NAVAL ORDNANCE AEROPHYSICS LABORATORY, DAINGERFIELD, TEX. Mr. MAHON. If there are no questions, we will proceed to the next item and insert the prepared justification. Naval Ordnance Aerophysics Laboratory, Daingerfield, Tex. (a) This project contemplates the construction of the following: (1) Two-story office building, approximately 10,000 square feet. (3) Noise reduction on burner. (4) Dust proofing of existing buildings. (b) The office building will be of permanent construction involving approximately 10,000 square feet of floor space and will augment present inadequate temporary type space now available. (c) The noise reduction on the ram-jet burner facility will involve installation of stack baffles, reinforced walls, and other acoustical treatment to relieve the present hazard to operating personnel and nuisance to surrounding area. (d) The dust proofing will involve installation of weather stripping and provision of filters on the air intake to reduce the damage now created by corrosion on wind tunnel sections and models. (e) This project does not involve acquisition of real estate. BASIS OF REQUIREMENT (a) The wind tunnel and ram-jet burner facility which comprise the Ordnance Aerophysics Laboratory are operated by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp. on a full two-shift basis on high priority work for the Navy and Air Force. (b) Existing administrative and storage space is entirely inadequate resulting in considerable crowding and inefficient operation. (c) A recent study by acoustical experts from Massachusetts Institute of Technology has shown that the noise from the ram-jet facility is more than a hazard and may result in injuries to personnel and subsequent law suits against the Government. (d) The ram-jet burner laboratory is the only facility in the United States capable of testing large sized ram-jet engines for guided missiles under simulated high altitude conditions. It serves the entire military establishment on high priority ram-jet development for guided missiles. NAVAL ORDNANCE PLANT, FOREST PARK, ILL. Mr. MAHON. The next item is "Naval Ordnance Plant, Forest Park, Ill." The prepared justifications will be inserted at this point: PROJECT DESCRIPTION (a) This project contemplates the provision of filtered and washed air of proper humidity and temperature to the torpedo-gyroscope manufacturing and assembly area of the torpedo modernization service building (Building No. 10) including the procurement and installation of equipment to condition and deliver the air and structural additions to house the equipment. (b) It will be necessary to provide two small structural additions to the present building for this purpose. One of these additions will be 46 by 10 feet and the other 15 by 10 feet. The larger addition will house a 100-ton refrigeration compressor, a power-driven fan, and water-circulating pumps. The smaller addition will house an electrically driven fan. Cold air will be supplied to the working areas by a system of metal ducts. (c) No real-estate acquisition is required for this project. BASIS OF REQUIREMENT (a) Torpedo production and assembly operations in this area and the spoilage or rejection losses are unnecessarily high, are greatly impaired because of excessive humidity, irregular temperatures and the presence of an appreciable quantity of dust in the air. (b) The functioning of the testing equipment, and the manufacturing and assembly of parts and mechanisms, requires extremely close tolerances. These operations are detrimentally affected by condensation, worker perspiration, rapid temperature changes, and the infiltration of dust particles. (c) This is the only plant where gyroscopes for torpedoes are manufactured. (d) There is no space available within the torpedo modernization and manufacturing area to place the compressors, pumps, cold-water tanks, and miscellaneous apparatus required to condition the air. (e) The necessity for this project may be fully appreciated when one considers that tolerances greater than one-ten thousandth of an inch are not permissible in gyroscope manufacturing. NAVAL ORDNANCE PLANT, INDIANAPOLIS, IND. Mr. MAHON. Next is "Naval Ordnance Plant, Indianapolis, Ind." The prepared justification will be inserted at this point: (a) This project provides for ventilation of a room containing tanks and other equipment used for plating and anodizing components of aircraft fire-control equipment manufactured at the naval ordnance plant, Indianapolis, Ind. A total of 41 tanks are presently located in this space and it is necessary that corrosive and dangerous vapors given off from liquids contained in these tanks be exhausted from the working space to protect the health of personnel engaged in the plating and anodizing process. (b) This proposal involves the installation of two systems of ventilating and air-removal equipment. One system will be used for the removal of mild vapors and the other will remove corrosive vapors including air washing before the vapors are discharged to the atmosphere. (c) No real estate acquisition will be required for this purpose. BASIS OF REQUIREMENT (a) The process of plating and anodizing of component parts is essential to the manufacture of aviation, and other fire-control equipment which comprises the basic mission of this plant. There is no other Government plant presently tooled or actually engaged in the manufacture of aircraft fire-control equipment. (b) An inadequate system of ventilation is now installed with the result that a large quantity of corrosive and dangerous vapors are now discharged into the working spaces thus endangering the health of personnel there. (c) The present exhaust system discharges its vapors in a close proximity to a spray pond located on the roof of the building and these vapors have a tendency to contaminate the water in the spray pond and thus render ineffective the air conditioning for the major portion of Building No. 10. The discharge ducts to atmosphere from the new ventilating systems will be relocated to positions where they will not contaminate the main air supply to Building No. 10. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. Mr. MAHON. The next item is "Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass." The prepared justifications will be placed in the record: (a) This project contemplates the construction of combustion facilities consisting of permanent fireproof building with necessary soundproofing. (b) The facility will include four test cells 10 by 25 feet by 15 feet 6 inches for jet engine tests. (c) This building will be attached to the supersonic wind tunnel building and will permit common use of work shops, heating, air supply, etc. (d) This facility will be soundproofed and of permanent construction in keeping with the nature of the buildings on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus. (e) This facility will be used for training of personnel as well as for work in research and development. (f) The building will be constructed on land leased to the Bureau of Ordnance on a 20-year basis with option for renewal of lease for that portion of the land. BASIS OF REQUIREMENT (a) This facility is required for basic research in ram-jet design which will apply to missile projects of the entire Military Establishment. (b) The status of the ram-jet development in the United States has progressed to the point where the techniques are well known, however, many basic problems must be answered before the ram-jet is fully successful. (c) Personnel at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are highly qualified to undertake basic studies applicable to ram-jet design and have already made considerable contributions to the advancement of this art. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is considerably handicapped in this work by complete lack of an appropriate facility to perform this specialized work. (d) Research and development work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is very low cost to the Government since a large part of the work is being done by graduate students whose compensation is comparatively low. NAVAL SHIPYARD, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. Mr. MAHON. If there are no questions, we will proceed to "Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, Calif." We will insert the prepared justifications: Mr. TABER. Again you have an item here for California, for a Navy radiological-defense laboratory. Why do we need that? Admiral JELLEY. This is off the record. (Discussion off the record.) NAVAL AIR STATION, PENSACOla, Fla. Mr. MAHON. The next item is "Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.” The prepared justification will be inserted at this point: (a) This project contemplates the replacement of the present power plant by construction of a new high-pressure steam turbo-generator electric-power plant and distribution system tie-ins, including building, boiler and equipment, and electric equipment. (b) Included in this project is a compressed-air system and steam-distribution system. (c) No real-estate acquisition is required for this project. BASIS OF REQUIREMENT (a) The initial building, power plant, and electrical distribution system for Naval Air Station, Pensacola, were constructed early in the twentieth century, approximately 1907, and as the requirements of the station increased the basic plant has been expanded to meet minimum needs. The present electrical equipment and distribution systems are outdated, deteriorated, and entirely inadequate to provide the station with sufficient power facilities. (b) The provision of power from commercial sources has been investigated, and this survey reveals that a satisfactory arrangement in this regard cannot be effected, since industrial activities in this area require maximum output from this source. (c) A breakdown of this outmoded equipment which is entirely probable would have disastrous results upon the operations of the entire station, since such a casualty would render all electrical-driven machinery inoperative, as well as heat and steam systems used for industrial purposes. (d) The Naval Air Station, Pensacola, is the only basic training station for naval aviation and supports class-A overhaul and repair activities. This station is also the headquarters of the Chief, Naval Air Training, and supports various technical schools connected with pilot training. In order for the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, to fulfill its assigned mission, the present inadequate power facilities must be replaced with permanent facilities as proposed herein. Mr. TABER. This is for improvements of power plant and electrical distribution system in the amount of $3,960,000. That sounds like a big figure. Do you make your own power there? Admiral JELLEY. Yes, sir. We have our own generating plant. The local utility company has been unable to furnish sufficient electric power for the Naval Air Station at Pensacola. The present power plant dates back to 1906. The machinery is worn out. Breakdowns are frequent. We have been trying for the last several years to get this plant rebuilt with modern generators, boilers, and turbines. Mr. TABER. I thought we were going to add a Government dam just a little away from there, known as the Jim Woodruff, or something like that. Why would that not supply the power? Mr. SIKES. That is 200 miles away. Mr. TABER. That is not far. Mr. SIKES. The power output for the Jim Woodruff Dam is to be channeled through private companies and is already far oversubscribed in the immediate area, Mr. Taber. Mr. TABER. What are they going to do with the power they already have? Mr. SIKES. There is no power at Jim Woodruff now. Mr. TABER. But those local communities must have some power now. Mr. SIKES. It is expanding industry in the area which is asking for this additional power. Two or three years in advance of the completion of the power facilities, it is already recognized that there will be far less produced than needed. (Discussion off the record.) Admiral JELLEY. That power plant has been in poorer condition than any other of the Navy power plants. We are really anxious to get this in good shape. NEED FOR FUNDS REQUESTED Mr. TABER. You are asking for a total of $85,000,000. Mr. MAHON. That is the program. Mr. TABER. That is the new program? Mr. MAHON. That is the new program. Mr. TABER. It seems like a lot of money. That is the only thing I can figure out. There is not any of this that you would have asked for if this Korean episode had not happened; is there? Admiral JELLEY. We would have asked for it next year. Mr. TABER. You would? Admiral JELLEY. Yes, sir; we would have asked for it next year. Mr. TABER. It seems like this is a kind of catch-all when there is anything like this going on. Are there not a lot of these projects that could be eliminated without any serious impairment of the war effort? Admiral JELLEY. No, sir. I think that, on the contrary, we are going to need more construction to take care of the Korean war effort and the expanded activities that seem to be in contemplation. Mr. TABER. I think that is all I have right now. Mr. NORRELL. There is one item I want to ask questions about. Mr. MAHON. You may ask about any particular item. There is no hurry. Ask all the questions you want. |