The White Falcon - 17.06.1961, Blaðsíða 2

2
WHITE FALCON
Saturday, June 17. 1961
Brainstorms Wanted
The Air Force has farmed out some of its procurement prob-
lems to top-level “think” outfits such as the Rand Corp. to make
a real “break-through” on methods of contracting.
Aerospace Industries Association, National Security Industries
Association, the Air Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson
AFB, Ohio, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort
McNair, Washington, D. C., were other organizations given far-
reaching procurement problems.
The staff agency handing out these tough nuts-to-crack is
the newly created Procurement Policy Development Branch, a small
but highly experienced planning group at the Pentagon, that
operates on an unusual principle. That principle is that no holds
are barred, that every new approach be considered, no matter
how “far out.”
American industry calls this practice brainstorming and uses
it to reap benefits from fresh thinking. Its novelty on first pre-
sentation might make an idea appear ridiculous hut on second
thought such a brainstorm can be the solution.
USAF officials point out that while military hardware has
made amazing technical progress, procurement procedures have
not kept pace. In other words, the Air Force of today lets many
contracts for supplies and equipment in the same way General
Grant contracted in 1861 for rifled muskets.
At the moment, the Pentagon planning group wants to know
what USAF procurement methods should be five or ten years
from now. Its basic objectives is to modernize USAF procurement
regardless of changes that might have to be made in procurement
concepts, statutory authority, organizational structure or depart-
mental rules or regulations.
Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, Vice Chief of Staff, signed the order
setting up the group. “I consider it timely and appropriate that
immediate concerted action be taken to assure that all possible
ideas and constructive viewpoints are collected, analyzed, evaluated
to insure the most judicious expenditure of appropriated funds,”
he said.
Private comments from individual officers, airmen and civilians
are solicited. Send your ideas to AFMPP-PR-4, Headquarters
USAF, Pentagon, Washington 25, D. C.
This campaign is not part of the continuing incentive award
program, officials stressed. Its mainspring is lack of formalization,
a deliberate effort to cut red tape to get at some of the ideas in
the back of everyone’s mind, with no allowances given to “sacred
cows” in present procurement methods, thinking and organization.
As the U. S. Air Force dwarfs even the largest corporation,
the problems attacked and the solutions submitted will be as large
as the U. S. economy. A change in Air Force-Industry business
relationships could easily have the overall economic impact that
time payment had in the cash and carry days. Far-reaching changes
would be subject, of course to approval of higher military, civilian
or Congressional authorities.
■ Some 70 ideas are in the mill right now. These are in addition
to the projects assigned to Rand and the other high-level organiza-
tions conducting studies.
★ ★ ★
It Isn’t Easy In SAC
What are the grueling tasks facing Air Force crewmen striving
for combat-ready status in the Strategic Air Command? What are
the demands made on their time and abilities?
Air Force Lt. Col. Grover Heiman’s new SAC novel, JET
TANKER, gives the answers to these in a highly interesting story
of early aerial refueling efforts, the rigors of pilot training, develop-
ment of the mighty SAC retaliatory force, and SAC’s constant
effort to achieve perfection in operations, men and machines.
The story revolves around a young copilot, Lt. Jock Burns,
who fails to satisfy the exacting requirements of his aircraft com-
mander. He is transferred to a crew of eight-balls. Burns refuses
to accept this lowly status and tenaciously seeks top performance
from himself and the other crew members.
We see them progress from unqualified nonentities, striving to
overcome self-imposed stigmas, to a combat-ready status. Misfortune
seemingly trails their every effort, including bailout from a ques-
tionably-stricken tanker. The moment of truth comes high over
the Arctic ice. Here the professional stature and dedication of
each man aboard is resolved in a starkly dramatic manner.
Written primarily for the young adult, JET TANKER gives
an understanding of the complexities of strategic air war and an
appreciation of the dedicated professionalism required in our modern
day Air Force.
★ ★ ★
AEROSPACE EVENT
Feb. 20, 1952—President Truman appointed Lt. Gen. James
H. Doolittle (Ret) as head of a 3-man President’s commission to
conduct a 90-day study of how a relieve airport congestion near
large cities.
THE WHITE FALCON
CoL Benjamin G. Willis, USAF
Commander, Air Forces Iceland
The WHITE FALCON it an official Clatt II Armed Forcea newspaper published weekly at
Keflavik Airport, Iceland by Air Forcea Iceland of the Military Air Transport Service tor
all contingents stationed at Keflavik Airport. The WHITE FALCON reoeives AFPS and
AFNB materials. Views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the
Department of Defense.
Editor .............................. TSgt Wylie Mason, USAF
laaloldATprenttmlflja h.f.
Aerospace Power for
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CALLS
The Air Force has ordered 22
DM-21 Thor rockets from the
Douglas Aircraft Company for
use as boosters in U. S. space
programs.
The DM-21 model has a shorter,
lighter airframe than earlier ver-
sions and has a more powerful
165,000-pound thrust engine.
Earlier engines produced 150,-
000 pounds of thrust.
The new vehicles are slated for
additional Air Force Discoverer
firings, the Navy’s Transit na-
vigation satellite program, the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration’s Nimbus meteoro-
logical satellite program and oth-
er projects. Thor also has been
selected by NASA to boost its
polar-orbiting geophysical obser-
vatory satellite.
In the past two years the Thor
rocket has been the chief booster
for the majority of United States
civilian and military space pro-
grams. In 1960, Thor was the
first stage booster for 15 of 17
successful U. S. satellite shots and
deep space probes. Since Jan. 1,
the U. S. has placed nine satellites
into orbit. Six were boosted by
the Thor.
The rocket has launched a total
of 29 successful satellites and
deep space probes including Dis-
coverer, Explorer, Transit, Pion-
eer, Courier, and Delta payloads.
The multi-million dollar pur-
chase will extend current Thor
production through June, 1962.
* * *
1960 was the healthiest year in
Air Force history, said Maj. Gen.
Oliver K. Niess, Air Force sur-
geon general.
We lost less than an average of
three duty days because of illness
in 1960, he indicated, saying the
1950 average was six duty days
lost annually by airmen.
“Monetarily, this reduction in
time lost to illness in 1960 re-
sulted in the savings of more than
$9 million to the taxpayers of
the nation,” the general said in
a graduation address to the first
class completing the new course
in medical support for space
flight at the School of Aerospace
Medicine at Brooks AFB, Tex.
As a matter of vital statistics,
General Niess said that in 1960
the Air Force admitted world-
wide 398,100 and treated more
than 12 million outpatients. In
addition, 67,700 babies were born
at USAF hospitals. Complete
physicals examinations reached
429,700. More than seven million
shots were given.
AEROSPACE EVENT
Feb. 20, 1945—The Secretary
of War approved plans for the
establishment of the White Sands
Proving Ground, a rocket-firing
installation.
Jan. 2,1933—Orville Wright re-
ceived the first honorary fellow-
ship of the Institute of Aero-
nautical Sciences.
Aircraft/Missile Mix Vital
Are missiles natural replacements for piloted vehicles? Not by
a long shot, say two key committees of Congress. Aircraft are dif-
ferent. They can do jobs missiles can’t do — just as missiles can
do some jobs aircraft can’t.
We’ll need both piloted bombers and strategic missiles for a
long time. They don’t duplicate each other. Like a team, they
complement each other.
The Senate Committee on Armed Services said that while it is
important to perfect development and deployment of long-range
missiles, it would be wise, for several reasons, to make possible the
continued procurement of manned bombers. Reasons:
° First, despite the promising effectiveness of our long-range
missiles, some of which are still under development, these
weapon systems are unproved in operation. Beyond the com-
plexities involved in firing the first generation of these
missiles, there is the realization that because of the ban
on testing nuclear weapons it has not been demonstrated that
an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead
will actually work.
0 Second, a manned aircraft affords a utility and a flexibility
in application that are not characteristic of missiles. A mis-
sile is not recallable, but the decision to commit a force of
manned aircraft can be reversed while the aircraft are in
flight.
° Third, if a condition of mutual strategic deterrence should
be achieved, or if a satisfactory nuclear disarmament agree-
ment should be negotiated, an inadequate number of manned
bombers would leave us handicapped in our ability to respond
to other forms of warfare.
° Finally, the availability of the Hound Dog missile and the
promising possibility of a successful development of the
Skybolt missile will substantially enhance the effectiveness
of manned bombers ....
Like the Senate Committee, the House Committee on Armed
Services explained its concept of the need for strategic bombers.
“During the committee’s extended hearings both on posture
and procurement,” says its report, “there slowly developed among
the members of the committee, a perceptible hesitiancy in placing
sole reliance and dependence in the ICBM for now or the near
future.”
It also reported: ‘The committee has stated, and hopes that it
has made it abundantly clear, that it does not intend to cast doubt
on the intercontinental ballistic missile as a very important part
of our ultimate total military posture. It does, however, believe
that for a very considerable time into the future a true position of
strength can be found only in a well-considered and well-balanced
mix of missiles and bomber aircraft. The committee is not so
unimaginative, so conventional, and so conservative in its thinking
as to reject the new merely because it is new. It is, however, con-
servative enough to insist that our force be a proper balance be-
tween the already known and that which is still to be conclusively
proved.”
★ ★ ★
Is It Really Peaceful?
“Peaceful coexistence” to the communists, means a vigorous
struggle against what they call the “capitalist” countries.
The communists label the United States as the leader of the
“capitalist camp” and the “principal force of modern imperialism.”
(Imperialism, remember, means a policy of seeking to triumph over
and dominate other nations.) They see themselves as leaders of the
“socialist camp” seeking “the triumph of socialism and communism
on a world scale.”
Let’s see how they explain “peaceful coexistence.” In late 1960
Communist Party representatives met in Moscow and issued a new
manifesto. Here’s a quote from their 20,00 word document:
“Peaceful coexistence' of states does not imply renunciation
of the class struggle, as the revisionists claim. The coexistence
of states with differing social systems is a form of class struggle
between socialism and capitalism.
“In conditions of peaceful coexistence favorable opportunities
are provided for the development of the class struggle in the
capitalist countries and the national-liberation movement of the
peoples of the colonial and dependent countries.
“In their turn, the successes of the revolutionary class and
national-liberation struggle promote peaceful coexistence .
“Peaceful coexistence of countries with differing social sys-
tems does not mean conciliation of- the socialist and bourgeois
ideologies. On the contrary, it implies intensification of the
struggle of the working class, of all the Communist parties, for
the triumph of socialist ideas .... Communists have always
recognized the progressive, revolutionary significance of national-
liberation wars; they are the most active champions of national
independence . . ..”
In a speech in Moscow Jan. 6, Premier Khrushchev expounded
on the new manifesto. “Liberation wars,” he said, “will continue
to exist as long as imperialism exists.” And he added that “the
communists fully support such just wars and march in the front
rank with the peoples waging liberation struggles.”
When will there be no more wars: According to the communists,
when the “Forces of imperialism” no longer exist and “world
socialism” has been established under communist domination.
So, by no stretch of the imagination is peaceful coexistence
peaceful. The struggle will end, say the communists, only if
resistance to communism endes.
If the communists are permitted to have their way, the struggle
will end only if the forces of freedom give in to the forces of tyranny.
Peace Through Deterrence