Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-28
TEX
Continued From Page Al

single all-purpoSe tighter plane
for use by both services.
Expects Structural Change
He testified that I'VE are in
volved right at the moment In
a change, in the proposed
change from the Nays point
Of view in the General Dy-
namics design"
Asked by subcommittee coun-
sci Jerome Alderman II this
would require q structural
change in the airplane, Ad-
miral Ashworth replied: MY
guess would be there would be
some structural change in the
plane"
"Would there have to be a
sacrifice Of commonology or
Similarity" Mr.. Alderman
asked.
There is no question about
that the answer to your
question is yes" the admiral
replied.
Secretary Mcnamara, In de-
Tending the award of the con-
tract to General Dynamics, has
stressed that General Dynamics
proposed an airplane using
more common or similar parts
than Boeing with a consequent
promise Of larger savings. The
secretary said that, in effect,
Boeing was proposing two sep
arate airplanes which would
have erased an anticipated saw
ing Of 81 billion.
Proposed One Plane
"In the deliberations Of the
board did you consider that
Boeing was proposing two sep
arate designs in their attempt
to meet the different require
ments Of the Air Force and
the Navy" Mr.. Alderman
asked. Il
mo, SIR" the admiral replied,
IT didn't consider that they
were proposing two different
designs"
THE statement made by Mr..
Mcnamara that, in effect, they
were proposing two different
airplanes. that is not a correct
statement, is that correct?"
Mr.. Alderman asked.
The witness responded that
he did not consider that either
Boeing or General Dynamics
was proposing separate planes.
Secretary Mcnamara also
has questioned Beings pro-
posed use Of titanium in its
plane. Admiral Ashworth |
pointed out, the transcript
showed. that the use Of titan
ium was authorized in an ad-
dendum submitted by the De-
tense Department to a work
schedule on which Boeing, Gen.
eral Dynamics and four other
companies submitted bids for
the Tx plane.
Gen. Ruegg Testifies
Admiral Ashworth appeared
at the closed hearing with Mai.
Gen. Robert @. Ruegg. the
chairman, and other Air Force
officers who served on the
selection board.
Gen. Ruegg submitted what
he described as corrected fig
ures on probable performances
Of the Boeing and General
Dynamics plane regarding their
ferrying range and nuclear
bomb carrying capacity. The
subcommittee previously had
disclosed figures indicating that
the Boeing aircraft had a
ferrying range LOO miles
greater than the General Dy-
namics design and a capacity
for carrying so per cent more
nuclear bombs as well as the
capacity to carry other weapons
ranging up to $50 per cent |
more than the winning General
Dynamics plane.
Gen. Ruegg said the correct |
ed figures we're prepared some |
time last week and acknowl- |
edged that the Air Force made
a mistake in some figures" sub |
mitted to the subcommittee.
Questioned by Senator Cur
tbs, Republican Of Nebraska.
Gen. Ruegg said that the Sc
lection board and the evalua-
ton team which worked on the
Tx contract did not have the
erroneous figures before them
when they recon men ded
Boeing.
Nothing New Discovered
80 no new facts have been
discovered since your decision
in this respect?" Senator Cur
tbs asked.
THAT is correct" Gen. Ruegg
replied.
The investigation continued
as Senator Mundt, Republi-
can OF South Dakota. ques-
toned the propriety Of Secre-
tary Mcnamara submitting 10
the subcommittee yesterday a
long list OF questions he wanted
asked Of the selection board
members.
He also said he would pur-
sue with appropriate witnesses
questions on q cryptic refer
ence in q Defense Department
document regarding political
dangers" In a course OF action
that was followed in the Tx
contract.
Senator Mundt said the ques-
tons submitted by Mr.. Nc
Namara were keyed 10 the
testimony OF the ranking Air
Force and Navy members OF
the board.
They were submitted by the
Secretary when he and Attor-
ney General Robert p. Kennedy.
the Presidents brother. paid an
unheralded call on Senator Nc
Clellan yesterday.
The subcommittee chairman
said Mr.. Mcnamara left sew
eral1 otiestiong. Senator Mundt