BRITAIN'S AIR POWER

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1948, Page 5

BRITAIN'S AIR POWER

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Fofce Which Could Hit flard

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Rbceived Friday, 9.40 a.m. LONDON, March 4. Britain aimed to establish a balanced air force able tb make a potentlal aggressor realis'e that if he started trouble Britalh Wbald hit nar-d' and at once,, said the 'Secretary for Air, Mr. Arthur Henderson, in presenting the air estimates in the House of Oammons. He revealed that there had be.en great progress on the new j'et engines, He sugge'sted that new jfet bofnbers of exceptional .performance were in sight, and the •eauipftrent ot the bomber force with jet aircraf t had, therefore, been delayed. "We must concentrate on quality, mobility and training," said Mr. Henderson. "Press the button'warfare is nb't yet a practical reality, SA^en if and when its technical problems are solved. Only manned aifcraft will be able to carry -out the many air force f.unctions." Mr. Henderson said that British jet fighters, whose primary task was to defend Britain from air attack, were. the world's best. He v as conlident that designers could -namtain this superiority. Ofdy one . regular fighter squadon had not -been re-equipped with ] et fighters, said Mr. Henderson, '

-mu auxiiiary air force fighter quadrons with suitable airfields would also be given .jets this summer. He added that the number of 'erving offlcers and airmen would fall from the present figure of .74,000 to 226,000 during the next" 12 months.