AIR FORCE CONCERN

Press, Volume C, Issue 29634, 3 October 1961, Page 15

AIR FORCE CONCERN

Emphasis In Training (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) NEW YORK, October 2. *■ United States Air Force officers in Europe were concerned at the renewed emphasis on non-nnclear war in training, the “New York Times” reported today. The newspaper's military correspondent, Hanson Baldwin, said there were several reasons for the concern, which was apparent at both high and low levels of command in units in Germany and France. One was that the United States Air Force, more than any other United States service, had been committed in its recent development and training to preparations for nuclear rather than nonnuclear war. Another was that the Soviet Union had a heavy superiority in manned aircraft. The Air Force did not believe the non-nuclear war was possible in Europe. Any attempt to keep a future war to conventional means, the Air Force believed, might seriously impair the United States’ ability for nuclear delivery and reduce or neutralise the United States' present nuclear superiority. Air Force estimates of the length of time a conventional war could be sustained in Europe varied from a few hours to a few days, Baldwin reported. The Air Force calculated that in air offence it would take 1000 sorties by conven-tionally-armed aircraft to achieve the same results as one nuclear sortie. The non-nuclear training by European units was at the direction of the Defence Department, Baldwin said.