/specialCollection/SovietandWarsawPact/1961/1961-12-18.pdf

IWO ' I R 1 7
low firing rate cooditioned by ccmplex . preparations forlaunching,
for retargeting and for changing of firing pceitions.
The ground troops as a whole must develop in a form transportable
by air. Perfection and introduction of lighter type tanks (since any
armor is penetrable) suitable for transport by air is essential. The
greet importance which is attached to the ability of ground troops
to take ruined and contaminated zones and water barriers requires
significant development of engineering troops; however the most
important mission of the engineering trocps must not be fortificatiom
in the existing smaninc of this tera,i.e., not the construction of
positions and of anti.atcsic shelters but the rapid preparation of
missile launch sites, establishment of obstacles, road construction,
and provisions for the surmounting of large water obstacles.
The air forces, it appears to ni have not yet lost their
significance to the degree that they Iliouldbe ignored. Discussion
should concern only the change in their role in warfare and, subse-
quently, a change in their composition and mix:ligation.
Long-range aviation, armedwith missiles of the "air-ship" class,
is (in conjunction with submarines) a good means or combat with
mobile carriers of nuclear %teapots at sea and one that is difficult
to replace. In view of this, it is apparently advisable to include
it in the composition of the nary.
Front air forces (IMO are also needed, though of a type other
than those now available. Certainly, front bolter aviation is
departing the sceneisince its missions can, toe significant degree,
be carried out by missiles. Nevertheless, on the field of modern
tattle and engegerents there will be many important small and mobile
targets whose annihilation by missiles is still inprobstae. An air-
craft of the fighter-bomber type is needed which, on its awn, could
find the target andannibilate it; such an aircraft must be capable
of great acceleration, permitting it to appear and depart rapidly
(this may be achieved. with the aid of rocket boosters): at the
same time it mist be capable at cerrylog out conbet missions at
rulatively low speeds as wm11. An aircraft flying at a speed equal
to Mach 3-2 (1l-211). is poorly suited to seek out mai and mails
targets, even with the use of radar equipment.
lighter aviation within the compOsition of the VV8 of a front
is essential, as a IWO raneuvessbl* cOMpueeet or the fiX4 as 20118
as aviation remains one of the principal carriers of nuclear weapons
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