Word: majority
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...flung obligations. But just how well the Pentagon would be able to carry out its awesome responsibilities is a matter of growing concern in Washington. Both in the Administration and in Congress, officials confront a question that will not go away: Could the U.S. successfully counter a major Soviet military thrust, no matter where it came? If the answer seems doubtful, then the next question inevitably is: What must be done to ensure the nation's security...
Another step to increase the nation's strategic capability, a proposal by Air Force Chief of Staff Lew Allen Jr., is to radically upgrade 155 of his F-111s. A major part of his plan: extending the fuselages of 66 of the FB-111 fighter-bombers 104 inches and installing the General Electric engines that were designed originally for the canceled B-l bomber. This would enable these FB-111s to fly into the U.S.S.R. faster (at 740 m.p.h., vs. 450 for the B-52) and more safely at low altitudes. The FB-111 would be more difficult...
...third of the ammunition and equipment it needs to ... sustain simultaneously a war in Europe and a minor contingency in the Middle East or outside of Europe." Nunn was referring to the official U.S. doctrine of having the resources to fight 1½ wars at the same time: a major confrontation with the Soviets in Europe, plus a regional skirmish. Said Nunn: "In the category of tank ammunition designed specifically to destroy other tanks, the Army has on hand about one-fourth of the requirement postulated by the Department of Defense for sustained combat in Europe." In addition, he said...
...fire only one TOW antitank missile (cost: $5,000 each) a year. Experts believe that minimum proficiency would require three TOWS annually for each crew. Several additional billions of dollars in each of the next few years would be required if the Army sought faster delivery of some major new weapons. Only eight Black Hawk helicopters are produced monthly, the minimum needed to keep the assembly line open. The Army would like...
Amphibious Forces. Sending in the Marines has traditionally been one of the nation's most effective means of intervening in distant lands. There is concern now, however, over whether the Leathernecks could really reach the beaches. Declares Nunn: "If the U.S. Marines were called upon to undertake a major landing in the Persian Gulf or elsewhere in the Middle East, they would probably have to walk on water to get ashore." With only 63 amphibious ships, the Marines are suffering from a severe shortage of vessels for such operations and probably could not land more than one division...