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AS general theory, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have accepted the idea of the double deterrent. Once the necessity and function of the tactical claw are grasped, some of its future characteristics become immediately apparent. Two essentials toward meeting the requirements of the claw are massive airlift and the determination—preferably the advertised determination—to use tactical atomic weapons. Despite opposition, the decision to use atomic weapons in limited wars seems to have been made. Secretary Dulles has said: "The present policies will gradually involve the use of atomic weapons as conventional weapons for tactical purposes." This week JCS Chairman Arthur Radford said that the U.S. is ready to use the atomic weapon to repel any new aggression in Korea.
Within the framework of the tactical-deterrent concept, how will the wars of tomorrow be fought? How will the tactical claw be used to rip the enemy? As of now, there can be no hard and fast answers, and experiments must be secret.
But the general political situation can be foreseen, and the technological possibilities are more or less known. Between them, they suggest some of the likely elements in the future development of the claw.
Air Strike. The first crackle of Red guns in remote lands will be the signal for the U.S. to smash back on the ground, from the sea and in the air. But the initial shock will still be borne by troops of the attacked nation. They should be trained and equipped by the U.S. for a limited mission: that of keeping communications lines open, forcing enemy troop concentration, and hanging on for dear life until help arrives.
That help will not be long in coming.
Within minutes after the first alarm flashes into a central control headquarters of the U.S. Tactical Air Force, strike squadrons will be ready for almost immediate departure. They will be mostly based in the U.S., with only token forces (which, in the atomic age, can still pack an awful wallop) scattered around the world. The tactical squadrons will bear little resemblance to the one-purpose units of the past. Each will consist of 30 or more bombers, fighter-bombers, airborne tankers, cargo planes and communications aircraft. These will be welded in teams that can perform any tactical mission and can sustain themselves under battle conditions for at least 30 days without additional logistic support.
Already available to TACair are such items as "flyaway kits"—giant parcels containing enough spare aircraft parts to maintain a squadron for a month or more.
Also packed in the bellies of the huge cargo planes will be necessary food, light kitchen equipment and clothing.
The basic TACair battle units might be four fighter-bombers. One will carry the atomic weapon. Another will act as cover-man and possibly carry a high-altitude precision bombsight. The others will serve as tankers for the first two, and will themselves be refueled from a C-130 tanker a safe distance away from the battle area.
Air-to-air guided missiles will be of key importance in seizing command of the air.