Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-09-10
SKY SHIELD

Continued From First Page
crews went through the mo-
tons of sending their weapons
aloft.
The communique said the
entire Norad command was ex-
ercised under realistic condi-
tions and lasting benefits woulo
result" That was the only of.
fetal comment on this huge
training operation.
Norad headquarters and the
Strategic Air Command al
Omaha, had warned in advance
that newsmen would be banned
from all bases participating in
the operation for security rea-
sons and what spokesman call
ed the "touchy international
situation"
This virtual black-out on in
formation, apparently on orders
from top Defense Department
officials, was in sharp contrast
to the normal inclination OF
the Air Force to use big train
ing maneuvers as occasions for
showing the public as much as
it can about its capabilities.
Speculation Aroused
The low key publicity in
structions aroused speculation
about the underlying reasons.
One apparent reason: The
necessity for secrecy about
exact routes and deployment
of defending and attacking
forces, or any !, information
which would show precise
strengths or weaknesses in
NORAD or SAC forces.
The reference to a touchy
international situation was less
apparent. It could have beer
to possible fights of some
bombers and fighters across
northwest Alaska areas - moi
too far from Soviet eastern
maritime provinces.
Or the reference might have
related to Canada, which is a
partner in the joint North
American defense system. Ca
madam sovereignty, the contri-
button of the Royal Canadian
Air Force, and the operation OF
United States Air Force planes
over Canadian territory has
been a controversial subject in
Canada.
But in spite of the secrecy,
Mr.. John Citizen had gliinpses
of the dramatic doings.
The military cautioned that
some areas might hear the
thunderclap sound of a "sonic
boom" as a low flying fighter
surged through the sound bar
rier.
At all the big and little air.
ports of the two nations there
was a strange interlude. For
the six hours beginning at 2
am, EDIT, no commercial air.
liner, no private plane, no mill
tary aircraft except those par
ticipating in Sky Shield took
off or landed.
The guiding radio beacons
and the radar systems pilots
use were shut down or rendered
useless by the tanning" OF
the counter electronic equip
meht of the warplanes in the
skies.
New York's Idlewild Airport,
where airliners from across the
Atlantic land, was in suspended
animation. Nothing came in or
left. Seven minutes before the
deadline all operations were
closed down. Idlewild officials
said that normally 80 flights ar
rive and depart during the six
hour period.
What was true on grand scale
at Idlewild held for all other
commercial fields throughout
the United States and Canada.
The Federal Aviation Agency
and the Defense Department
had agreed that during these
hours the grounding of all
commercial aviation would have
the least impact.
Reasons for Order
The grounding order, i'm
posed for the first time, was
necessary for several reasons.
The presence of warplanes at
various attitudes, flying in dark
ness, would have created Sc
rious dangers of collision for
airliners. The shutdown and
tanning of navigation aids
apart of the realism for the
training exercise) would have
left airline pilots with nothing
but compasses to guide them.
The arena for Sky SHED was
vast-about % million square
miles, reaching from near the
North Pole deep down into the