European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 24, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse The Coral sea arriving in Norfolk in May after eight months at sea that included a vanishing act Oft Sicily less than 34 hours before the bombing at Libya. New generation of air Plano command posts that could land on highways after All us. Airstrips were gone refuel from hidden caches and take off. Latham and Franklin c Miller the Pentagon s director of strategic policy said in interviews that preparations were intended to deter the soviet Union from launching a nuclear attack and did not reflect any u s belief that a nuclear War could be won. As Long As the United states is prepared to fight any kind of War hey said the soviet Union will see no advantage in starting one in addition. Latham said that what he termed russian preparations Lor a protracted nuclear War including deep underground bunkers and Iho ability to reload missile silos Force the United states to follow suit. Critics charge that preparation for anything beyond assured retaliation is foolish because of he utter devastation that a nuclear attack would cause. And they say such preparations Are not Only wasteful but dangerous if they persuade leaders that me nation could ride out a nuclear War. Paul c. Warnke the chief arms control negotiator under president Carter said in an interview to the extent that you prepare to Light a limited and protracted nuclear War you May find yourself closer to using nuclear weapons you can t conduct a limited or protracted nuclear War. And i know us no combat general or Admiral who believes you can it was Robert s Mcnamara then defense Secretary who declared in 1962 that we will use nuclear weapons to prevail if this becomes ii was defense Secretary James r. Schlesinger who called in 1974 for a strategy of limited options in nuclear War and it was Carter who emphasized the need Lor survivable command and control in a 1980 presidential directive. The requirement for c cubed that can endure in a protracted conflict is nothing Miller said recently what is different to said is that for the first time in maybe 20 years the government has bought the hardware necessary to Cany out the stated policy Miller denied that the administration was seeking the ability to Light a protract cd nuclear War. To said that most of the administration s c cubed a improvements Are aimed at giving the government sufficient warning to Permil a considered judgment Aboul retaliation. But in testimony to Congress Ollie als emphasized that the ground wave emergency network would continue to operate even Afler a nuclear la Down As Latham told the Senate armed services committee. Furthermore the air Force said in a fiscal 1985 report that an entire generation of systems was being developed to provide High Confidence thai our strategic a cubed systems will survive and endure through trans and Post attack phases of a soviet nuclear strike " during the first minutes of a nuclear alack according to military plans u s forces would be controlled from Lix cd command posts including centers built inside mountains in Maryland and Colorado strategists assume however that the russians could blow those up. Along will Washington and they count on generals and perhaps the president or vice president to carry on the War from airborne command posts Boeing 747 and 707 Els crammed with computers and radios with the help of refuelling planes the command posts might slay aloft or Izreo Days before their engine lubricating Oil ran out. Forcing the jets to land. Previous administrations assumed those three Days would suffice bul Anthony d Salvucci. Assistant Deputy commander for strategic systems at the air Force electronic systems division said in a recent interview that the military is looking for More endurance in the meantime the Pentagon is purchasing -10 loot Rucks that resemble Ordinary vans Bill carry sophisticated communications gear for lighting a nuclear War. Together. Latham Laid Congress in 1983. The airborne and Highway command posts provide a strategic c cubed system capable of spanning the full spectrum of modern warfare from crises operation through execution of an initial nuclear Exchange and conduct of a prolonged nuclear War to conflict termination " still. Latham said recently the Pentagon continues to weigh other options for survivable command posts at sea on trains and deep underground deep bunkers in particular he said Wilh fiber optic antennas radiating out along the Earth s surface hold Promise a directive by Reagan ats Mandales that commercial satellites be made More survivable to support the continuation of government functions during All phases of con Lac to Lake advantage of their new command and communications systems the generals need som Ching to control As a protracted War grinds on. And that Means missiles Hal can be re targeted bombers thai can be reloaded ships and submarines that can operate in Iho midst of nuclear War. To Meel that need. I. Gen Richard saner said before Congress thai his defense nuclear Agency is developing a yield deployable compute facility that a Cut instantly repro Grain nuclear missiles to attack a changing array of targets the Pentagon Long 11 Espic is to keep lighting. Latham informed Congress in 1984 Hal a strategic Reserve Lorce of nuclear missiles would be loll aboard specially designated Trident submarines so that you really want to have an assured connect icily to them Over a period of weeks or sunday August 24,1986 the stars and stripes Page 17
