DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1954

HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

EIGHTY-THIRD CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE APPROPRIATIONS

ERRETT P. SCRIVNER, Kansas, Chairman

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

JOHN TABER, New York, Chairman

RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts
BEN F. JENSEN, Iowa

H. CARL ANDERSEN, Minnesota
WALT HORAN, Washington
GORDON CANFIELD, New Jersey

IVOR D. FENTON, Pennsylvania

JOHN PHILLIPS, California

ERRETT P. SCRIVNER, Kansas

FREDERIC R. COUDERT, JR., New York
CLIFF CLEVENGER, Ohio
EARL WILSON, Indiana

NORRIS COTTON, New Hampshire
GLENN R. DAVIS, Wisconsin
BENJAMIN F. JAMES, Pennsylvania
GERALD R. FORD, JR., Michigan
FRED E. BUSBEY, Illinois
EDWARD T. MILLER, Maryland
CHARLES W. VURSELL, Illinois
T. MILLET HAND, New Jersey
HAROLD C. OSTERTAG, New York
OAKLEY HUNTER, California
FRANK T. BOW, Ohio
HAMER H. BUDGE, Idaho

CHARLES R. JONAS, North Carolina

OTTO KRUEGER, North Dakota
ROMAN L. BRUSKA, Nebraska
SAM COON, Oregon

MELVIN R. LAIRD, Wisconsin

ELFORD A. CEDERBERG, Michigan

CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri
GEORGE H. MAHON, Texas
HARRY R. SHEPPARD, California
ALBERT THOMAS, Texas
MICHAEL J. KIRWAN, Ohio
W. F. NORRELL, Arkansas
JAMIE L. WHITTEN, Mississippi
GEORGE W. ANDREWS, Alabama
JOHN J. ROONEY, New York

J. VAUGHAN GARY, Virginia

JOHN E. FOGARTY, Rhode Island
ROBERT L. F. SIKES, Florida

ANTONIO M. FERNANDEZ, New Mexico.
PRINCE H. PRESTON, JR., Georgia

OTTO E. PASSMAN, Louisiana
LOUIS C. RABAUT, Michigan
SIDNEY R. YATES, Illinois
FRED MARSHALL, Minnesota
JOHN J. RILEY, South Carolina

ALFRED D. SIEMINSKI, New Jersey

GEORGE Y. HARVEY, Clerk KENNETH SPRANKLE, Assistant Clerk (II)

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE APPROPRIATIONS

FOR 1954

FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1953.

GENERAL STATEMENTS

WITNESSES

HON. JAMES H. DOUGLAS, UNDER SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE GEN. HOYT S. VANDENBERG, CHIEF OF STAFF

LT. GEN. C. B. STONE III, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, COMPTROLLER LT. GEN. O. R. COOK, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, MATERIEL

MAJ. GEN. MANUEL J. ASENSIO, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET

MAJ. GEN. OLIVER S. PICIIER, ASSISTANT FOR PROGRAMING, DSC/O COL. JACK E. THOMAS, CHIEF, INTELLIGENCE INTEGRATION DIVI

SION

AIR FORCE BUDGET FOR 1954

Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. The committee will be in order. Gentlemen, we have with us this morning the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Mr. Douglas, who has a brief statement for the committee to be presented in the absence of the Secretary. Will you proceed, Mr. Secretary?

Mr. DOUGLAS. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, in the absence of the Secretary, I wish to comment briefly on the Air Force budget for fiscal 1954. The Secretary has been in the Far East and is now on his way back to Washington. He thought it essential to see Air Force personnel, installations and equipment where our forces are in combat, to have a better understanding not only of present operations, but also to have a better understanding of Air Force requirements for 1954 funds.

Air Force requirements are based fundamentally on the need for an Air Force which will continue to play its essential part in deterring Soviet aggression and, in the event of total war, in assuring our survival of its impact, and the protection of the industrial and military capacity essential to winning through to ultimate victory.

In response to this need, Congress approved-in enacting the 1953 budget-an Air Force program for the establishment of 143 wings. Three years ago the Air Force had shrunk to 48 wings. There are now some 100 wings, and the 143-wing Air Force should be realized in a little more than 2 years. In carrying out this program of expansion, the Air Force must press forward in the development of intercontinental bombers capable of operating at very high altitude and at very great speeds. We must also push on in the development of supersonic fighter interceptors and guided missiles. You may well

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