-2feels that a date such as 31 Oct. 59 should be set by which to have each of the
specific device objectives in hand.
He notes his reasons behind suggesting certain
of the devices and the status at the present time of almost all of the designs
which are in one stage or another of completion.
He states "the suggestions
included herein are certainly not sacred nor are the time scales but I have the
feeling that if we don't sit don't and plan out some definite program, nothing
will happen.
..
.
It should be realized that it is only by endeavoring to
complete a test device in detail that most of the hairy and crucial questions
ever arise and are investigated."
Also of interest are Froman's comments on the
cover sheet and in the margins of this Agnew memo.
Froman agrees with only about
1/3 of the 12 suggestions for development and feels that even developing those
will not change the countr$¢s defense posture much.
Also he doesn't see the sense
in taking them through the hardware stage but feels that simply drawings would
be enough and just generally feels that there are too many suggestions to close
together and that it is just making work for people who apparently might be
better employed doing other things.
Some replies from the weapons labs and operations offices to a question
or set of questions from Starbird in about June 59 seem to indicate that DMA and
perhaps people higher than them want an explanation as to why systems and devices
are more and more costly all the time and the weapons developments seem to take
longer and longer.
The general tone of the replies is that one of the most common
developments being made in weapons is to make them smaller to attain the same
yield and this leads to the use of certain materials which are much more costly
hence increasing the cost.
The complexity of the systems is noted.
As for the
length of time to attain a new development in a weapon or in the technology,
this
is mostly the result of the fact that the field is no longer new and that to make
a truly significant improvement is much more difficult than if was 10 years