U.S. GUIDED MISSILES

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26517, 4 September 1951, Page 7

U.S. GUIDED MISSILES

HUGE PROGRAMME DISCLOSED

(Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 2. Mr G. H. Mahon, chairman of the House - of Representatives Military Appropriations Sub-committee, disclosed to-day that the United States plans to spend 1,000.000,000 dollars before next July on guided missiles. He said some of these missiles would carry atomic warheads. Mr Mahon did not make it clear whether the guided missiles with atomic warheads would be ready by July. He made the statement in a broadcast.

Indications that the Defence Department was spending huge sums on a rush guided missiles programme were contained in reports by the sub-com-mittee on its closed hearings on the military budget for the financial year, which began on August f. but this is the first time a round figure for an over-all missiles programme for the Army. Navy, and Air Force has been stated. Mr Mahon said that should the Korean armistice talks break down, the Chinese Communists “are going to ge* more war than they have had. Mr Mahon, whose duties keep him in close touch with military leaders, said that the Joint Chiefs of Staff did not think the United States would be in ’an all-out war with Russia in this calendar year. He added: "They think the chances for an all-out war next year are greater than this year.”