Evening star., 1957-12-27
Missile Costs
To Date Placed
AT SIT Billion
Korean Experience
Cove Big Emphasis
To Development
BY ELTON C. FAY
Associated Press stan Wrttel

Associated Press stan Writer
The United States has put
more than SIT billion into re-
search, development and pro-
duction Of missiles Of various
types since 1t began exploring
the feasibility Of those weap-
ons in World War II days.
All but about q half billion
dollars Of the total has been
programmed since the begin
ming Of the Korean war In
1850 set of the rearmament
program.
Congressional committees are
investigating or preparing to
investigate the whole missile
problem. including the ques-
tions Of the past. present and
future adequacy Of funds. and
whether the Pentagon has
been diligent In spending the
money provided by Congress.
Figures made available at the
Pentagon today show that Sl7,-
100000 has been assigned
to missile programs since ifs
cal year l946 and prior" The
figure includes an estimated
S4, ,638. 900 900 for the current
fiscal year. but does not take
into account an extra billion
dollars which Secretary Of De-
Tense McElroy has said he will
ask from Congress.
Commitments Covered
The total covers obligations
to which the military services
committed themselves in the
whole broad missile field.
A Defense Department sum-
mary said 1t includes "the cost
Of bringing guided missile
weapon systems TO an opera
tional status. research and de-
velopment. production facility
expansion and tooling. procure
ment. contract and military
overhead to support missile
testing and certain construc-
ton costs for research and de-
velopment."
It does not include such items
as the cost Of running opera
tional sites, like those for the
Nike anti-aircraft missile.
Although the tabulation re-
fers TO guided missiles" the
definition includes ballistic
miSsiles-the intermediate and
tntercontinental range weapons
upon which the prime attention
OF congressional committees is
focused.
From the time the services
began analyzine captured Ger
man missiles late in World
War II and studying Develop
ment Of their own weapons
through June 80. 1916. the total
missile program amounted to
about SO million. During the
l947 fiscal year ending June
30. l947. the outlay was s5S
million. then started climbing
to $8l million in l947, and to
500 million in l949. 1t reached
Si34 million in fiscal 1856
which ended about the time the
Communists attacked in Korea
Although there is little evi-
dence that the United States
was aware at that time Of
Russia's intensifying interest
in missiles, the inception of the
Korean War revealed Soviet
technological capability in new
Jet aircraft. and along with
other military spending in
creases. the ALLEGATION for work
on United States missiles
jumped to $7s4 million in fis-
cal 1851.
Moved Up Again
The figure rose to $l.O5s.-
100000 in 1852. and to Si.l66.-
100000 in 1858.
II dropped back a bit TO
81 OCT 100000 in fiscal 1854.
the first full fiscal wear of the
Eisenhower administration.
But the program outlay
moved UP again to $l,470,-
100000 in the year ended June
30. 1855; climbed to $2.270.-
100000 the next year: to $4.-
284 100000 in fiscal 1857. and
to the $4.63s, 100000 estimated
for fhA