599 
Admiral Steele calls for the need to regain supremacy in electronic 
warfare and for a variety of sophisticated missiles.%? 
Another critic of the current composition of the fleet, Senator 
Robert Taft of Ohio, maintains that the limited number of platforms 
from which naval aircraft operate make these platforms tempting tar- 
gets for concentrations of Soviet missiles. °? Recognizing both the vul- 
nerability and the flexibility of the large carriers, Senator Taft recom- 
mends that the 12 large carriers planned by the Navy should be 
maintained. He is opposed, however, to the construction of additional 
large carriers and carrier escorts. Instead, Senator Taft emphasizes 
the need for low-cost platforms for aircraft and other new types of 
low cost but effective ships. * 
Senator Taft’s proposal is in accord in many ways with the Project 
60 proposals of Admiral Zumwalt and with a proposal by Norman 
Polmar. % 
Polmar suggests that the large carrier, should not be screened by 
the planned Aegis strike cruisers, but rather by smaller carriers which 
would provide more antiship and strike capabilities than the Aegis 
cruisers.*° He also favors attack submarines which are effective and 
highly survivable. Polmar writes than an all aircraft-carrier-submarine 
fleet is interesting to contemplate because of the threat such a force 
would present to naval planners. For the dollar investment, considering 
U.S. surface combatant designs, an all carrier-submarine mix could 
provide the highest capability for dollar investment.®’ Other plans 
call for further cooperation between the Air Force and the Navy. 
During the period when the U.S. Navy had overwhelming superiority 
at sea, such cooperation was neither needed nor wanted. The Air 
Force was not interested in diversifying from its primary functions, 
and it was also not convinced that Air Force weapon systems could 
contribute significantly to sea control.%* 
Today, the Soviet Navy is seriously challenging U.S. sea control. 
Technological innovations make it possible now for the Air Force 
to contribute significantly to sea control with its precision-guided mu- 
nitions and improved air-surveillance capability. Operating from exist- 
ing bases, the Air Force can intercept Soviet forces and shipping 
in the North Atlantic, Mediteranean, Northwest Pacific, South China 
Sea, and Bay of Bengal. Air refueling can further increase the range 
of aircraft and allow broadened search areas.%® 
With respect to sea surveillance, the U.S. Air Force can keep track 
of and control air battles with the aid of satellites, provided they 
are willing to make some modifications in aircraft and to train person- 
2 Tbid. 
83 Senator Robert Taft, Jr., “A Modern Military Strategy for the United States,” White Paper on 
Defense, Washington, 1976, p. 46. 
%4Tbid., pp. 46, 47. 
95 Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt, ‘‘High-Low”’, op. cit. Norman Polmar, ‘A Fleet for the Future: Some 
Modest Suggestions’, Sea Power, April 1976. 
96 Polmar, “A Fleet for the Future,” op. cit., p. 15. Naval spokesmen argue that a major problem is 
in detection, battle management, and SAM usage against massive raids. Small carriers do not add 
much here. 
87 Ibid., p. 16. Naval spokesmen argue that such a fleet may suffer from lack of ASW capacity. 
°8 Maj. Gen. Robert N. Ginsburgh (USAF ret.), ““A New Look at Control of the Seas”, Strategic 
Review, winter, 1976. 
89 Ibid. 
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