FAMILY HOUSING-CAPEHART The basic housing requirement for eligible personnel at this station is 11,142 units. There are 962 adequate units now available. Completion of the proposed 500 units will provide 1,462 units, or 13 percent of the requirement. Newport provides support facilities for operational forces, various naval schools including the Naval War College and other dependent activities. This project consisting of 500 units will replace 205 sets of public quarters which have been declared and must be disposed of, and 327 low cost rental units and trailers which have reached the end of their useful life. In September of 1958 there were 850 eligible families desiring to move into the area but were unable to find housing. A survey taken during 1958 indicated 2,105 inadequate community rentals consisting of 364 substanard units, 1,371 units in excessive costs, and 370 located at excessive distances. Senator STENNIS. What is the purpose of the breakwater; to keepthe waves out? Is that why it is there? Captain CHEW. Yes, sir, it is. The purpose is to protect. They built new piers there. They had extensive storm damage due to the great prevalence of northwest winds that come down Narragansett Bay and I have figures which are rather astounding. It is computed that over 295,000 man-days were lost during the past year by virture of bad weather, having the ships stand by, stopping maintenance work, stopping overhaul work, getting ready to get out to sea to protect themselves, and the construction of this breakwater will protect these two piers. Senator STENNIS. That is the way it is going to pay off; is that right? Captain CHEW. Yes, sir. It will certainly pay off. It will pay off in improved fleet maintenance because it will make it unnecessary to stop work at the slightest evidence of a blow. You see, man-days and man-hours are lost sometimes when it is not necessary completely to get underway but you have to be ready. Senator STENNIS. What figure is that you say that you lost? Captain CHEW. 295,000 man-days per year. That is an estimate I realize, sir, but it is a pretty good one. And, of course, they had a storm there as you remember, and the damages to ships exceeded $1,750,000 and $172,000 in damage to pier No. 1, and it was only completed in 1955. Senator STENNIS. That is a rather large sum there, $7,300,000 for building a breakwater. Captain CHEW. Incidentally, Senator Stennis, that has been the subject of an MIT study. It has been very thoroughly gone into. The breakwater itself will be 4,235 feet long and will come out and protect the harbor that is now a destroyer base. Senator STENNIS. All right, what is your next item? AVIATION FACILITIES Captain CHEW. Now we come to the third class in the program and this is for aviation facilities. The total authorization is $112,849,000 representing approximately 65 percent of the overall Navy program.. 38060-59--10 (The following statement was supplied for the record :) STATEMENT OF REAR ADM. R. M. REYNOLDS, U.S. NAVY, ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT ON THE BUREAU OF AERONAUTICS FISCAL YEAR 1960 MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION REQUEST Mr. Chairman, it is a privilege to appear before the committee this year to present the aviation portion of the Navy's 1960 military construction authorization request. The Bureau of Aeronautics' portion of this request totals $117,220,000. Of this total, $75,998,000 is requested for the development of aviation facilities within the continental limits of the United States, while $41,222,000 is being requested for the development of our air stations and facilities overseas, including $19,518,000 for various classified locations. Prior to proceeding with the detailed review of our program I would like to mention briefly certain important aspects. The special purpose section of the bill contains a request for $33,356,000. $30,050,000 of this total is for facilities to support the various missile programs assigned to the Pacific missile range. As executive agent for this new national range, the Navy is charged with the responsibility for the instrumentation, safety, and the coordination of operations for the three military services, National Aeronautics Space Agency and the Advanced Research Projects Agency. The Pacific missile range is operating on a limited basis at this time. Phase 2 of the range development is included in this authorization request and includes both continental and down-range facilities to support vital missile programs. These facilities must be authorized this year to provide a timely development of the range; $1,051,000 is also included in the special purpose section for additional construction at naval air facility towers-field to phase air operations out of the Naval Air Station, Anacostia/Bolling complex. The remaining portion of the special purpose section is to provide facilities at various continental research and development stations. In the program for our training stations we are requesting authorization for the continuation of the development of the jet pilot training at Meridian. This request represents the last major increment of construction and will provide the training command with an operational station during the latter part of 1961. Authorization is also being requested for the modernization of operational facilities at Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Whiting, to support basic jet training. In the fleet support area, the major portion of the request is for the continued development of Naval Air Station, Lemoore, for the support of carrier air group training in the San Francisco area. This is also the last major increment of construction for this station and will provide an operational capability near the end of 1961. Our Marine program provides primarily for the development of Marine Corps Auxilary Air Station, Yuma, The facilities included in this request will enable the station to support gunnery training on a rotational bass for Navy and Marine Corps aviation units based in the southern California area. The principal programs at our oversea stations include the additional construction of facilities at Naval Station, Roosevelt Roads, for the missile training of Atlantic fleet units, the development of one classified location in the Atlantic to support the barrier program, dredging at Rota to provide capacity for the Forrestal class carriers and the provision of operational and personnel facilities at various other stations in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean areas. Captain CHEW. Of that amount $75,688,000 are for 104 line items at 15 stations in the continental United States and the balance of $37,161,000 is for 21 line items at oversea stations. I think you are familiar with the program. The aviation shore activities are required for several basic purposes, for training, supporting the operating forces including the Marine Corps, the striking power of the Navy, and for important research development and tests of guided missiles and their components. The continental aviation facilities are in four basic groups. The first of these groups, naval air training stations. They are required as the name signifies for the training of aviation personnel and involve three stations for a total amount of about $8,358,000. The first project consists of 10 line items at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian, totaling $5,147,000. This is a reduction of $429,000 from the figures shown in the bill and the program book and, with your permission, we will make this change. (The project sheet is as follows:) NAVAL AUXILIARY AIR STATION, MERIDIAN, MISS. Location.-Nearest city: Meridian, 14 miles southwest. PERMANENT STATION Mission.-Maintain and operate facilities and provide services and material to support operations of aviation activities and units of the Naval Air Training Command and other activities and units as designated by the Chief of Naval Operations. Major activities supported: (1) Basic training units as designated. Experience within the Naval Air Basic Training Command has demonstrated that satisfactory flight safety cannot be maintained if basic students are required to land or take off training aircraft with crosswinds in excess of 7 knots at 90°. In accordance with the wind rose for Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian, the primary runways will provide only 90 percent wind coverage under maximum allowable crosswinds. Training flight ranging from 12 to 30 aircraft take off from Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian, at a single time, proceed to an outlying field for practice landings, and then return 1 to 2 hours later. Upon return, these aircraft are frequently low on fuel and a sudden shift in wind direction would result in the inexperienced student being forced to make a crosswind landing under unsafe conditions. The crosswind runway will eliminate this flight hazard and also allow flights to take off under crosswind conditions. The runway length required for training jet aircraft is 5,000 feet sea level equivalent or an actual length at this station of 6,400 feet. This item provides only one leg of the crosswind runway, the other leg to be included in a subsequent construction prorgam. COLD STORAGE BUILDING The planned messhall complement at Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian, is computed as follows: Enlisted personnel (70 percent by 1,620) Total personnel....... 1, 134 146 1,280 Based upon current planning standards a cold storage facility of 1.26 square feet per man is required to provide an 18-day meat supply and an 18-day dairy supply for the men of this station. Accordingly, a cold storage building of 1.26 by 1,280 equals 1,613 square feet is required for the station; or on a cubic foot basis, 1,613 by 9 equals 14,517 cubic feet are required. A cold storage plant at this station will permit receipt of foodstuffs in carload and truckload lots thus permitting economical central procurement action. Expensive and undependable day-to-day deliveries would have to be put in effect if this item is not provided. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING An administrative building is required at Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian, to provide office accommodations for the command and administrative staff personnel. The permanent building occupancy will total 87 personnel; and in accordance with Department of Defense criteria, a net office area of 87 by 125 square feet per person equals 10,875 square feet is allowed. An additional 6,125 square feet is authorized for telephone equipment rooms, head, corridors, stairwells, lobby, mechanical equipment room, and exterior and interior walls. Accordingly, the authorized gross area for the administration building is 17,000 square feet. Meridian is in weather zone B with 2,563 hours where the wet bulb temperature equals or exceeds 67° F. during the 6 hottest months of the year; therefore, air conditioning of this facility is required. The operation of such functions as the communication system makes the administration building vital to accomplishment of the mission of this station. FAMILY HOUSING, CAPEHART The basic housing requirement for eligible personnel at this station is 756 units. There is now no housing at the station. Completion of the proposed 320 units will provide 42.3 percent of the requirement. Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian will maintain and operate facilities in support of advanced training for naval aviators. This is a new facility which is to be commissioned in fiscal year 1961. It is located in an agricultural area where no private rental support housing is available. This fact was reported by the State director of the Federal Housing Administration and has been confirmed in meetings with community leaders and realtors. OUTLYING LANDING FIELD, BRAVO RUNWAY Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Meridian, will be used to provide basic training in the T2J jet trainer for a continuous student load of 366 officers and cadets. To maintain student flow under the training syllabus, a total of about 1,000 practice landings must be completed each flyable day. These landings consisting of solo, precision, and field carrier landing practice types. The runway capacity available at NAAS. Meridian, is required primarily to launch and recover group training flights; accordingly two outlying landing fields are needed, as the capacity of one outlying landing field is about 500 practice landings per day. Outlying landing field, Bravo, is one of these outlying landing fields which will be used primarily for FCLP landings. Such a field requires a 150-foot wide runway of 5,000 feet sea level equivalent (6,500 feet actual) length to provide sufficient wind coverage. The first 1,000 feet at each end of the runway must be constructed of Portland cement concrete to withstand the effects of fuel spillage and jet blast. FCLP training flights make complete landings after each series of practice landings for the purpose of briefing students and changing students. TAXIWAY Outlying landing field, Bravo, will be used to provide student pilots practice landings of the crosswind and FCLP type. During FCLP operations a flight of about 12 aircraft are flown to the outlying landing field while landing signal officers, instructors, and other groups of students are transported to the outlying landing field by bus. After each aircraft in the flight has made several FCLP landings, all aircraft land and taxi to the parking apron. Students just landed are debriefed on their practice landings and another group of students is briefed for FCLP landings. The new group then man the aircraft, taxi out to the runway, and take off. Taxiways are essential to provide access between the runways and parking apron. Due to fuel spillage and jet blast effects while in the holding positions, the lead-off taxiway and first 500 feet of the parallel taxiway must be Portland cement concrete. Lack of taxiways would eliminate effective FCLP training and would preclude clearance of runways when an emergency landing was necessary during crosswind practice bounce landings. AIRCRAFT PARKING APRON After each aircraft in the flight has completed several FCLP landings, all aircraft land and taxi to the parking apron. Students are then debriefed on their practice landings while a second group of students is briefed prior to manning the aircraft and takeoff. This change of student pilots in the aircraft may take place several times daily. An aircraft parking apron is necessary for holding the aircraft while students are changed. Required parking area is computed on the following basis: 12 T2J aircraft by 789 square yards per aircraft equal 9,468 square yards plus 4,238 square yards of peripheral taxiway equal 13,706 square yards total apron. The total apron space has been verified by a scale layout of the parking apron in accordance with Bureau of Aeronautics criteria. Effective FCLP training cannot be conducted without this parking apron. OPTICAL LANDING SYSTEM Approximately 400 field carrier practice landings will be completed during each flyable day at outlying landing field, Bravo. As all angle deck carriers are being equipped with optical landing systems, this method of approach must be used in the field carrier landing practice at outlying landing field, Bravo. In order to maintain a satisfactory training rate within the planned training syllabus, it is necessary to provide optical landing systems at all runway ends, as all of these ends will be used due to varying wind conditions. The initial training of students in FCLP-type landings is a hazardous operation, and during such operations crosswinds must be eliminated to every extent possible. FCLP training cannot be conducted without the optical landing systems. OPERATIONS BUILDING Outlying landing field, Bravo, will be used for about 400 field carrier landing practices and 100 crosswind landings per day by student pilots. Although no personnel are permanently stationed at Bravo, during the daylight hours of operation it is necessary to have landing signal officers, instructors, line maintenance, medical, and crash crew personnel and groups of FCLP students on the ground at the field. Classroom space is required for briefing and debriefing students, instructors require office space in which to schedule flights and prepare briefing material, storage space is required for line maintenance gear, and galley facilities are necessary to serve precooked food to the personnel. Radio communications between aircraft and instructors and telephone communications with Naval Auxiliarly Air Station, Meridian, are essential to training operations; this equipment will be provided in the operation building. A small second story observation tower is necessary to provide instructors and some students a clear view of the FCLP operations. Students could not be properly trained in carrier landing practice without the facilities provided by this line item. UTILITIES AND SERVICES Outlying landing field, Bravo, will be used for about 400 FCLP and 100 crosswind landings per day by student pilots. Although no personnel are permanently stationed at Bravo, during the daylight hours of operation it is necessary to have instructors, landing signal officers, line maintenance, medical, and crash personnel and groups of FCLP students on the ground at the field. As many as 35 personnel may be at the field at a given time. These personnel will utilize the facilities in the operations building which requires electric power, potable water, and sewage disposal service. This line item will provide these utility services for the operations buildings. Lack of utilities would prevent radio communication with aircraft and adversely affect the health and comfort of assigned personnel. An on-station road is necessary to provide access from the entrance gate to the operations building; and minimum parking facilities are necessary for crash equipment, an ambulance, gas and oil trucks, and a few private cars. Low cost fencing of the property is essential to keep both personnel and animals from inadvertently wandering into operational areas. ACQUISITION OF LAND AND UTILITY RELOCATION Outlying landing field, Bravo, will consist of two 150 feet wide by 6,500 feet long runways, taxiways, an aircraft parking apron, and on operations building. It will be necessary to purchase about 1,860 acres of land in fee to accommodate |