50 YEARS' DEFENCE PROGRAMME

Grey River Argus, 4 October 1948, Page 5

50 YEARS' DEFENCE PROGRAMME

U.S. Facing Possibility

Of Soviet Atom Bomb Attack

(Rec. 11.40) WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 The United States High Command has drafted a fifty-year programme on defence. It is based on the belief that Russia will have the atomic bomb by 1952, and that Continent-jumping atomic rockets will be ready by 1977.

The U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force" staff chiefs believe that Atomic Age defence needs will develop in the next fifty years in three phases, threatening civilisation.

They will ask the next Congress for fifteen thousand million dollars to spend on the first phase of defence in the fiscal year of 1950.

The three phases are:— Firstly: From now until 1952, when the joint Staff Chiefs expect Russia to have the atomic bomb. In this phase the United States can develop an overwhelming superiority in the air and at sea, but will find it hard to compete with the Russians in land power. It is estimated that Russia has more than three million men under arms.

Secondly: From 1952 to 1977: This will be a critical period, during which Russia, and possibly other countries, can develop atomic weapons, and long range strategic air forces, capable ot bombing United States cities.

Thirdly: From 1977 on: In this phase, the Chiefs of Staff expect there will be the development of inter-Con-tinental rockets, equipped with atomic warheads; aeroplanes travelling at several times the speed of sound; gas clouds and possibly death rays and other fantastic weapons! This is a period, the military leaders believe, in whjch civilisation will be in danger of. annihilation.

The present staff planning is aimed at, firstly, providing sufficient immediate military power to back up the United States diplomats in the negotiations with Russia; and secondly, the building up of American forces for Phase Two, when Russia has the atomic bomb. The joint chiefs have made basic decisions for the three phases, and have assigned to each service its fundamental defence tasks.

OCEANIC AIR DEFENCE •u TRAINING (Rec. 11.40) WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 The United States Navy announced to-day that twelve single-engine fighter and dive-bomber planes will span twenty-one hunderd miles of ocean between California and Hawaii on Tuesday, using aircraft carriers as refuelling "stepping stones,” en route. The announcement said that the flight was planned to demonstrate “a fast and practical method of ferrying large numbers of carrier-type aircraft front their home base to advanced areas in the trans-oceanic flight.” Two carriers will be used, one stationed at the quarter mark, and the other at the three-quarter mark. Similar flights with jet planes are planned for the future.