly dangerous becaus
of the current deterioration i
our overseas base structure, alon
with the growing long-rang
capability of Soviet aircraft.
C10) Inadequate housing an
inadequate pay scales are de
creasing the operational effec
tiveness and morale of our arme
forces.
Cll) The vulnerability Of tn
United States to sudden attac
has increased greatly during tn
past decade and this vulnera
bility will continues to increas
in the foreseeable future.
12) The Department of De
Tense has failed to develop a
adequate defense warning sys
TEN.
l3) The direction and plan
ming of naval strength agai
leaves the United States Wi
nerable to su bmarine attac
against our shipping, and pal
ticularly vulnerable to submarin
missile attack on military an
civilian targets within our heart
land.
B. Airpower Forces for the Futur
(14) The Soviets are rapid
closing the qualitative gap. Ye
our qualitative lead is now bein
given as justification for OF
having passed over the Soviet
quantitative superiority in mil
tary airpower.
(15l The duplicating az
proach characteristic of mar
research and development pre-
grams in the Department of Dc
Tense, along with the dolls
limitations established for sue
programs, has retarded needle
modernization Of weapons sys
TENS.
These policies have retarde
important scientific break
throughs. They contrast wit
Soviet policies which have pre-
duced extraordinary Soviet pre-
gress in the research and de
velopment field.
q6) The Soviets exceed II
United States in rate of technC
logical development, in trainir
facilities. in speed and quantit
of prototype development, in tt
training of scientists and Ell
gineers, and in many otht
phases Of airpower development
The Department of Defen,
has permitted duplication, eve
Implications. among the thru
services in the development ar
production of missiles: and h;
permitted comparable waste
the ALLEGATION to the three SER
ices Of responsibility in the mi
sile field.
The Department of Defen