European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday february 21, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 Jef fighter base earns basics of survival by Mark Moore staff writer Hahn a West Germany As the superpowers dismantle their intermediate Range nuclear missiles throughout Europe it s wartime business As usual for the More than 4,500 military people at this Rural . Air base. And while the lion s share of that business is launching f-16 fighters an increasing emphasis is being put on survival. The theory is simple to launch planes personnel have to be Able to survive conventional chemical biological or nuclear attack. The chemical warfare ensemble includes jacket pants boots gloves helmet and Gas mask for what could be a 12-hour work Day in a contaminated environment. During readiness exercises the ensemble May be worn for hours. In wartime it could be Days. Under a program initiated in 1982, however air Force personnel throughout West Germany the United kingdom and the Netherlands will be Able to get a 12-hour respite from Bulky chem gear and rest in rela Tive Comfort if living underground with 83 other people can be called Comfort. Hahn is the last base in West Germany to get its initial allocation of shelters designed to protect person Nel from the effects of chemical and conventional War fare. The survivable collective protective systems Are designed to provide a shirt sleeve environment where personnel can rest eat drink and Bathe while the Bat the rages overhead. The emplacement of the shelters is in response to a tactical air Force Call in the Early 80s for increased survivability throughout nato according to information provided by Hahn officials. Under terms of a $1 billion contract 1,200 of the shelters will be in place by 1996 at main bases in the Central european Region and the United kingdom said Doug Moore a Safe spokesman. The initial 115 protective systems Are now in the ground according to Chuck herring a Quality Assur Ance representative for Harco by the contractor for the systems. Currently . Air bases at Ramstein Sembach Wei Brincken Pitburg Span Dahlem Hahn and Rhein main in West Germany and Oesterberg in the Netherlands have shelters in place. At Hahn 14 of a planned 38 a shaped shelters Are in the ground. In combat using the system requires airmen to rid themselves of contaminated chemical warfare gear be fore reaching the toxic free living quarters. They first must pass through a contamination control area that allows them to undress in stages. Four technicians Man the liquid Hazard area and vapor Hazard area helping users through a series of Steps in the decontamination process. To simplify the process specific instructions for undressing and dressing Are posted on the Walls of each area. Two airlocks separate contaminated areas from the Entrance and the living quarters for the 84 residents said senior master sgt. Thomas r. Powell disaster preparedness superintendent. Once the liquid agents Are removed residents enter the vapor Hazard area. The liquid agent remains in the is Gus Schuettler this protective installation at Hahn which looks like a Bunker will have a grass covering when it s finished. Preceding area Powell said. The same is True when entering the toxic free area. Whatever contaminants Are in the vapor Hazard area remain As each user moves through the second Airlock and into the living quarters. An integral part of the system is a filter Blower unit which Powell said builds  air pressure inside is greater than air pressure out Side so that contaminants cannot enter the shelter. Air goes out nothing comes in he said. Once the decontamination process is Over each Resi Dent has one of 84 cots stacked three High and seven deep along four Walls. Aside from the $500,000 Cost for delivery construction and landscaping of the shelter another $200,000 is spent for sundry items blankets batteries two 55 cup Coffee pots radios clothing and food Complete the package. Each system is equipped with 70 six gallon water jugs with an allocation of two quarts per person every 12 hours one quart for drinking another for Bath ing. Units at the base will be assigned specific shelters and will be Able to personalize their living areas with such items As videocassette recorders and television sets. But while users Bathe eat sleep or relax in Chemi Cal free Comfort another survivability Factor deals with Protection against a conventional or nuclear bomb blast. Powell said the shelter could withstand a 1,000-Pound conventional bomb blast from As close As 100 feet. On the other hand people in a shelter at Hahn would survive a tactical nuclear blast at Wilisch Heim air station about nine Miles North with no problem Powell said. Base civil engineers anticipate completing the Shel ter project in time for readiness exercises scheduled for this Spring or Early summer. Is Gus Schuettler there Are accommodations for 84 people in this Section of underground sleeping quarters. Thatcher Kohl expected to discuss missile Issue British prime minister Margaret Thatcher gestures As she talks with Karl Otto Pohl president of West Germany s Federal Bank monday on her visit to Frankfurt. Frankfurt West Germany up British prime minister Margaret Thatcher arrived monday on a two Day visit to Frankfurt where she was expected to sound out Chancellor Helmut Kohl about his reservations on modern izing nato s Short Range nuclear mis Siles in West Germany. Thatcher s trip follows a whirlwind visit to nato nations last week by . Secretary of state James Baker who said he expected the missile Issue to be re solved within the next three months be fore a Summit of nato leaders tentatively scheduled for May. This month Kohl with backing from foreign minister Hans Dietrich Genscher said he saw no need to modernize the West German based Lance missiles until 1991 or 1992 after the next German election. The missiles have a Range of 75 Miles. Thatcher is Likely to try to persuade Kohl on the modernization Issue but has a slim Chance of succeeding said a source close to the British delegation. There is Little likelihood of an agreement on the Issue it will rather be another step toward the nato  Kohl said the modernization should Only be dealt with As part of a comprehensive concept to be discussed at the nato Summit. He said any new Steps taken should be balanced by arms control talks with the soviets who have considerably More Short Range missiles aimed at Western Europe than nato has according to Alliance officials. Diplomats attribute Kohl s caution to Public sensitivity in West Germany where people fear their country would be the main theater of East West hostilities if War broke out Between the superpowers. Other factors cited Are the Strong anti missile lobby and memories of wide spread demonstrations in the Early and mid-1980s in West Germany and other nato countries against deployment of .-made Pershing ii and cruise mis Siles. Officials said Britain and the United states Are seeking some form of commit ment or Compromise from Bonn on the missile Issue before soviet Leader Mik Hail Gorbachev visits West Germany in june. Thatcher and Kohl Are also expected to discuss the 12-nation european Community s move toward a Tariff free inter Nal Market by 1992