The next piece of correspondence is a memorandum from the AFSWC Plans “Branch to Gen. McCorkle on the requirements for an open seas nuclear test series in response to his request to prepare sucha plan for an early proof test series of untested nuclear weapons. The ground rules are that the series would be of relatively short duration with deployment to Hawaii within 10 days after authorization. The concept of operations is for four war reserve weapons to be dropped from a B-52 aircraft under the control of AFSWC with the detonations to be over the open sea approximately 350 nautical miles southeast of Hilo. Three days of practice missions will precede the first drcp which will be done by an Air Borne Task Force consisting of a drop aircraft, airborne diagnostic instrumentation, photo, command and control, reconnaissance, and air-sea rescue aircraft. weather The Task Group Headquarters will be at Hickam (Hicam) with all aircraft staged out of the Hawaiian area. The command and control or AOC aircraft will be an RC-121 and a possibility for the diagnostic aircraft is an instrumented C-130 from AFCRL, aircraft discussed are C-130's of the Air Photographic SC-54's, B-57, B/C/D aircraft. Other and Charter Service, The D type sampler aircraft for high altitude sampling would require modification and could not be ready prior to 3 or 4 months from Go Ahead. The devices listed for testing include three types of 28's and two types of 43's; the various aircraft and their uses are enumerated; logistics and aircraft maintenance requirements are detailed; and various other details of the possible operation are covered ina very preliminary fashion. 3 ?