DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE HEARINGS BEFORE A ̧ SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS EIGHTY-SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri, Chairman JOHN H. KERR, North Carolina DANIEL J. FLOOD, Pennsylvania JOHN TABER, New York RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, Massachusetts H. CARL ANDERSEN, Minnesota GORDON CANFIELD, New Jersey ERRETT P. SCRIVNER, Kansas FREDERIC R. COUDERT, JR., New York NORRIS COTTON, New Hampshire DEPARTMENT OF THE AIK FORCE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1953 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1952. GENERAL STATEMENTS WITNESSES HON. THOMAS K. FINLETTER, SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE HON. R. L. GILPATRIC, UNDERSECRETARY GEN. HOYT S. VANDENBERG, CHIEF OF STAFF GEN. NATHAN F. TWINING, VICE CHIEF OF STAFF LT. GEN. C. B. STONE, III, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, COMPTROLLER MAJ. GEN. MANUEL J. ASCENSIO, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET BRIG. GEN. THETUS C. ODOM, DEPUTY FOR PROGRAM Mr. MAHON. The committee will come to order. We will begin our proceedings. Secretary Finletter, we are pleased to have you and the Under Secretary, Mr. Gilpatric, and the Chief of Staff, General Vandenberg, and other members of your staff, including General Stone and General Asensio. Will you please proceed with your general statement at this time? GENERAL STATEMENT OF SECRETARY FINLETTER Secretary FINLETTER. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, We hereby present to Congress the Air Force budget for fiscal year1953. This budget asks for new obligational authority for the fiscal year 2963 in the amount of $20.7 billion, exclusive of appropriations for blic works which are to be presented separately. Under this $20.7 billion appropriation the Air Force would move from its presently authorized 80 combat wings, 15 troop-carrier groups, and support units toward a force of 126 combat wings, 17 roop-carrier groups, and support units. The mere statement of numbers of wings does not tell the importance of this appropriations request. The importance lies in what this 126 Combat-wing force, when it comes into being, will do to prevent the appening of war. The Air Force today is already a strong force. It now consists of combat wings, 15 troop-carrier groups, and support units. However, many of these wings and other units are not fully modernized. The present force, as I have said, is a strong one. It is doing its part making it obvious that the free world is capable of defending itself and that an attack on us would be most unprofitable. The 126 combat-wing force looks ahead a few years and prepares for e different conditions of that time-a time when possible enemies will be stronger than now, especially in atomic weapons, a time when the power and carrying capacity of United States air also will have to be much greater than it is now, if we and the rest of the free world are to be safe. (1) |