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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0567.PDF
3 May 1957 569 THE AIR ESTIMATES Nuclear Potential : Missiles : Guided Bombs : Twin Pioneers THE net total of Air Estimates* for 1957-58—made public onThursday of last week—is £487,650,000, compared with£477,450,010 for 1956-57 ( as adjusted by the Revised and Supplementary Estimates). This allows for: (a) the receipt of£9,500,000 from the U.S.A. in payment for equipment for the R.A.F. (the corresponding figure for 1956-57 was £38,000,000);and (b) the receipt from the Federal German Government of Deutschemarks to the value of £9,000,000 (this is expected to beenough to meet most of the local expenditure incurred in the year). Without deducting receipts from the U.S.A. and Germany, thecomparison is between £506,150,000 for 1957-58 and £524,950,010 for 1956-57. The Estimates were accompanied by the customary explanatorymemorandum f by the Secretary of State for Air, Mr. George Ward, points from which are here abstracted. R.A.F. effective manpower is about 230,000; it will fall to about210,000 by April 1958. Contraction of front-line strength will be offset by new weapons and increase in nuclear potential. Principlesof air power remain unchanged. The Valiant element is at full strength. Vulcans are in serviceand the Victor will follow this year. Stocks of nuclear weapons are increasing, together with Bomber Command's ability to carrythem. The atomic bomb dropped from a Valiant at Maralinga last October fell within 110 yd of the aiming point. Preparations arewell advanced for trials of megaton weapons. The V-bombers are now supported by Comets, and increased flexibility is thus pro-vided by transports operating in the same speed range. Improved marks of V-bombers will carry a powered guided bomb. Ballisticmissiles will gradually play an increasingly important part in the offensive deterrent. Agreement in principle has been reached withthe U.S.A. to make intermediate-range ballistic missiles available to this country. Defences are being recast in order to concentrate on the defenceof nuclear bases. The Javelin is well established and well liked. Day-fighter squadrons are equipping with the Hunter 6 and anorder has been placed for the P.I. The control and reporting system is being planned in relation to missiles and, in due course, todefence against ballistic missiles. The very high performance of our new radars is being exploited to the full, and is enabling usto streamline the control and reporting organization and reduce the number of stations. The R.O.C. have practised their new taskof reporting and tracking radio-active fall-out. Acceptance trials of the Fireflash missile have been encourag-ing and aircraft have been shot down at operational ranges, even by weapons without warheads. Service trials are about to begin withFireflash, using Swifts; these will establish tactical doctrine and operational characteristics. The Firestreak, following closelybehind Fireflash, will shortly begin acceptance trials and will equip Javelins and P.Is. Surface-to-air guided-weapon simulators will reduce flying bytarget aircraft and permit operational techniques to be developed with as few firings as possible of expensive missiles. Missiles willbe fired against drone targets over the Hebrides range. The first R.A.F. missile station is under construction at North Coates,Lines, and will be brought into use for service trials in 1958. The station will initially be used to discover how the system performsunder service conditions and will later form part of the opera- tional deployment. Officers and men will be trained there for otherstations. Equipment has been ordered for an initial operational deploy-ment of Bloodhounds and more advanced missiles are being developed. It is intended to fit missiles with atomic warheads.To co-ordinate missiles and their radar, and integrate them with existing control and reporting and fighter systems, a new organiza-tion is being set up. (See page 573.) The reduction in elements of 2nd T.A.F. will be offset by thehigher quality of Hunter 6s. Reduction in the Bomber Command Canberra force will be much more than counterbalanced by thenuclear capacity of the remaining squadrons. The long-range M.R. force is wholly equipped with Shackletons; the Mk 3 willsoon enter service, and the Shackleton's capacity to deal with submarines is being improved. In the Middle East and Far East our policy remains to providesmall air forces of high quality, ready to receive reinforcements from the U.K. Canberras and Hunters are being introduced intoM.E.A.F. and F.E.A.F., and Twin Pioneers have been ordered for eventual deployment in those theatres. In support of Malayanoperations, Pioneers have been flying an average of 600 sorties each * "Air~Estimates, 1957-58", price 9s 6d, Her Majesty's Stationery Office. t "Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air to accompany Air Estimates 1957-58", price 8d, H.M.S.O. month. The war-time airfield on Gan, in Addu Atoll, is to berebuilt as a staging post on the route to Australia, New Zealand and the Far East. The Comet 2 squadron has flown more than a million milessince last year. The Comet 2 is a popular aircraft and can make two return flights to Cyprus in the same time that it would take aHastings to make one. The reliable and versatile Hastings has an indispensable part to play for many years to come. In the BritanniaTransport Command will have a truly long-range aircraft. A third Beverley squadron will form shortly. A substantial order for the Jet Provost is being placed. TheCanadian scheme for NATO training is coming to an end; over 3,700 R.A.F. pilots and navigators will have been trained in Canadasince the war. The major-accident rate for all flying has been held at the record low level achieved last year, while the fatal-accidentrates for both jet- and piston-engined aircraft have shown further improvement. Between 1954 and the beginning of this year about 700 officersof the G.D. branch attended a short guided-weapons course at the R.A.F. Flying College. From the beginning of this year a moreintensive and detailed course has been arranged for 36 GX). officers a year destined for staff posts and posts on operationalstations. For technical personnel, since 1951 some 120 officers and several hundred airmen have attended courses. From thisyear onwards it is planned to train every year about 130 officers of the Technical Branch and a rather greater number of airmen. The Memorandum concludes with statements on man-power,works and land, and meteorology. THE VOTES THE Estimates are divided into "votes", each covering one fieldof expenditure. These votes are listed below, the gross estimate being followed in each case by the figure for 1955-56 in parentheses.The numbered votes are preceded by Vote A, laying down strength in personnel. The maximum number of officers, airmenand airwomen to be maintained for service is 240,000—a decrease of 17,000. Vote 1: Pay, etc., of the Air Force.—£109,670,000 (£113,660,000).The decrease is mainly due to lower average sfensths, the effect of which is partly offset by an under-estimate in 1956-57 of the expendi-ture on officers' pay. Vote 2: Reserve and Auxiliary Services.—£2,685,000 (£3,197,000).Decrease is mainly caused by a reduction in the training to be carried out by reserve personnel and the disbandment of certain units of theR.Aux.A.F. Vote 3: Air Ministry.—£5,173,000 (£4,987,000). Increase is chieflydue to improvements in the rates of pay of most grades, the effect of which is partly offset by lower average strengths. Vote 4: Civilians at Outstations.—£42,860,000 (£41,376,000). Thisincrease in the gross total is mainly associated with improvements in the pay of all grades, partly offset by a reduction in the number ofcivilians (mainly industrial employees). Vote 5: Movements.—£16,750,000 (£16,860,000). The £1)0,000decrease is principally by reason of lower average strengths of offxers and airmen and an unexpected reduction in rail journeys, partly offsetby provision for increased cost and volume of movements of personnel by sea and air. Vote 6: Supplies.—£75,860,000 (£80,390,000). Decrease in the grosstotal is mainly caused by reduced provision for liquid fuel, arising from reductions in expected consumption. The decrease is part'y offset byincreased prices and higher rates of duty on Iiouid fuel. Higher costs of solid fuel, increased costs and consumption of electricity, and an in-crease in the cost of rations and ration allowance conseouent on the introduction of improved scales are partly offset by the effect of lowerstrengths. Vote 7: Aircraft and Stores.—£247,000,000 (£263,000,000). Decreaseof £16,000,000, due principally to estimated lower expenditure on aero- engines, armament, mechanical transport vehicles, general stores, andclothing and clothing allowances. This reduction is partly offset by in- creased provision for airframes. Vote 8: Works and Lands.—£75,720,000 (£72,520,000). Increasemainly owing to greater provision for new works, including those re- quired for other governments. Vote 9: Miscellaneous Effective Services.—£9,765,000 (£10.066.010).Decrease chiefly by reason of reduced requirements for educational services for children at stations abroad and a decrease in the require-ments for special telephone circuits and for maps and charts. Vote 10: Non-effective Services.—£7,580,000 ("£7,366,000). Theincrease is principally attributed to the growth of the retired pay and pensions lists. It is partly offset by reduced provision for gratuitiesconsequent on a decrease in the numbers of officers and airmen expected to complete their active service. Vote 11: Additional Married Quarters.—£2,300,J0O (£4,200,100).All but £100 of this gross vote are met by appropriations in aid.
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