Evening star., 1957-12-30
'IRbM Tactics
Now Included
In Ar Plans
BY ELTON G. FAY
Associated Press stan Writer

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The Air Forces constantly
revised strategic plans now in
clude detailed arrangements on
how and where intermediate
range ballistic missiles would
be used In event Of war.
The operational plans for
both long-range. air-hreathing
guided missiles and interme-
diate-range ballistic missiles
as well as manned bombers are
understood TO have been COM
pleted and Incorporated in the
over-all wartime plans Of the
Air Force about six months ago.
This was done even though
the IRBM weapons may not
become a part Of the available
arsenal for another year.
The Air Force maintains
three basic strategic blueprints
which cover periods ranging
from the next so days to as
much as 10 years. They are the
short range wartime capa-
bilities plan:" the 'mid-range
wartime" plan containing D-day
data UP to four years in the fu-
ture; and the long range war
time detectives plan" An Air
Force regulation notes that the
long-range plan. which is re-
lyised annually. lis based on
consideration Of significant fac
tors in the world situation as
well as on an estimate OF enemy
lobjectives. capabilities. inten-
tions and vulnerabilities."
/ Shark Sites Organized
| The air-hreathing snark
guided missile. with a range OF
5000 miles. is now considered
operational by the Air Force
and units and launching sites
are being organized. While the
Shark has the range Of the
still-developmental intercontin-
entail ballistic missile. its speed
Is below that Of sound and its
operating altitude down in the
earth's atmosphere.
The Air Force expects the
first deliveries Of the Thor
IRBM-with a maximum ac-
curate range OF l.500 miles-to
be made late in 1858. But as
part OF the forward planning.
details for the operational use
and command structure Of
IRBM squadrons have been put
into the war plans folio.
Presumably these details
include not only the proposed
bases from which IRBM would
be launched depending on the
outcome Of negotiations with
the NATO nationsl but a
target list" like those pre-
pared for operation Of con-
ventional. manned bombers.
The details. OF course, are
highly secret. but an IRBM list
might include potential tar
gets as deep in Central Russia
as the munitions complexes in
the area Of the Ural Noun
tains. il launching points from
Turkey wene used. From bases
in the United Kingdom and
free Europe. Moscow would be
within range of IRBM. ~
Shorter Targets Unliveable
Missile experts emphasize
that ballistic weapons can be
put down ON all targets short
lof the maximum range. merely
by reducing the amount Of fuel
used in putting the missile into
its trajectory.
Because the Air Force be-
lieves it may be many years, II
at all. before the missile en-
tirely displaces the manned
bomber. strategy now is con-
structed around the co-ordi-
mated use of both types Of
weapons.
This combined use of manned
bombers. unnamed put cruis-
ing guided missiles. and long
range ballistic missiles poses
problems for the strategy
makers.
Some Air Force planners
have suggested that instead Of
a single massive. simultaneous
blow against all targets on the
list. a series of powerful at
tacks would be spread out over
the first several hours Of a
swraw