technical or economic considerations.
It is important that the President have
the flexibility of decision inherent in a readiness posture.
For example, with some procurement and equipment maintenance actions, it
should be possible to improve our readiness to test on balloons at the NTS
so that we could test on one week's notice.
Limited preparedness steps with
respect to Eniwetok could put us on a three months' readiness posture for that.
site.
In any event, if a decision is made to resume testing in the atmosphere,
tests should and can be confined to total yields that will not have too great
an effect on worldwide fallout.
We therefore recommend that:
1.
The presently planned test program proceed under the assumption
that it will be conducted underground during the next year,
Too conservative
a policy with respect to venting should not be required.
2.
Exploration and appropriate preparatory steps be taken toward pro-
viding an underground test capability for the indefinite future.
3.
Preparations be made for possible atmospheric tests in the range up
to a few tens of kilotons at the Nevada Test Site. This capability should be
cvallable in the near future to give the President flexibility of deciston in
case of necessity.
&,
Plans be made and steps be taken by the AEC and DoD to bring the
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Eniwetok Proving Ground to a three months’ readiness posture.
At least for the
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time being, these steps should be of such a nature as not to imply a commitment
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to early resumption of testing at Eniwtok,
3.
The possibiiicy of completely seaborne operations be given some
attention,
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