https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/5e2da47b52290accc3ea721c33de1631.pdf c50915efe9fbdb5a035dae14ce8fa6a9 PDF Text Text TOP SECRET CSC 2108-1 9 Mar 60 CCOS ACE MID-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEM BACKGROUND 1. SHAPE has been conducting studies on the problems of future weapons systems for Allied Command Europe. It is estimated that by 1963 the Soviets will be introducing new weapons which will increase the danger to our aircraft and installations and make penetration by manned aircraft and cruise missiles increasingly difficult. 2. Since the major proportion of ACE striking forces are of the aforementioned type, it is important that an appropriate missile system be introduced into ACE forces not later than 1963. BASIC MILITARY REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ACE MID-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEM 3* The basic military weapons system characteristics necessary to meet our needs are stated in Enclosure 1 to AG 6440/1 PANDP dated 13 Oct 59 (FLAG "A"). 4. This requirement has been based on the fact that ACE targets in excess of 200 miles beyond the Iron Curtain cannot be engaged with the presently-planned ballistic missiles and the short-range reconnaissance aircraft supplemented by cruise-type missiles and standard types of strike aircraft. Within the range (300-1500 nautical miles, there is no weapons system now available to ACE which will assure effective engagement of the above targets from 1963 onwards. • • • *c 000989 TOP SECRET �TOP SECRET - 2 5. CSC 2108-1 As stated in this requirement, the following is emphasized: Survivability of the system, fast reaction, simplicity, accuracy characteristics, inherent flexibility to engage targets of known position, and most essentially, an availability of the system by 1963. 6. It appears that the only weapons system which might meet these requirements by 1963 would be a ballistic missile weapons system already in the development program,and which could be modified to include the proper ground control environment. IRBM WORKING GROUP 7. At a meeting of the IRBM Working Group in July 1959, the Standing Group Representative expressed the hope that Standing Group comments on the characteristics and any possible amendments to SHAPE general operational requirements would have been received by the time of the next meeting in September 1959 (FLACB"). This meeting was postponed; however, the IP IT were requested to study this military requirement and submit recommendations to the Standing Group. 8. i he Standing Group has evaluated the suitability of of SACEUR's proposal and considers that it should be established as the statement of a NATO Basic Military Requirement. In accordance with the procedure agreed to by the Joint Working Group on Co-operation in the Field of Armaments the Standing Group must process this requirement through the Military Committee so that National staffs of the interested nations may have the opportunity to make known their views through their respective representatives in the Military Committee. ...3 TOP SECRET �- 3 - TOP SECRET CSC 2108-1 PRESENT SITUATION 9. At FLAG "C" is a Memorandum to the Military Com- mittee in Permanent Session requesting members to submit their views to the Standing Group not later than 23 Feb 60 as the Standing Group desires to transmit its evaluation of SACEUR's proposal as a NATO Basic Military Requirement to the Assistant Secretary General for Production and Logistics as soon as possible. CANADIAN COMMENTS 10. The aforementioned NATO Basic Military Requirement was forwarded to the Chiefs of Staff for comment and general endorsement in support of this Requirement by Canadian military authorities was forwarded by message to the Chairman, Joint Staff Washington (JS206 and 207 refer at FLAG "D"). 11. In view of the introduction of the proposed missile system by 1963, Canada has expressed concern and has suggested in the aforementioned telegrams (FLAG "D") that a most searching re-evaluation be made of present plans to provide relatively large numbers of new strike aircraft to become operational more or less coincidentally with the proposed missile system. 12. A recent letter from SACEUR to the Chairman, Standing Group (SHAPE/16/60 AG 6440 PANDP dated 11 Feb 60 - See FLAG "E", TD 6) expresses the view that by 1963 ACE must initiate the deployment of second generation ballistic missiles and that by 1965 this Command should have approximately 300 ballistic missiles in position and fully operational. SACEUR has also intimated in this letter that concurrent with the availability of ballistic missile squadrons this Command could and should reduce the number of its aircraft strike squadrons. ... 4 000991 TOP SECRET �- 4 . 13. - TOP SECRET CSC 2108-1 In reply to JS 206, the Chairman, Joint Staff Washington, has drawn attention to the statements made by General Norstad in his letter dated 11 Feb and points out that although the plan would be initiated in 1963 it would not have reached operational status in sufficient numbers until 1965 (FLAG "F") and therefore he considers that we should continue to give support to the present strike role plans for our Air Division in Europe. VULNERABILITY OF ACE STRIKE FORCES TO BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK 14. At Flag "G» on file CSC 2406-1 is a copy of a paper entitled "Vulnerability of ACE Strike Forces to Ballistic Missile Attack" prepared by the Joint Ballistic Missile Defence Staff which concludes that the forces now planned, including the Canadian Air Division, are highly vulnerable to USSR ballistic missile attack and consequently cannot be relied upon for use in a retaliatory nuclear strike role. (R. C. Weston) Air Commodore, Coordinator, Joint Staff 000992 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW04211 Title A name given to the resource Ace Mid-Range Ballistic Missile System Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "NATO Cooperation Regarding Nuclear Weapons And Missile Bases (IRBM)," RG24-B-1, vol 21468, file CSC 2108:1, part 3, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Nuclear Weapons Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 6-Mar-60