NON MILITARY VALUE Mr. DEANE. It looks as though everyone is shaking hands out at San Francisco currently. What are the advantages, civilianwise and in peacetime, of this operation? What are the byproducts other than national defense that you see in this program? General BRIGGS. I am not sure I understand the question. Do you mean politically? Mr. DEANE. Read the question, please. (Question read by reporter.) General BRIGGS. Of course, the whole defense effort has increased our liaison, friendly relations with the Canadians, and made for closer relations with the Canadians, both in the military echelons of the Canadian Government, the External Affairs and Northern Affairs, which is a new department of the Canadian Government responsible for the Arctic. Mr. MAHON. That is one item. Go ahead and explain anything else. What good is this going to do aside from the defense aspect? That is the question. General BRIGGS. I know of none, sir. Mr. DEANE. That is a very simple answer. I was thinking about such things as air transportation directly north, landing fields, electronic communications. It would seem to me that you would have a wealth of information to justify this other than purely defense. Colonel JONES. We might point out one of the most tangible and tremendously valuable assets to both Canada and the United States. The communications system provided by the DEW project is truly a modern northwest passage. From this system we can expand tremendously. Let us say we eliminate all threat of war. This makes possible the use of the DEW communication system for voice communication from Alaska to Europe or as far out as we wish to go this way [indicating]. This new communication technique, designed and actually installed in a lateral communication network, has a tremendous future. We have this link across here now. (Discussion off the record.) Mr. DEANE. I am serious in the question. It seems to me that our defense people who think in terms of defense should also think in terms of peace and how great developments like the program before us could be synchronized; that outstanding peacetime byproducts in technology, landing strips, housing, living conditions, and similar phases of development would be greatly advanced. That is all, I believe, Mr. Chairman. Mr. MAHON. I would hazard a guess that tremendous civilian benefits could spring from this sort of thing, benefits we cannot now foresee. Of course, the military is not thinking in those terms. Let us proceed. GENERAL STATEMENT ON SEMIAUTOMATIC GROUND ENVIRONMENT SAGE Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, after we detect aircraft, the next thing is to do something about it. Our next presentation is on SAGE, the automatic ground environment. Major Paul will make that entation. r. MAHON. Do we talk about SAGE in the public print yet? r. TURNER. I believe we do on some aspects. I am not quite sure Come aspects. Discussion off the record.) The following statement was submitted for the record:) GE is the abbreviated short title for semi-automatic ground environment. system was formerly known as the Lincoln transition system. e SAGE system is that portion of the Air Defense system that provides the as for the semi-automatic processing of data and weapon control. It conof: ) Those facilities required to process and transmit air surveillance data existing and planned data gathering sources to the SAGE direction center. ) The direction center where air surveillance data, by means of electronic uters is processed, evaluated, and developed into air situations at subsector from which threat evaluation, weapons assignment, and appropriate weapuidance orders are generated. ) Those facilities required to transmit situation data from direction centers mbat centers. ) The combat centers, where data from the direction centers, by means of ronic computers is processed, evaluated, and developed into sector level ituations so that the utilization of weapon resources can be monitored and ted. ) Those facilities required to transmit instructions from combat centers rection centers. O Those facilities required to transmit the output data from combat centers rection centers to the appropriate user, such as adjacent direction centers, at centers, data-line transmitters, CAA and AA facilities. ose facilities included in or directly associated with the SAGE program de such items as: Operation building, fuel storage, power and air-conditionlant, communication, external and internal, for the automatic transmission formation from data gathering sources to the direction centers and cross g between direction centers and the combat centers. also includes such support facilities as: Administrative facilities, officers' ters, airmen's and officers' messing and recreation, post exchange, auto tenance, installation administration and shops, supply warehousing, utilities heating, security facilities, officer and airmen family housing. ese are typical support facilities. Quantitive requirements will vary with location depending upon availability of existing facilities. rts of the existing and/or programed air defense system feed into the E system. ese may include such items as gap filler radars, long-range radars and their iated height finders, airborne early warning and control aircraft, picket s, Texas towers, air route traffic control centers, weather facilities, interor bases, GOC filter centers, civil defense, the anti-aircraft operation center its associated weapons, such as Nike and AA guns, missile-launching bases, the radio facilities through which guidance instruction are given to the hed interceptors and missiles. e requirement for SAGE stems from the need to improve the present airse system in light of an enemy threat so that we can reduce the time reed to gather data, evaluate it, and reach a decision. This will permit us to n a high kill capability for the related weapons systems. The Air Force be capable of coping with any potential threat to this country. GE introduces the semiautomatic data-processing and weapons control imement which will provide the air-defense system with the capability to conthe air battle effectively and flexibly. e air defense of the continental United States is a responsibility of the Comder in Chief, Continental Air-Defense Command. The prime concern of AD is the protection of retaliatory forces, population, natural resources, and strial potential against any initial or sustained attack by hostile forces. defense must be sufficiently effective to counterattack and assure the tual successful conclusion of war. order to carry out its asigned mission, CONAD has assigned certain airse tasks to subordinate echelons. Responsibility for these tasks apply geographically as wel The highest echelon Next is the Joint A automatic equipm enter. Target data from ai ervers, and other aux by the way of machine bat center feed vi Takes the data and ma to be shown to operator determine the identity selected and assigned les, will be as th decision this decision The computer then prep distribution via autom centers. There are bet equired to operate and is estimated that b required in each subse Tes of installations w No longer will it be us nor to pass this Lamans. This will be dan video and fine-gra of the equipment. The so accomplished au Bitoring function. Computer via data link t vil do much to reduce In order to accompli ere required and wil Estalled and operating. With the Western Elect sful evolution and i Consist of: (a) The design facilities at the dir geographically as well as operationally. The organizational structure of the force of each service which forms CONAD vary; however, the operational arrangement applies for the complete air-defense system. The highest echelon of command is the Continental Air Defense Command with headquarters at Colorado Springs, Colo. CONAD will operate a combat operations center and exercise general and overall battle supervision over the lower echelons of command. Next is the Joint Air Defense Force. There will be three Joint Air Defense Forces-Eastern, Central, and Western-as in the present Air Defense structure. Each Joint Air Defense Force will also operate a combat operations center for general supervision of the air battle within its area of assigned responsibility. The Joint Air Defense Division, or Sector, is the next level of command in our Air Defense structure. At this location the Combat Center will be equipped with semiautomatic equipment. Then next level in our operational structure is the Joint Air Defense Wing whose area of responsibility is called a subsector. The direction center at this level will be equipped with an electronic computer arrangement. It is at this level that the air battle will be directed. Under the operational control of the subsector commander there will be manned interceptors, unmanned interceptors, long-range radars, gap-filler radars, picket vessels, Texas towers, AEW and C Aircraft and AAOC's. The direction center is an installation equipped with a combat directioncontrol computer. The increase capability of this system represents a tremendous gain in capacity over the present system. Radar data and other information are transmitted over communication lines to the computer where in combination with the human crew it processes the radar data and other air-situation information, performs identifications, and directs weapons. Search radars, beacons, and height finders and Texas towers automatically report the positions of aircraft over the data circuits to the direction center, Mappers and moving-target indicators remove false data caused by stationary objects, clouds, etc., before the wanted radar returns are fed to the direction center. Target data from airborne early-warning airplanes, picket ships, ground observers, and other auxiliary data such as weather reports enter the computer by the way of machine-punched cards. Data from other direction centers and the combat center feed via data circuits to the direction center. The computer takes the data and makes correlates with previous data, and prepares displays to be shown to operators. The human operators monitor the computer operation, determine the identity of aircraft, and assign weapons. The type of weapon selected and assigned to targets, whether manner or unmanned interceptor missiles, will be as the situation dictates. After the operator has made his decision this decision will be made known to the computer via manual inputs. The computer then prepares weapons commands and summary reports and makes distribution via automatic data links to weapon sites, interceptors, and other centers. There are between 475 and 575 personnel, officers, airmen, and civilians required to operate and supervise all the functions carried on at the subsector. It is estimated that between 500 and 900 leased communications circuits are required in each subsector. The total number will vary with the number and types of installations within each subsector. No longer will it be necessary for people to scan scopes for initial radar returns nor to pass this information over slow voice communications to other humans. This will be done automatically by new techniques such as sloweddown video and fine-grain data. Humans, however, will monitor the functioning of the equipment. The processing of data and the generation of filtered display is also accomplished automatically, and again personnel will perform primarily a monitoring function. Instructions will be automatically transmitted by the computer via data link to the appropriate users. This high degree of automaticity will do much to reduce the human errors now inherent in the present system In order to accomplish a program of this magnitude, unprecedented actions were required and will continue to be required until the complete system is installed and operating. To achieve this the Air Force has negotiated a contract with the Western Electric Co. to provide the assistance necessary to assure successful evolution and integration of the SAGE system. Specifically, the tasks consist of: (a) The design and construction of the technical buildings and related facilities at the direction center and combat center sites. (b) Services essential for systemwide administration, coordination, test, and training schedules. is estimated that the SAGE system will cost somewhere in the neighborhood ,086,000,000 and annual operating cost will be approximately $400 million. fiscal year 1954, 44.07 million was spent. fiscal year 1955, 144.07 million was obligated, and the Air Force requires 2 million in fiscal year 1956. MAHON. Off the record. Discussion off the record.) eneral BRIGGS. There is certainly nothing on the horizon or unwn at the present time in regard to this, and if it were discovered, ould certainly take another 10 years to introduce. FUNDING r. MAHON. You expect to spend something over $100 million on project in fiscal 1955? ajor PAUL. Yes, sir. We have these figures broken down a little nore, sir, if you would like to take a look at them. г. MAHON. Very well. ajor PAUL. Actually, in fiscal year 1954 we spent-and all of this pital and operating costs broken down in detail $44.07 million. obligated $144.07 million in fiscal 1955 and we need $282.12 million this next fiscal year. Of this the acquisition and construction of property will account for $66.25 million. This should buy techI facilities for priorities through 18 and support facilities for rities 1 through 16. NUMBER OF INSTALLATIONS r. MAHON. How many of these installations do you plan to have he final program? ajor PAUL. There will be a total of 40 installations. COST OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT r. MAHON. This $1 billion is just about half, probably, of the !cost? ajor PAUL. No, sir. ,056,800,000 is the estimated capital cost required for the entire E system. r. TURNER. That is the estimated total cost. COST OF OPERATION r. SCRIVNER. When the completion of the installation is over, it is g to cost about $300 million per year to operate it? ajor PAUL. It will cost probably between $300 million and $400 on. MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS r. SCRIVNER. This system is supposed to be semiautomatic, and pposed to eliminate a lot of manpower, and I assume some place, where, some time, someone has a story to tell us as to how it is st a self-liquidating project, because it will save so much in power? Major PAUL. S Mr. MAHON. Tha GENERAL STATEMEN Mr. MAHON. The General WASHBOU (1) First, the Dir The Air Force requ Major PAUL. Sir, we do not claim SAGE will save manpower. Actually, it has generated a few additional requirements. However, it does allow us to relocate people from the radar structures who today are doing these tasks by hand, so to speak, to the SAGE center. We would estimate that we will require approximately 500 people, which will involve officers, airmen, and civilians. Mr. SCRIVNER. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Major PAUL. Are there any questions? Mr. SCRIVNER. I might ask you, like the man from Pennsylvania used to: Where are you going to get all this money after you get us committed to a program like this, at a cost of $300 million a year, which is one-third of a billion dollars? Mr. MAHON. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Major Paul, we thank you very much for your very interesting and helpful statement. Major PAUL. Thank you, sir. Mr. TURNER. That completes our special presentations, Mr. Chair man. Mr. MAHON. Thank you very much, gentlemen. MONDAY, JUNE 27, 1955. GENERAL STATEMENT OF ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR INSTALLATIONS Mr. MAHON. The committee will come to order, and we will proceed, General Washbourne, with your presentation. General WASHBOURNE. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, this statement outlining Air Force construction requirements for fiscal year 1956 will be augmented by special briefings on three subjects: (1) First, the Directorate of Operations will refresh your memory as needed on the basic functions of major Air Force commands, and show you what bases they need, and why. (2) Next, the Directorate of Facilities Support will outline the family housing problem, show how numerical requirements for bases in this program were screened, and state current progress in actually building houses under other legislation. (3) Third, the Director of Supply and Services will explain the worldwide situation regarding the strategic storage and handling of aviation fuel. The Air Force requests permission to present security-classified material in closed session, and, at appropriate places, to omit such information from the published record. The Air Force is presenting to the committee today a request for the appropriation of $1.2 billion for additional base construction required to support a balanced 137-wing force level. The program is in consonance with the President's budget and has been cleared by Office, Secretary of Defense, and the Bureau of the Budget. This money will be applied against authorizations contained in prior years' public laws, as well as new authorizations granted for fiscal year 1956. The appropriation request before the committee today has been ad |