Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume III, National Security Policy; Arms Control and Disarmament, Microfiche Supplement

270. Note From the Secretaries to the JCS¹

JCS 2056/181

Washington, October 12, 1960

JOINT STRATEGIC TARGET PLANNING STAFF ACTIVITIES OF INTEREST TO THE JOINT STAFF (U)

The enclosed memorandum by the Chief, Joint Chiefs of Staff Liaison Group to the Director, Strategic Target Planning, JCSLG 105–60, dated 16 September 1960, together with its attachments (Appendices “A”, “B” and “C”; Annex to Appendix “B”; and Annexes “A” through “K” to Appendix “C”), is circulated for information.

• F.J. Blouin
• M.J. Ingelido
  Joint Secretariat

Enclosure

Memorandum From Spivy to the Joint Staff Director

Offutt AFB, Nebraska, September 16, 1960

SUBJECT

• JSTPS Activities of Interest to the Joint Staff

Attached hereto for information of the Joint Staff are:

a. JSTPS Policy No. 1, Subject: JSTPS Policy Regarding Procedures For the Handling of Differences of Opinions and “Dissents”² dated 13 September 1960.

b. Minutes³ of the initial meeting of the JSTPS Policy Committee.

c. Agenda⁴ for the JSTPS Education Program for Planning Conference commencing 15 September 1960.

/s/ Berton E. Spivy, Jr.
Brig. General, USA
Chief

Annex to Appendix B

Washington, September 14, 1960

DISTRIBUTION LIST

Policy Committee Meeting, 14 Sep 60

	Copies
Director, JSTPS	1
Dep Director, JSTPS	1
CINCSAC (Gen Blanchard)	2
USCINCEUR	2
CINCPAC	2
CINCLANT	2
CINCAL	1
SIOP Division	7
NSTL Division	5
Director’s Office	4
JCS Liaison Group	2
Secretary	1

The JSTPS Policy Committee met at 1030, 14 September 1960, in Room 2B–10. The purpose of the initial meeting was to review and approve basic operating criteria and definitions to provide a point of departure for detailed planning actions required in developing the SIOP. The terms of reference, operational concepts and ground rules reflected herein were approved by JSTPS Policy Committee on 14 September 1960.

INTEGRATION AND UTILIZATION OF SIOP FORCES⁵

1. The objectives to be kept in mind in development of the SIOP are:

A. MUTUAL SUPPORT. Timing of available forces to take maximum advantage of the principles of mass, crossing tracks, ECM and enemy defensive degradation. (S)

B. ROUTE COORDINATION. Strike routes will take cognizance of all preplanned bomb impact points to enhance the probability of successful arrival of a weapon carrier at the bomb release line by reducing the exposure of the weapon carrier to blast, flash and radiation. (S)

C. TOT RESOLUTION. When two or more weapons are preplanned for release on the same target or targets in close proximity, provisions must be made to separate the releases by enough time and/or distance to insure that the second and succeeding delivery vehicles will not be exposed to unacceptable blast, flash or radiation. (S)

D. ECONOMICAL WEIGHT OF EFFORT. Only the number of weapons required for reaching the desired level of destruction will be programmed. Realistic probability factors will be used for each weapon carrier to determine the number of weapons to be programmed for each target. (S)

E. OPTIMUM INTEGRATION. The best use of the capabilities of each system will be made to cover the targets most vulnerable to that system. (U)

2. BASIC PLANNING FACTORS.

A. PLAN FOR CALENDAR YEAR 61 (AMENDED AS NECESSARY TO EXTEND EFFECTIVENESS—1 MAY 1962). The JCS directive requires that the SIOP be briefed to the Secretary of Defense, JCS and the Unified and Specified Commander in December 1960 and not later than May of each succeeding year with the second briefing scheduled for 1 May 1962. Experience has shown that development of war plans for more than a year is not realistic due to the changes in our force structure, changes in enemy defensive capabilities and changes in the enemy target system. The initial plan will require a major amendment to extend effectiveness through the period specified for the second briefing. (S)

B. PLANNING ON BASIS OF FORCES AVAILABLE DURING CY 61. Those forces available at any time during calendar year 1961 will be given SIOP responsibilities. Application of forces that are not available throughout the life of the plan cannot be given as high a reliability as those continuously available. (S)

C. OPTIMUM MIXED TARGET SYSTEM. It is highly desirable to apply the forces available to a common target system which considers targets of primary importance in event of either an initiative or retaliatory execution. (S)

D. TARGETS WILL BE DELETED INDIVIDUALLY FROM THE NSTL WHEN FINAL PREPLANNED TOT FOR THAT TARGET HAS ELAPSED. JCS guidance states that NSTL targets cannot be struck except as provided for in the SIOP. The provision for dropping the targets individually is made to enable individual commanders to lay on strikes on a target after the final preplanned TOT for that target has elapsed. However, this provision declares the target available for re-strike in the event sufficient destruction has not been achieved by the SIOP force. (S)

E. SIOP TERMINATES WHEN PREPLANNED TOT FOR FINAL NSTL TARGET HAS ELAPSED. After the last SIOP TOT time has passed, any commander can strike any target. SIOP has no further effect and ceases to exist. Definite cut off time will be determined when the SIOP timing has been finalized. (S)

3. DEFINITIONS.

A. TACTICAL WARNING. Tactical warning time is that time which each weapons system can be expected to survive enemy action. Time will vary depending upon degree of mobility and/or hardness of the weapon carrier. (S)

B. ALERT FORCE. That force which is constantly prepared to execute a preplanned NSTL assignment after receipt of an execution order under conditions of “tactical warning” and within an established time period.

FIXED BASE—15 MIN

MISSILE SUBS—2 HOURS

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS—2 HOURS

This is not an all inclusive list of forces which may be included in the alert force. However, to be included in the alert force there must be a reasonable assurance that the weapon carrier will survive enemy action long enough to be launched effectively. If only a short time is available there must be a high degree of destruction levied upon the primary target system, assuming that the remainder of the U.S. force will be destroyed. (TS)

C. STRATEGIC WARNING. That period of time which permits a commander to prepare and position his forces to execute his War Plan. To permit peacetime training and other activities, all of a commander’s force cannot be in the desired posture or location to most effectively launch his force against the target system. The time required for generating and positioning his entire force is full strategic warning. (S)

D. FOLLOW ON FORCE. That portion of the SIOP Force that is generated after receipt of a preparation order (A-Hour) to execute a preplanned NSTL assignment. This is that position of the SIOP forces following the alert force. This force cannot be counted on for effective utilization without some strategic warning. (TS)

E. INITIAL STRIKE.

(1) The total SIOP effort against preplanned NSTL assignments.

(2) Weapons carriers will not be preplanned for recycle assignments.

(3) SIOP assignments remain the responsibility of parent command until assigned SIOP weapon(s) are expended on the assigned target or until the last schedule time for that target has elapsed.

A weapon carrier which has delivered a weapon on an assigned target will be released to the commander concerned. Until the weapon assigned to an NSTL target is expended or lost the parent commander is obligated to apply that weapon to the assigned target unless the target has fallen out of the NSTL. (In accordance with the definitions previously established in paragraph 2E.) (S)

4. FORCE APPLICATION CONCEPT.

A. Weapon systems which can launch from a peacetime position under tactical warning to meet committed TOTs will be assigned targets for rollback, corridor development and targets of primary importance within range and penetration capabilities.

(1) Weapon systems which do not have an all weather capability will be assigned a probability factor reflecting their limitations and potential. All available alert forces will be applied against the target system. Those forces which by virtue of delivery limitation in weather or darkness will be given a lesser probability of delivery than all weather capable systems. Actual probability of the day VFR weapon carriers will be developed. (S)

B. All forces will be applied in order of arrival at common timing line. A common timing line must be established for the purpose of resolving TOT conflicts and to time the ECM support. (S)

C. All forces which cannot launch under conditions of tactical warning will be given follow-on assignments. These forces will be used to increase the reliability on targets struck by the alert force and to expand the target coverage to lesser priority targets. (S)

D. Follow-on Force will be applied in order of force generation. Launch of non-alert sorties will be based upon the time required to prepare for launch after receipt of a preparation of order (A-Hour). (S)

E. Only sorties capable of strike launching within 48–72 hours under conditions of tactical warning will be included in the tactical warning option (actual cut off time to be determined during the planning process).

(1) Separate options will be provided to accommodate forces generated for various conditions of strategic warning. (S)

5. TACTICS.

A. Sorties will be planned to provide a fuel time pad to permit TOT adjustment. This is required so that a weapon carrier can speed up or delay at the common timing line to assure weapon separation required in the target area. (S)

B. Tactics employed will be those proven for the weapon system involved. Delivery and penetration tactics for a specific sortie and target will be as determined by the force application team. No tactics will be planned for the SIOP that have not been accepted by the commander concerned as a reliable and effective tactic. The team which examines the target defensive structure and is responsible for applying the force will determine the penetration and weapon delivery tactic for each sortie and target. (S)

C. Weapon Separation Criteria for each delivery vehicle will be determined by the command providing that vehicle. The time and distance criteria used to insure safe separation from nuclear blast and radioactivity will be used in resolving TOT conflicts. Separate criteria must be provided for each type of delivery vehicle (except missiles) from each type weapon being employed. (S)

D. Range capability will consider the fuel requirements for tactics, wind factors and recovery. Target coverage for a given weapon carrier must be conservative enough to allow for predictable degradation to range caused by adverse winds or tactics which cause a deviation from optimum range, i.e., low level penetration and/or delivery. Also considered is the point of intended recovery as it affects the area of target coverage. (S)

6. OPERATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS.

A. All SIOP Forces will be timed relative to a common reference; Designated as “E” hour. This is required to insure proper timing of the force to take maximum advantage of mass, ECM, roll back, TOT resolution and corridor development. All weapon carriers must launch at a predetermined E/time or on an alternate launch schedule with reference to “E” hour. (S)

B. All SIOP Forces must be launched on a [illegible in the original]. Conditions of Readiness should be standardized for all SIOP Forces to provide common time for generation purposes. (A-Hour). The JCS will direct advanced conditions of readiness for all SIOP Forces. All CINC Headquarters of SIOP committed forces will be tied to a common alerting system. All of the above operational assumptions are made to permit initialization of the time for execution purposes. All forces must begin preparation under conditions of strategic warning to permit selection of the best option for execution, the one that takes maximum advantage of forces available for launch at any given time. This can only be done effectively when reliable fast reaction alerting and execution facilities are available. (S)

1. Source: Transmits paper on “Integration and Utilization of SIOP Forces.” Top Secret; Limited Distribution “C”. 10 pp. NARA, RG 218, JCS Files, CCS 5175 (16 Sep 60, Sec. 1).
2. Appendix “A” [Footnote is in the original.]
3. Appendix “B” and Annex [Footnote is in the original.]
4. Appendix “C” and Annexes “A” through “K” [Footnote is in the original.]
5. The portions of this paper which have been underlined reflect the topical headings of the briefing presented to the Policy Committee. [Footnote is in the original. Underlined text is printed in italic type.]