SECRET WEAPONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1943, Page 4

SECRET WEAPONS

DEVELOPED IN UNITED STATES SOME HAVE BEEN IN USE FOR MANY MONTHS. OBSERVATIONS BY RETIRING ORDNANCE CHIEF (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1-2.50 p.m.) WASHINGTON, November 29. The United States Navy has developed new secret weapons likely to rank as high as, or higher than, the German radio bomb and acoustic torpedo, said Rear-Admiral Blandy, Navy Ordnance Chief, before his departure to take up a sea command. He added: “Others even more amazing than these weapons have been in use for many months. At present they are a secret, known neither to the American public nor to the enemy. We have some developments which will be called romances of science, one of which certain foreign scientists once asserted to be impossible.”

Referring to prophets who predicted the disappearance of big battleships after the Repulse and Prince of Wales disaster, Admiral Blandy said that, far from succumbing, naval ships had not only survived but several new types had developed. Moreover, huge strides had been made in anti-aircraft defences on surface ships. Since the United States entered the war anti-aircraft guns on ships had destroyed more than 1,000 enemy planes. “The Japanese have some good weapons.” Admiral Blandy said, “but none of them are of a revolutionary character.” He emphasised the enormous increase in ordnance production, as well as in new weapons. For example the production of torpedoes since the beginning of the war increased by 4,000 per cent.