1963-10-05-sc-p3-missile-updating-explained

October 05, 1963 Spokane Daily Chronicle Page 3:

Missile Updating Project Explained

The $40 million earlier reported allocated for “updating” the Atlas missiles commanded from Fairchild Air Force Base actually is the total at three missile bases, including Fairchild.

The Air Force will spend about $2.5 million on the payroll for personnel who will work on the project at the Fairchild missile sites.

The work force will consist of 244 Air Force civilians who will be brought to Spokane, and 88 professional engineers and consultants representing the contractors who designed and constructed the missiles.

Briefing Held

Those points were emphasized yesterday at a briefing session at Fairchild for construction industry and labor leaders.

Col, Robert L. Wells, special assistant for the missile "updating" program from the San Bernardino Air Materiel Area, said the earlier report that $40 million would be spent in the project here was the result of a poorly worded news release from the Air Force.

Col. John R. Walker, chief in- formation officer for the San Bernardino Air Materiel Area, said $39.4 million was allocated for updating Atlas missiles at Fairchild and at Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and Forbes Air Force, Kan.

"Of this amount, $31 million will go for parts and other expenditures that will not be made at the actual missile sites," he said, explaining these included work done by General Dynamics Corp. and associated contractors for design, technical data, engineering systems, and the like.

"This leaves $8.4 million to be divided in expenditures at the three missile bases."

Local Effects Estimated

Col. Wells told the group yesterday that of the 268 "tasks" in the project, contracts awarded locally through the Fairchild procurement office will total only about $130,000.

He said the Air Force estimates that slightly more than $1 million will be spent here from salaries of personnel,

The Air Force personnel who will come here are part of a team from San Bernardino, schooled in the highly technical work, he said, They are “missile mechanics” or "electronics technicians," he added.

Peak of employment on the project here will be reached about Nov. 25 and will continue until March, after which the program will be gradually reduced, with completion expected by July, officials said.

Lt. Col. Frederick C. McCarthy, Commander of the San Bernardino Air Materiel Area "update" group, will direct the work here.