Word: skybolt
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...although Skybolt is buried, the controversy over the death is not. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have not retreated from their unanimous recommendation that the missile be continued. Air Force Chief of Staff Curtis LeMay remains deeply concerned that present U.S. nuclear superiority over the Soviet Union may become inadequate if such new weapons as Skybolt are not pursued to add further flexibility. The Air Force undoubtedly will plead Skybolt's cause at congressional committee hearings to be held soon...
...central Air Force fear in the death of Skybolt is its impact on the future of the Strategic Air Command's bombers. The B-47s are already being phased out. When they are gone, only the B-52 will remain in large numbers. The Air Force has sought development of a supersonic B-70, and Congress has authorized funds for a modified version (the RS-70), but so far the Administration has refused to spend much of the money. With Skybolt -which could presumably slice effectively through antiaircraft defenses-the Air Force expected to keep its B-52 force...
...sprang from the Anglo-U.S. crisis over cancellation of the bug-ridden Skybolt missile, and the U.S. offer to supply Britain and France with the proved Polaris (TIME, Dec. 28). The one Allied leader who unreservedly welcomed the Polaris offer was Harold Macmillan, who by thus keeping a separate nuclear deterrent for Britain had saved his own neck...
...Nassau, the Prime Minister beamed that Britain now had a weapon that "will last a generation. The terms are very good." Many other Britons were not so sure. Though the government will shoulder none of the $800 million development cost of Polaris, it has already poured $28 million into Skybolt and will have to spend perhaps $1billion more for a fleet of missile-packing submarines. At best, the British will not be able to design, build and prove its nuclear fleet before 1970, three years after Britain's bomber force has presumably become obsolete...
Unswerving Conviction. The French, who got no help from the U.S. in developing their force de frappe, were quick to crow that Britain's ties with the U.S. had brought it nothing but humiliation. By contrast, bragged French officials, the Skybolt fiasco only vindicated France's decision to develop its own bombs and delivery systems. Thus, though Charles de Gaulle promised to "reflect" on the Polaris offer, there was little likelihood that he would accept any offer that would subject a French force to Allied control...