Cantilo Folder ee 7] 4qGD¥ ‘ i Rox SECRETARIAT Callection | RG Uo ety 326 us ATOMHG COMMISSION lived AKUALV ES oo. 72305 October 7, 1953 onorable Robert Le3aron hairman Yilitary Liaison Comittee to the Atomic Energy Comission UTREKTICATED 4 , J = 1S Jear “Mr. Lenaron: Reference is made to the October 1, 1953, joint AIC-"1C necting at which the scope and timing of the CASTLE program were disussed and general agreenent was reached’ on a seven shot program chedzled to comnence “larch 1, 195h. peration CASTLE enbraces both short-term and long-term goals f the thermonuclear program. The short-term goal is to prove in an energency capability with one or nore thermonuclear weapons arrently beine enrincered for production and delivery. The longr- term gozl is to test new desirns which s*.ovld lead to thermonuclear weapons that are snaller, lighter, more delivera’ fle, and perhaps of hirher yield in the future. The tests of the are directed toward determining the content of the ené¥gency capability program. Testing all three weapons provides the greatest assurance of achieving an "energency capability" by minimizing the possible consequences ° of any unanticipated idsin solving the difficult engineering problens of =m " wok The test of the. capability weaponS*%9 of the the next generation of 50 may enable the weight of the enerrency berretiiced and, together with the tests should point the way to thermonuclear weapons and assure earliest developnent of better weapons. The Atonic Energy Comtission's prorren-ed capecity to procuce lithiun-§ is to be phased into the weapons prorram. 4 CASTL2 program consisting of the above-named seven shots is presently believed to be the maximum practicable program. While the “apnituce and covplexity of a seven shot procram is not to be underestinated, it appears ill-acvised to consider anything sort of a maximum effort in view of the importance of thermomclear CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED WITH DELETIONS BY AUTHORITY OF DOE/OC. © Cpt Ui Soon Sfa3fy DATE \ /