Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-02
legislators Ask
Army Merger
With Air Force
By the Associated Press

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A congressional committee
says 1t is time to consider merg-
ing the Army and Air Force
into O single. missile armed
fighting service.
A report Of the House Gov
eminent Operations Committee
on the Nations missile pro-
grams yesterday asked Presi-
dent Eisenhower to order stud
les ITO determine whether the
merger Of the Army and Air
Force would be the best course
OF action"
The report. based on several
weeks Of hearings and studies
by q subcommittee early this
year. did not suggest immedi-
ate Incorporation Of the Navy
also into one big service, but it
said this might be done "ulti-
mately. If weapon logic die
tates."
Interservice rivalry and du-
plication, especially in the new
fields Of missiles and space
vehicles. have survived all eff
forts by the Pentagon and
even Congress to divide the
field among the services.
Competition Cited
The committee, indorsing
the subcommittee report, said
the Army and Air Force par
ticularly compete to develop
and use similar weapons, such
as the Jupiter and Thor inter-
mediate-range ballistic mis-
siles and the Nike and Bomarc |
anti-aircraft missiles.
mo amount Of effort spent
in clarifying roles and mis-
sionS can overcome the ruth
less logic Of weapon technol-
ogy," the report commented.
Whereas in the past, weap-
ons could be adapted reason
ably well to service missions,
now missions must be adapted
to weapon systems.
The missile with q nuclear
warhead. the committee said,
Is the coming decisive weapon
and sit calls for a single mill
tary organization to develop,
produce and deploy," at least
the land-based missiles.
The Military Operations Sub
committee. which Is headed by
Representative Holif1eld. DEM
ocrat Of California, estimated
the military services have spent
about $25 billion for missiles
since 1850 and that Of this
sum about $2.3 billion went for
missile projects which never
reached completion. Among
weapons completed but almost
Immediately discarded as obso-
lete the report listed the Nava-
no and Shark. which together
cost about $1.4 billion, and the
Nays Regulus II at $146 mil
lion.
Bill Climbs Yearly
Missile OUTLAWS this year were
$7.3 billion, the report said and H
the bill promises to become
higher each year.
The committee argued that
great savings could be accom-.
plished If "the bitter defense
controversy over air defense
missions" were eliminated.
overhead cut down, and the
technical talents and resources
Of the Army and Air Force
combined and teamed with a
diversified missile industry toI
produce future weapons efn-
GENTLY at lower cost"
The report recommended that
Space Technology Laboratories,
Inc, formerly Ramo Wool
bridge Corp, which the Air
FORCE uses as technical man.
ager OF some missile programs,
be converted into a nonprofit
organization if it is to continue
In its present status. The Air
Force should acquire the COM
pany's assets to give it nonprofit
status, the report said.
Another call for a military
merger was sounded yesterday
by three House Space Commit
tee members. They commended
that the Pentagon's abortive
program to develop a super
powerful airplane fuel proves
the need for a sweeping reor-
ganization Of the entire de-
tense establishment.
Representative Sisk, Demo-
crat of California, said that
until recently he had not agreed
with proposals that all three
major armed services be merged
into one uniform.
But. he added. "the time
has come to clean UP the whole
situation in the Pentagon, to
put everyone IN one uniform
and determine who is respon-
sible for what"
Representatives Karth, DEM
ocrat Of Minnesota, and Hech-
Ter. Democrat Of West Virginia
Endorsed MIR. Sisk's statement
Mr.. Sisk, spoke out after John
B. Macauleg. deputy director of
defense research and engineer
ing. said the Pentagon hasn't
reached a final decision re-
garding the fuel program
once a high-priority project
that has cost some $240 mil
lion.