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Air Defense Manual (1943)
Air Defense Manual (1943)
II:
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AIR DEFENSE
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UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
. WASHINGTON : 1943
WAR DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON 25, D. C., 15 June 1943.
FM 1-25, Army Air Forces Field Manual, Air Defense, is
published for the information and guidance of all concerned.
[A. G. 300.7 (15 Jun 43).]
By ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: .
G. C. MARSHALL,'
Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL: \, -
J. A. ULIO,
Maior General,
T~e Adiutant General..J
DISTRIBUTION: ' 1
R and Ii 1-7, 17, 18 (6); Bn 1 (8),2-7, 11, 17,18, 19 (5) i
IC 2-7,17,18,19 (2).
(For explanation of symbols see FM21-6J
II
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sll:CTION I. General. . ' Paragraph Page
Authority 1 1
Purpose and scope________________ 2 1
II. Mission.
General__________________________ 3 1
Respons)bility for active air de-
fense__________________________ 4 2
Responsibility for passive air de-
fense__________________________ 5'. 3
III. Organization for air defense.
Fighter command________________ 6 4
Antiaircraft artillery 7 6
Aircraft Warning Service_________ 8 8
An tiaircraft Artlllery Intelligence
~ervice------------------------ 9 9
IV. Tactical coordination.
G'eneral 10 9
Operations room 11 10
Controller .:.__ 12 10
Antiaircraft artlllery operations
offic:er 13 1l
Standing operating procedure_____ 14 11
Restrictions of fire_______________ 15 11"
V. Principles of employment.
General_________________________ 16 12 '
Fighter aviation 17 13
Antiaircraft artillery .. 18 14
Barrage balloons .. 19 15
Aircraft Warning Service_________ 20 15
Civilian defense__________________ 21 18
m
FM 1-25 ,
RESTRICTED
I '
ARMY AIR FORCES FIELD :MANUAL'
AIR DEFENSE
\ ,/
(This manual supersedes FM 1-25, 24 December 1942.)
SECTION
I
GENERAL
• 1. AUTHORITY.-a.AR 95-5 charges the Commanding Gen-
eral of the Army Air Forces wIth the provision, training, and
lllaintenance of all Army aviation means for the active air
defense of the continental United States, of oversea garrisons,
and of theaters of operations where located. The Command-
ing General, Army Air Forces, is also chargedwith'the devel-
Opment of tactics and technique for Army air defense opera:"
tion, including Aircraft Warning Service, fighter aviation,
and coordination with the Commanding General, Army ,
Ground Forces, in regard to the trainirig of' antiaircraft
artillery, searchlights, ~nd barrage balloons for employment
in air defense. , ' ~,
b. Responsible army field force commanders are charged
With making an air defense estimate and plan based on
the policies and methods of operation as determined by th'e
I Coman ding General of the Army Air Forces. " .
I. 2. PtmPOSEANDSCOPE.-The purpose of this manual is to
present a general statement of the organization for air de-
l fense.
i
,
MISSION
,. 3. GENERAL.-Airdefense includes all measures necessary i
to prevent, to interfere with, or to reduce th;e effectiveness
of hostile air action after hostile aircraft have left their own
3-4- ARMYAIRFORCES
.
FIELDMANUAL
,537478°--43--,-2 5
/
6-7 ARMYAIR.FORCES
FIELDMANUAL
I
duties as air defertse region commander will be identical with
those listed above for the air'defense wing commander save
, for the coordination of fighter aircraft and antiaircraft artil-
lery action. He will not be charged with this responsibility
because, as an air defense region commander, he will have no
. fighter aircraft assigned to him.
d. Fighter control area.-(l) The territorial region of .an
air defense wing may be divided into fighter control areas.
The number of fighter control areas is determined by the!
size of the region, the number and location of objectives, and
the strategical location of fighter airdromes. The purpose
I of the fighter control area is to provide more efficient control'
of fighter aircraft in the air. Generally, the fighter control I
.area will include that territory which can be covered effec-l
tively by the control communication network provided. The
area cop.troller is responsible for the proper conduct of the'
air defense of his area, under the direction of the wing com) 4
mander, who also normally acts through his controller. HiS
principal duties are to- I.'
(a) Put into effect all orders received from the wing..
I
(b) Coordinate, direct, and control fighter aircraft in the
I
, '(c) Responsibility for combat efficiency of antiaircraft
artillery units. 7
7-8 I
ARMYAIRFORCES
FIELDMANUAL'
8
AIR DEFENSE 8-10
SECTIONIV
; TACTICAL COORDINATION
~ ..
I
1. 10. GENERAL.-The fighter commander
trd.inating the action of fight~r aircraft
is charged with co-.
r
~ 15. RESTRICTIONSOF~RE.--a.
~ni~ .commander in immediate
The antiaircraft artillery fire
command is responsible for
emng and ceasing fire, ~el is the individual responsible
\
ARMY AIR FORCES FIELD MANUAL.
15-16
for determining' when friendly aviation is unnecessarily en-
dangered by the fire of his unit.
b. The normal firing status of antiaircraft artillery will be
that of "Release to open fire under instructions contained in
local standing operating procedure" until specifically re-
'. stricted by the controller.' '
c. The normal status of searchlights will be that of "Re-
lease to operate under instructions contained in local stand-
ing operating procedure" until specifically restricted by the.
controller.
d. Barrage balloons will normally be fiown at ruling oper-
ating height.
. . e. Restrictions by fighter controllers will be imposed on the\'
. minimum number of antiaircraft artillery units consistent,:
with the accomplishment of the desired aim. This restric-
tion will be imposed for a specific purpose and for a definitel
period of time. However, information of the approach of:
friendly and enemy aviation to areas defended by antiair :
craft ar~illery will be transmitted to these units at all times.
SECTION V
jJ
PRINCIPLES OF EMPLOYMENT
• 16. GENERAL.-a. Fighter aircraft, antiaircraft artiller
searchlights, and barrage balloons are employed to provid~
a coordinated and complementary active air defense. At
are served bY.an Aircraft Warning Service WhiCh.places befo.~
the fighter commanders timely and usable intelligence
: hostile aircraft and information of friendly aircraft. Tb
same intelligence and information are used to inform ci
and other militarY and naval establishments of the air situa
tion, and as the b~sis for orders for the restriction of sud
lighting and radio emissions as may aid the enemy in a give
J
I
\ situation. .
b. A st~ategic air defense area includes the territory e
bracing all the objectives of a probable hostile air campai~
and for which a coordinated, integrated, and self-containe
air defense plan and organization must be provided. Tl
I, hostile air campaign may cover more than one strategic' ~
defense area. It is contemplated that active air defen
U ',I
AIR DEFENSE 16-17
tI
hanthe ground alert method. The air elert method is re-
I
orted to only when the outer limit to which \ the ,Aircraft
arnlng Service can be exten::d will not permit the emp!oy-
17-18 ARMYAIR F~RCESFIELDMANUAL l
ment of the ground alert method. An Aircraft Warning
Service, even though
•
limited, is a prerequisite to the employ ..I(\(
ment of the aIr alert method. I
e. Th~ search patrol method is used in the absence of aIlI
effective Aircraft' Warning Service, and involves continuat(
search for the enemy by fighter aircraft in flight. Thi$c
method possesses all of the disadvantages of the air alertll
, method and, in addition, requires continual search of the1
vast air space through which the enemy may approacb~
The search patrol method is so costly in force as to be pr01
hibitive in the general case. It is resorted to only in excep~
tional circumstances when a,ir superiority is required in +
limited area for a limited time and a suitable Aircraft Warn'i:
ing Service cannot be made available. t
• 18. ANTIAIRCRAFT ARTILLERY.-a. Antiaircraft artillery pos'
1
sesses strategic mobility, and tactical mobility in the sensf
that it may be moved from one position or area to anothe
within a short period of time. It .has' certain limitation!
It cannot be expected to be available in sufficient quantitf
to provide an all around defense of all areas and establisb'
ments liable to air attack. Moreover, the operating altitudt
of hostile bombing airplanes often exceeds the effective alti!
tude of antiaircraft artillery fire. Antiaircraft
used to provide a local defense of relatively small areas.
artilleryj
is ready for action on very short notice under all conditio
of visibility. Antiaircraft fire is difficult for enemy aviatio
1
to neutralize and forces hostile bombers to make their aU
tacks at high altitudes. The lighter antiaircraft weapoJ
(automatic weapons) make hostile attacks at low altitud~
very difficult and costly and are particularly effective in pre
venting strafing of airdromes. Antiaircraft artillery pr~
tection for airdromes is of the greatest importance. 1
b. Antiaircraft artillery should be assigned to the defen,
of important objectives which, under a 'given situation, a,l
most liable to hostile air attack, and whose geographic!
position reduces the effectiveness of fighter aircraft defenS
When the objective is such that precision bombing is requirl
for effective enemy air action, antiaircraft artillery is p~
ticularly effective. Examples of this type of Objective,
14
, I
j
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AIRDEFENSE .18-20
f . -. \ 15
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20 ARMY AIR FORCES F~ELD MANUAL . J
from the point of observation to the telephone ;"ay greaU
reduce the value of reports. Hence existing subscriber tele:
phones are. used only when they are located at points froxt
which watch for aircraft can be effectively maintained anl
where they may be reached by the observer within 15 secondS
When these factors are not present, extension telephone!
are provided at Government expense. The enormous cos!
of installation precludes the use of direct telephone connec~
.tion between observers and plotters at filter centers excep'
in particularlY vital and suitable locations. Toll message!
are used, and the telephone operating personnel is instructel
and trained in routing and expediting establishment of cil
cuits for Aircraft Warning Service flash messages. Whit!
one observer is noting the data to be included in the flasf
message, the other establishes telephone connection with tb;
appropriate plotter at the filter center. .1
c. Instrumental means of observing aircraft are emplOye
to-' '.. ~
(1) Extend detection ~nd observation beyond frontiers ~Il
into enemy territory. This extension is usually, but nO
always, sufficient to permit the employment of fighter aVH
tion on ground alert. .~
(2) Track aircraft to amplify or replace visual and audl
observation in the area of fighter interception or to per~
adequate air raid warnings to military, civil, or industril
establishments. 1
d. The importance of observer posts varies greatly wi~
their location in respect to the objectives to be defended a~
. the probable direction of approach of hostile aircraft .. No
mally the enemy may be expected to approach in the dire1
tion least. favorable: to ground observation. All directioJ
of approach, however, should be defended. Without a pO
\ itive means of observation seaward or beyond a land frontlE
the most favorable approach will be normally via such froi
. tiers. Objectives on the coast or frontier may receive host!
air attack before any ground observers see or hear the attad
'. \lng aircraft. Defending fighter aviation should engage ~
enemy in suftlcient time to permit a minimum of 6 mind
of combat before the enemy reaches his objective. Wb
desirable, this is not always practicable. Instrumental mea
16
AIR DEFENSE 20
18
FM 1-25',
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. e capabili.tieS.O.f th.eelemen.t8 of the active.. air defen.,se, par- ..
CUlarly antiaircraft arUllel")'. For this reason, plans for use
t slOOkeas air defense measure must be carefully coordinated
Ith and controlled by the active air. defense commander of the.
r.ea in "'hlch thiS use of smoke Is contemplated.
[.AG300.7(25~aD4CS)J I \,
.
.'
P'ICIA.L:
: U. 0. MARSHALL
J. A. ULIO Chief of Staff'
MajorOenera.Z' . I
. The Adjutant GeneraZ
S!IUB"Q'TION : . _. ' , ..
AAF (10); AGF (10); ASF (2); T of Opns (2); Arm &
Bv.'Bd (2): Def Comd (2); Tech Bv. (2); SvC (10);.
lID (2) ; PC&S (1) ;' Gen & Sp Sv Sch (50) ; USMA (2);
ROT<;J' (1): A (10): CHQ (10); D (2) except D 1, 2,
4, 7, 17, 44 (6) ; B 2-7, 18,44 (6); R 2-7, 17, 18, 44 (6);
SBn 2-7,17, 18, 44 (6),19 (5) ;Bn 2-7,11,17-19,44 (5) :
AI' (6) ;W (6) ; G (6); S (8) .. TjO &E; 2-22 (2);
. ....2-27 (2.); 2-28 (2);.3-457 .(2); 4-37. (2); 5-47 /(2).;
5-417 (2) ; 5-447 (2) ; 5-467 (2) ; 5-500, Engr Sv' Co (2) ;
) . '. 5-800-2 (2);7-82. , (2); 7-31 (2); 7-52 (2); 7-57 (2);
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