A.W.P.D.-42Potential Capacity To Exert Air Power |
Productive Capacity for Implements of War.
United States
United States productive capacity is today probably ahead of any other source of air power. Current production of combat types for the month of June 1942 is as follows:
|
United States |
2,081 |
|
Germany and Italy |
1,900 |
|
England |
1,404 |
|
Japan |
400 - 500 |
Thus the Axis productive capacity in Europe and Asia totals 2,300 as compared with 3,485 for England and the United States. It is quite possible that the German aircraft production has been underestimated. It may be as high as 2,300 or 2,400 combat airplanes per month; however, the United States is rapidly accelerating its aircraft production rate and has not yet really got into its stride. The margin of superiority in aircraft production, which is practically the only important factor in which we enjoy a superiority, may be expected to accelerate and become more pronounced. Obviously it is an advantage upon which we should capitalize.
Facilities for Logistic Support.
1. General.
The United States is the most important and powerful source of air power in the world today. Considering productive capacity and air base facilities, the United States is easily in number one position. The second most important seat of air power is Germany. The third most important, and fairly close to Germany, is England. If the transportation lines, both air and sea, between the United States as a production source and England as a base and production source can be kept open, the United States and Great Britain can create a vast superiority in air power in the British Isles, provided of course that the British Isles can be retained as a base. Likewise, the United States can establish a marked superiority in air power over Japan, provided air and sea routes can be kept open, and provided further that large air bases and air base facilities can be created in the Far East. The present base facilities in the Far East available to the United Nations are inadequate to support powerful air forces.
2. Bases in outlying theaters.
(a) There are certain areas of the world in which air forces can be supported with the assistance of repair facilities deliberately created for that purpose. Examples of these areas in which limited air forces can be established and maintained are as follows:
(1) The Middle East, where there are repair facilities at Cairo and at Gura.
(2) India, which has very limited production facilities, but has American depot facilities at Karachi.
(3) Persia, where a large depot and assembly plant has been created at Basra.
(4) The Caribbean, where there are large repair facilities in Panama and in Porto Rico.
(5) Central Pacific, where there are extensive repair facilities in Hawaii.
(6) Australia, where facilities are being created.
(b) The importance of logistical establishments for the maintenance of large air forces is becoming increasingly apparent. The 10th Air Force in India has been practically immobilized for lack of repair facilities for engines or new engines. The United Nations suffer from a very considerable difficulty in supplying their air forces. The production facilities are concentrated in two places only — the United States and Great Britain. The fighting fronts, on the other hand, are spread many thousands of miles from those production centers. Until adequate repair facilities, often very elaborate, can be created in outlying theaters, it will be necessary to maintain our air forces by transporting parts, assemblies, and munitions to the fighting theaters. Mobile air depots can alleviate the logistical difficulty of operating air units in remote places. However, the capacity of these mobile air depots is limited both in scope and in quantity, and they cannot be relied upon to sustain real air power, measured in thousands of airplanes, for any considerable period of time. Great Britain is itself, of course, the best base for operations from the point of view of air base logistical facilities, since it is close to the enemy and well stocked with repair facilities. For the other theaters, especially Australia, the Middle East, and India, it is necessary to rely upon transportation from the United States and the United Kingdom.