POSSIBILITY OF ATTACK

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28821, 16 February 1959, Page 11

POSSIBILITY OF ATTACK

“Great Concern” Of U.S. Navy (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 14. The “very great” possibility of a surprise Russian submarine attack on the United States was causing the Navy great concern, the Chief of the United States Naval Operations (Admiral Arleigh Burke) has told Congress. The admiral’s testimony, given in secret on January 30, was released after security deletions bv the Senate disarmament subcommittee. This committee has been investigating the possible military effects of a ban on nuclear weapons tests. Admiral Burke said there was “no way you can guarantee that an attack will not get through.” He added, however, that the Russians had an even tougher problem since the United States could cover “all but a very small part of Russia from launching positions at sea.”

Admiral Burke did not dispute statements by the sub-committee’s chairman (Senator Humphrey) that the Russians had about 250 long-range submarines.

Admiral Burke revealed that a nuclear test ban would halt Navy efforts to get a small nuclear anti-submarine shell that could be fired from existing warship guns and dropped from the air. He reiterated a previous statement that the ban would prevent development of a warhead two or three times more powerful for the 1500-mile Polaris missile.

“The possibility of surprise attack by submarines is very great, and it is causing us a great deal of concern,” the admiral said. “But we have forces at sea all the time, searching up and down both coasts.” Asked if the Soviets have a considerable number of missilecarrying subs, Admiral Burke said: “I think they could have ballistic submarines now. I do not think they have very many.” The first United States ballistic missile submarine is due in 1960.