of the 50-ton variety to smaller, equally versatile distribution vehicles. Some of these installations such as ammunition, fuel, and medical installations would be established on a branch basis. Others would be set up as composite facilities where common handling techniques could be used for rations, clothing, and certain other major items. Repair parts and replacement equipment would be delivered to direct support maintenance elements for distribution to combat units. These distribution evacuation points could be established at optimum distances behind the combat elements for normal pickup of supplies. They could be equipped with transport means to permit unit distribution directly to frontline units when conditions permitted. Casualty evacuation could be made by helicopter from the front directly to hospital type facilities with limited holding capabilities. From there patients could be evacuated rapidly by air to rear area hospitals.

These forward distribution points would function in much the same manner as supply points and Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals under current doctrine, operating in the corps area under actual control of the field army. It is important that unity of logistical control be exercised over the forward terminal points, the transport systems, and the supporting logistics base. This assures maximum flexibility in transport means and specialized logistical troop requirements as well as over-all responsiveness to field army requirements.

The problems of logistical support for tomorrow's war are manifold and complex. The tactical effectiveness of the ground forces, regardless of weapons and equip

ment effectiveness, will be no better tha the logistical system behind them. Tech nological breakthroughs offer real pros pects for a new line of communication designed to meet the needs of tomorrow not yesterday. Thinking has to be r oriented along the new lines now whil there is time to work out the many solu tions that will be needed.

There are indications on every hand the increasing technological capabilities o the Soviet Union. Air transport, including a highly effective helicopter fleet, is bein integrated into Soviet tactical and logisti cal doctrine. Considerable attention is be ing devoted to increasing the over-all mo bility of Soviet forces, particularly ground elements, by the addition of cross-country carriers and supporting aviation.

It has become increasingly apparent that our tactical ground elements must be reduced in unit size, dispersed extensively in width and in depth, and afforded every opportunity to keep moving instead of digging and awaiting a nuclear attack. Under nonatomic conditions against a grossly superior force, mobility and dispersion will make the difference between being overwhelmed on position or fighting a highly evasive delaying action calculated to inflict serious losses on the larger, less mobile force. Peripheral war may be in an undeveloped area, initiated with a minimum of preparation time. In all these tactical situations the watchword will be "Keep it small and keep it moving!" The logisticians have the same big problem regardless of the form war takes, but the solution is at hand. Foresight and forceful leadership in shaping this solution now will pay tactical dividends in tomorrow's

war.

for early warning and has a large radar dome containing special electronic devices for aircraft detection on top of the envelope.-News item.

'Sidewinder' Demonstrated

In the first public demonstration of the Navy Sidewinder missile (MILITARY REVIEW, Dec 1956, p 64), a fighter aircraft knocked a drone target plane from the sky with its first shot at a distance of two miles. The nine-foot-long Sidewinder,

a long study of the aircraft's all-weather capabilities. The ZPG-2 is powered by two 800-horsepower radial air-cooled engines which are mounted in an engine room within the car, and by means of shafts and gears drive two three-blade propellers. In an emergency either engine can drive both airscrews. The four control surfaces of the airship are mounted at 45-degree angles from the vertical and horizontal, and are capable of either manual or automatic operation. One version of this airship, the ZPG-2W, is equipped

F9F-8 with Sidewinder missile

which reportedly costs less than $1,000 each, operates on a "heat homing" guidance system. The Atlantic, Pacific, and Sixth Fleets are equipped with the new missile which is said to extend greatly the kill range of a fighter or bomber.-News release.

Aircraft Contracts

A 47 million-dollar contract for deltawing F-106B all-weather interceptors has been announced. The F-106A model of this aircraft, which carries the most advanced armament and fire control system yet developed for interceptor aircraft, is currently under flight test, and will go into production under a separate 216 milliondollar contract.-Official release. Emergency Signal Device

A completely transistorized ultra-high frequency beacon transmitter, designed primarily as a military emergency signal

Sardine can radio transmitter ing and communications device, is so small that it is enclosed in a standard size sardine can. The device uses printed circuits throughout, and can send radio signals continuously for a distance of approximately 25 miles for a period of 24 hours. It is designed to operate at a frequency of from 280 to 322 megacycles, but can be

modified for voice or code transmission & other frequencies. The antenna of the tin radio set is enclosed in a one-foot-hig hermetically sealed tube. In operation, i is extended into a three-foot-high antenn mast surmounted by a 12-inch radi aerial.-Commercial release.

Colored Smoke Grenade

A small pocket-size colored smoke gre nade has been developed especially for the use of airborne troops. About the size o a one-ounce tobacco can, it weighs les than one and one-fourth pounds, and available in five colors rather than the three of the older heavier grenade. It wil be used by paratroopers to signal aircraf over head and to mark landing and drop zones.-News item.

Submarines Named

Of the 15 nuclear-powered submarine now authorized, contracts or project or ders have been issued covering 14 of the modern underseas vessels. In addition to the Nautilus and the Seawolf which are already built, these include the Skate, to be launched this year, the Swordfish and Sargo, to be completed in 1958, the Triton, a giant picket submarine, and the Skipjack, Scorpion, Seadragon, Halibut, Scamp, Sculpin, Snook, and Shark. The Shark (SSN 591) will be an attack submarine with an Albacore type hull, and will cost 24 million dollars.-Official release.

Aerial Refueling Kit

Quick conversion of Navy fighters and attack bombers into aerial tankers will be possible with a newly developed, selfcontained refueling unit. Already flighttested and in production, the torpedoshaped refueling unit is in use on the AD-6 Skyraider attack bomber and the A4D Skyhawk jet bomber. The 17-foot-long refueling package does not rely on the "mother plane" for power, but has its own ram-air turbine driven by a four-blade propeller

in its nose. Besides the turbine, the refueling store contains hydraulic motors, a fuel pump, a flexible hose on a reel, a collapsible drogue, and fuel. It is carried under the fuselage and can be jettisoned in an emergency. Aircraft using this device for conversion into tankers can be restored to normal combat functions quickly

In-flight refueling system

removing the package. In addition to the conversion of an undisclosed number of ASD's for fleet use as tankers, all ABD's are to be equipped with probes so that they may be refueled in flight.-Commercial release.

Air Transport Reorganized

The recently reorganized Military Air Transport Service will take over the 534 planes operated by the existing interservice MATS, and, in addition, will be enlarged by three wings of heavy C-124 troop carrier aircraft of the Eighteenth Air Force and certain four-engine airtraft of the Navy's fleet logistical wings. The new agency commences operations with 717 aircraft, and probably will have three wings of Air Force medium transports turned over to it. A heavy wing has 36 planes and a medium wing 48. Eventually the new agency is expected to have control of about half of the 4,000 heavy lift aircraft available.

Two reserve tactical bomber wings and three reserve fighter-bomber wings will be reorganized and equipped as troop carrier wings. Additionally, two Air National Guard tactical bomber wings will be re

designated fighter-interceptor wings. With these changes, the Air Force Reserve will have 18 troop carrier wings and six fighterbomber wings. The Air National Guard will have eight air defense wings equipped with all-weather fighters, 17 fighter-interceptor wings, and two tactical reconnaissance wings. By October of this year it is anticipated that more than 350 C-119 transports will be assigned to reserve troop carrier units, and a number of F-86-H jets will be going into the remaining fighter-bomber wings.-News item.

First model of tilt-wing plane

Conventional airplane controls become effective when the wing is tilted to a horizontal position, and two ducted fans in the tail section control yaw and pitch when in vertical flight. Since the wing may be rotated to any desired position between vertical and horizontal for takeoff or landings on shorter runways, or when the plane is carrying a heavy cargo load, the plane also is designed to have STOL characteristics. The powerplant used in the Vertol 76 is a T-35 two-stage, turboprop engine. Commercial release.