Intermediate Range U.S. Missile Ready

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28370, 31 August 1957, Page 13

Intermediate Range U.S. Missile Ready

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 29. Only the official silence imposed by the Defence Department prevented the United States Army today from announcing thOt its 1500-mile Jupiter missile was a success and could be in production within 30 days, the American Associated Press reported. it said this positive Army assurance about its entry in the longer-range ballistic missile race developed after a Jupiter was launched from Cape Canaveral (Florida) yesterday and travelled the planned 1500-mile distance over the Atlantic without a single hitch. It came as Senator Henry Jackson (Democrat, Washington) renewed his contention that United States production of medium and long-range missiles had been delayed in time and cut back in numbers below previously-planned schedules.

Senator Jackson spoke after .a four-hour closed meeting of the Joint Atomic Energy Weapons Sub-committee, of which he is chairman, with the Acting Secretary of Defence (Mr Donald Quarles), intelligence officials, and missiles experts (from the Army. Navy and Air Force. Mr Quarles himself did not indicate misgivings about United States progress. “We have not allowed the restriction of funds to injure the programmes to the best of our knowledge.” he said. Senator Jackson, who has previously alleged a missiles slow-; down because of budget limitations. imposed by the Defence Department, said:

Technical troubles had slowed down the dates wh£n the United States intermediate range (1500-mile) and intercontinental (5000-mile) missiles could be expected to be available for operational use. Money restrictions had reduced the number of missiles that the United States' had planned to produce. "Only Proven Answer”

The American Associated said the Army would like to say, and would say if permitted, that its Jupiter was the only immediate and proven answer to the Russians* claim that they had successfully test-launched a 5000mile intercontinental ballistic missile.

The agency added: ‘'Authorities who know exactly what took place at the Florida missile test centre say that the weapon which performed so successfully yesterday was a prototype of an operational missile except in one inspect. The only thing lacking was the nose cone which would carry the nuclear payload. “Nose cones are expensive, they said, and the Army achieved a complete success in launching a Jupiter carrying a full-scale nose cone only three weeks ago. That test was run to prove that the cone could withstand the terrific heat encountered when the working end of a missile, plunging down from an altitude of 500 or more miles, re-enters the heavy near the earth’s surface.

“That recent test also demonstrated to the Army that its control and guidance system was about as good as it could be, for the nose cone landed within a quarter of a mile of the target point in the Atlantic.

“The Army would like to present its position, which is that it has a workable missile that could and should be produced now to counter the potential capability of the long-range weapon announced by the Russians on Monday,” the agency said.