Air defense is your business
Media
Part of Philippine Armed Forces Journal
- Title
- Air defense is your business
- Language
- English
- Source
- Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 5) March 1956
- Year
- 1956
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- -- > . ' -~,. ftlR Dff£NS . Is Your B · . usrness Bv Lieutenant Colonel Victor M. Osias, PAF )1W:l1f r.~~Jt~ HAT is Air Ucfcnsc? Most of us believe that air defense include.< Cla:sse,., uf .\ir [lt•rt·n-.<' Th~; abo•·•· •lduution can bt· futlh<·l the offensive action to destroy or broken down mtn tht• actin• ;~url [•a.•neutr·alize the enemy's ai r power. The SiVI' air 1\f'f('llS('. Actil'<' .w- rlcfcnst· fact is, it is defense against attack- arl' th" measurf';; necl":<Sary to ptt·l·ing aircraft. US Air Force Field f'lll or interf('n· with ho~till· air ac Manual 1 25 defines air defense a~. tion, whill' pas~tve a11· ,[f' feiiSl:· <1H' all measures necessary to prevent, to lhl• rm·a~un•s rwct·ssarv to rl·duct· th• intcr·fcrc with, or to reduce the effect f'ff,'cl of hostilo• air action. lutt•t· of hostile air action after the air- c~·pting wncmr ai11•raft. and jammincemft have ll'ft their airdromes or thctr l'll'clronic c(]ui pml'nt an· exam This definition therefore, pies of actl\"<" att rlef•·n~f'. This 1~ a hmits air defense to operations J"('~ronsibility nf the Phtlq•pilw Att against the enemy's aircraft on th ... it· Force. Dtsp<'t11tOI1 of mrlu~t~·~. r;~to dl'fcndecl targets. mnufb!::f'. p,·acuatinn, fire fil!ht irn! t,Jackouts, radio broadcast conh·ol The interceptor i~ th•• <1ircraft and discontamination are examples of ust>d for intcrcl'pting hostik a1rcn.fl passive air defense measut·es. Thl' Howc\·cr, thl' ground antiaircraft organization that is primarily chaq~- J("un,:; may bf. user\ for this purpu$< t•d with the passive air defense of a when rlPemerl Jlractical. The rn·~cnt country is the Civil Defense Admin· int<'l"ceptot·s of mo~t of the countl"ie>' i~lration. Civil Defense is, in tut·n, arl' comrJosec\ of fast jet aircraft. the responsibility of the civil J:"O\"CTII· Thi~ wa>< resorted to, because tlw mcnt. Passi\"C defenses of all mili lonJ(" range or stratcgie bombers han: tat~· installation are thll responsibil- !wen con\·ertcd to jl't a1rcmft. ity of th<• armed forces. The armed The antiaircraft artillery consists force" ~ivc ad\"icc and assistanc1· to of hea\·y and nu'dtum )("Uns and autoCivil <lt•f••nst· Or!{anizations. mat1c weapon~. It complements th•• Air D<'f<'IIS<' :\Iission mtcrceptor aircraft. Thc.<il· antiait The primary mission of air defense craft unit~ arc- a.-;si!{ncd to the army. i.~ tu protect enemy air attack 01\ \"ital Howf'\"CI", du1·ing combat, these units tyrgct" or objectives such as stora)("c arc under the- opet·ational eontt·ol of <lcJlots, facto1·ics, wate1· and land the An· lJcfcnse Commander. transportation networks, OUJ· own of- The aircraft control and wat·nin)!" ft>nsive striking force and suppot·ting- units arc a part of the Ai1· DcfPnsc scn·iccs. These objectives arc J("iven Command, and at·•· composed of a pdol"ity wlicneve1· an air defense sy.;:. system of control centers, radar statem is set up. lions, and communication~ iacilitic". To be effective, an ai1· defenst• This system dr·t.,cts and identifil'>' system should be able to: (1) Jli"C\"Ctlt ait·craft in flt~tht. controls the action tht· enemy's first attack from causing of the interc<'ptor aircraft, and ron1. a .catastrophe, (:!) prevent thl' fi1·st trol~ th<' finng of tlw antiail·cmfl attack from paralyzing our capacity arlillet·r. , .. to rt>laliatc, a!Hl (3) prevent the o •ltC Steps for Air Def<'llSE' my offl.'nsivc fo1·ce from can·ying out Thc1·e arc fou1· steps to be carried further successful blows against ou1· out in i111JIIementing a good ait· de· \'l"Oiluctivc caJlacity. To insurl' thi!<, fens£> mission. These step!< arc: ]Jl• tht· Air Fo1·cc must be able to gain trction, Identification, Interception, ami maintain ai1· superior-ity within anrl IJestructiou. the borders of the count!~' and out- Fot· the ai1· defense to function lying area~ important to ]1('1" de- J>roperlr, a coot·dinated effort within fens<·S. the air 1\efcnse team is essential. The Active air <lefensc system is com- aircraft control anrl warnin~ units JlOSed of interceptor airc1·aft, anti d<'lCCt thf' approach of the aircraft, ait·cmft artillery, and aircraft con· irlcntify thtm and thl' interceptor trol and wa1·ning unit~. Thcst" thl·t•t· aii"CI·aft a1·p sent up to intet·ct>pt a11tl ••lenwnts function in connlinato·ol rle~t •·o~· them. if thl' approaching- a•1· A pion I<> modetnru ond meet oU req~"" "'""" ol an odequol~ A"crolr Control ond Wornrng Sf''""' Net ho• been prop"red us~d fur tht• dc,truCtlon o l tho· aporoachon.~:- hostilt- ;o1rcraft, tf thl'y tludt· th•• li_c-hlt·r inlen:eptor, antl an:~ hc.ult•d for thei1· object>ves. The knnwu targd~ oo· objt•ctivo•s an· JlrotrTtcd w1th antiaircraft guns. ·\ fll:r t·t•atJing tht• abo\'<' IJiSCU!I!IIOil '"'Air ht•fr•ns••, I am "lito• vou will ;.~sk ynunwlf tht·st· I[Uestion~: Uo w•· h'"'' 'W Act<ve All lJ••fl'nso· Systl'm '" the l'hi]IJlJliiii'S~ Is 11 aolt-quate tn mo·l'l an au- attack? llcfOrl' I answer th<·se fJU•·st>ons, I would lilw to touch nn the jlTOjtosed -\.11 U<·fl'nst· of tht· Philitlpint•s. As nwntion('rl\wforo•, tht· all"lh•fo·ng•• of 1ho· country '" tht• respons1bihl\ 11f tht· Phdi]'l!llll' All Fore•·- To oln th1:-.. 1111' Arr F oiCt' propm,t•:-. tn nrgan<7• th•· following: .-\n Aircraft Control and Warn• 1111: System to control Ait IJt· fcnse OpPt'ation.-Tht!' sy,tem will pro\"ide suffic1ent Early Warning Stations to CO\'I'r aiL t•ossiblc ar•proaches to the Phi· lipJiines. Inourprcst'nttll'ft·nst• s)lsto:m, the number of l'adar -- • stat1ons that 'we ha\"e are so few and at·e equipped with small radar sets with limited ancl inadequate coverage. This shortage has allowed ga]l!' m Jxotwcen our mdar stations. These gaps provide made-lo,.,rder airlands for the Pnemy if not filh:rl w1th ~ap fillc1 t•adars Anoth<'r defect in our system is that due to the limited c:ovet ac:e. the time allowM our interceptors from scramb](· to inll'rc-eption 1s too short. With OUI' old out-dat<'d F !'>Is, thl' chanc(·~ an•. tht• hostllt· aircraft will Jl• able to Plurle our inWrccptor dt•fenst-s ancl to reach their o\,. jcctives. The new system ha~ h<•t•n ]•lanned to correct all U. A Wing of Jet F-8Gs to inl•• rccpt enemy aicraft before tht·~ eross the Philippine borders. This will be composM of tht• ,. l~e P~oloppme A" la<ce •ntetceptot ""'" •hould be teploced o11th F-86 Jetli9h1e11 <n<feod ol th~ f-51 i19hlet Olf<<olt 1~• u•u ol m<>de'" Anli<>"C'o/1 Af!!lle•1 <>•~ ""'''"""'f lor lh derrtuchan ol oop•ooc~ '"9 ho,Jole """"" HIUadt·ons, and will tnl'an thC' morll'rnizatiotl of out· pri'SI!nt F'•l 11 rop cllel·-driven fighter wmg. c To estabbsh c:loser coontination with thl' Defense Administration. - This system will ha,·•· cet·tain effects on the Philip 111nes. As soon as thl' Earl:-; Warning Stations detect and identify enemy aircmft, th. F-86 interceptors arc directed to take off and dcstro)' thl.'m hefor~> they can inflict any 1\amagl.' 011 \'ital an:as 111 the Philippines. The nt>twotk will !!iw• suffiricnt tinw of wa,ninc: to tht· civilian agencie;: fot thl'it· pl'otectivl.' measures. Tlw F-81i Jet Fighlt'l' Wmg w11l 11ut the Philip]llne Ait F'orce m a positiotl to counlt>t· mtentions of enemy aircraft l(l •nflict damag-e to out· will anti rapabtli ty to sutvh·e. Nt'ed Modern J'AF To underscore the threat to tht· l'hllqtpine~> and therefore, the llllJ>l' tall\'!' nC'ed fo1· modernizing our a1L <]t'fCnS(' system, we quote hen· a st!ltement b)• Marshall Zhukov, USSK IJt•fl.'nsc Minister, coutainl.'<l m his tt·cent address to the 20th Con~rf's,; nf tht• Communist Pat·ty of th1· Sovtt•t Union as follow: "It Is no lon~ct· pussihlt· t" fil!htwithoutb('ing-,.;uhjo•ctt•dto n·taliatory blows, tf any<llle wants to deh\'CI an atnmic nttal'k on thl' <'ll<'lllY ht· must b.r•·ady to l't•n·ivt· >-JJHi1a1 :tnd p<'l·ha)rs tliOI'(· 1"11\'t•lful attat'kS fi'Om htm." As a word of W:JIIIilll! to tho· •·rnmltii'S where American bases an• lo cat.,d, Marshal Zhuko\' adrlcd: "They arc subj<>ctinJ;:: thf'it lives to th(' THIN·~· A 7' because. accot·din~ to the lo~ic of atm<•d battle, retnlio.lury Mow11, nw~l fuif vn lr~tseN, indepenrleu/ ,,wlw.~e /f'rrit,ry thesl.' llrf' .~ilrrn - led 011." The answet· to the two questions in your mind is a quotation of a ~<tat<· ment made hy Gen. Laun•nc~> S. Kutt'r, Commandct· of tht· US Fat· Et~,;l Air Forces, Ill 411 ('XCiusiV<' intN·Vil'W at Baguio 011 24 Febt·uary 1!1:>6 by a n•port('r of the Mamla Chronicll'. llr· satd. "Th<' US 13th Ait· Force' ami tlw Philippine Ail' Force arc in <~del']uatl' to t't'Jll'l a concentrated air attack on thts country." H<' furthC'r said, thC' !3th Ait· Fore(•, station~>ll at Cla1·k Air Fot'C(' Bas(', is one of tho· smallt'.st units umlcr his Commaori. Dl'l('ction and Warninl! It is an acc('ptcd fact. that interct·ptor )Ilanes arc thC' fir~t !inC' nf rktcnsc. llowcvcr, they arc of no not tlw country will bl.' able to sur~ \'alu .. wrthout tht· Aircraft Control vrn• the next war. :~ncl \\'aming" System. The hostile To further· emphasize its imarr·craft must first be detected and portance, I will quote the man who rdentrfied before they al'e interrepted commanded the largest Air Forces anrl destroyed. Tht· teamwork of dmrng World War II. General H. three clements of air defense is most II. Arnold said: rmportant. The Arrcraft Control and Warning" Sysll'lll is indispensablr:' in a succ·ssfu! a11 defense opemtions. h is indispfnsable in thC' sense that, rt grYf"S warning of all impending air attack to hoth thf" military and civil arr rairl warrnngo center·s. All of these eleuwnts must bC' planend haud rn hand when planning for an ade rtuate Air Defense. VIH' tht· Phrhp]lines OJ' auy count r·v fur that matter, an adequate Air !Jt·· fr•nSl· ~l'l·llf> will mean whNhcr "' "Thr'C(' tyncs of defense a~:"ainst th1· atomir bomb can bf' concei\'ed: first, we should at· tempt to make sure that nowheJ·e in tne wol'ld are atomic bombs being madt> clandcstiue ly; ~econd, u•t> should dcviN< "''#'I'll Jlo.~~il>lc l!tti~·c dPfen.~(' aJ~:arnst an atomir. bomb attacl< nncl' launchcd; and thirrl, wo· tl!IJ.':'hl rl'rlcsigon our country feu '""'"'"m' vuhu•r·ability to atom· rc hnmh attark_ All three cnul<l, af rnur-~•· hr- '-"''mbrno•rl." ~><'"'" abo•• '"""'' p,.,.,,J.,nl Ma9"'''"1 J•9"'"S' the acc•ptonce P"P"" lo• the /r,.r '""' re< ""'""" loo~in9 on ore Mat<>• Gene•al Smrlh ol JUSMAG, U5 Amba,ador FP'9"'""· ond B1190drer General Pela!;'i<> A ('"'· PAF (hie/ (,.,., ""d .,.<~onoe> ol !h• P/lof ar• sho,.n obo .. 9iwong o thor<>uSih 'inspection· ol one 'ul I~• four 1eh ••c•nllf lurn•d <>••r fo l~e PhoJippone go•ern.,•nl I!OWl'\'l'l', <>Ill' national (!('0110111\' is By Vil'tlll' of OUI SO\'CI'{' I ~nty how~uch that we can only afford to JH'O- eve•·, we naturally have t•) assume \Ide for a small, cHecti,·e, Active Ai1 •he primat·~· •·csponsibility of proteclr llt•ft•nsP F'OI'Ce. While a big and l'iCh inp: OUI national 11\lPgrlly. It IS, t·ount• y like the US ~dn t·un the ga- thcJ·eforf', impemttvc that our J:'OVmut of :l complicated air ddenso.; ~ct- '-'1'1Hm:nt sh('luld should<'! )tart of the up, we ca n only pool ou1· t·esoura:s PXIICn<;es r ,, national st-<:urity 111 a•\ with Mutual Defense Assistanc•• Pl'!lrhtu,n to whatc\'er aid rccci\'l'<i from ~~~::t~;~·c~h:a~:~oo~:~z:~.~~~is~::~~~ th•: l'~ Amterl Forces. A year to ram of the l'hllippine All rrorc• lf'UI mcrcase howc,·er modest, in the JUSM AG has programnwrl a tot:.! soundest investments our J:'OVerJtment ,·alue of $12,289,979 in aJrc•·aft and can Cl'eJ hope to han• to providt: for NJUipment as aid to the PAF. thl' count•·y's secunt~•.