Meeting #1496, 23 April 59:
co eee
ES
- In executive session, several items having to do with weapons testing were
discussed.
McCone reported that that day he attended a meeting with
Killian of the White House, Deputy Secretary of Defense Quarles, and
Starbird, and agreement hid been reached
undertaken by various
on various
studies to be
government departments in connection with weapons
testing and test detection,
The AEC would cooperate in a number of these
and would be primarily responsible for the following: "the Berkner panel
recommendation relative to undertaking an
experimental test program
to. determine the perimeters of detection and concealment; determination
of the feasibility, practicanility, costsand timing of underground tests;
and determination of problems of conducting tests in the atmosphere, but
above the limit of detection by the Geneva system, and of establishing any
limitation of altitude in view of fallout. '’ McCone said that the AEC and.
the DOD would jointly try to establish test requirements.
McCone said that Killian requested the Commissions views on declassifying
the Argus experiment and he asked for a staff reply promptly.
The problem of increasing weapon complexity
was discussed and Luedeke
said he would consider a possible laboratory
study of this aspect,
As for futureweapons tests, McCone said that ‘he had expressed the
view at the conference that there is a need for distingui shing between
a
weapons tests that are absolutely essential and those wich are desireable.
but have only marginal importance,
As an example, he said at a request
by the DOD for a 20 kiloton weapon with a plus or minus factor of two
kilotons,
Such a weapon would require several test detonations to perfect.
On the other hand, the laborato-ies now can develop a 20
kiloton weapon
with a plus or minus factor of 5 kilotons without conducting any test
detonations,
"
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