Government Document

The Air Force Response to the Cuban Crisis 14 October - 24 November 1962

1963

Overview

U.S. Air Force estimates Military expenditures for Transportation of [Aircraft; Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants] during the Cuban Crisis; Robert S. McNamara called for continued Airborne alert for conducting [Aerial reconnaissance; Low altitude reconnaissance flights] and possible return to Naval Quarantine of Cuba (24 October - 20 November 1962) operations or implementation of [Operation Plan 312; Operation Plan 316] on 29 November; U.S. Air Force reports John F. Kennedy praise for critical activities of the U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command as a major source of Military deterrence against the Soviet Union; Cuban Crisis provided the U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command with the \"best and most realistic\" test of its Command and control system in its history; U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command preparations of [Intercontinental ballistic missiles; Communications] during the Cuban Crisis; U.S. Air Force. Tactical Air Command reports that its requirements for [Military personnel; Military equipment] during the Cuban Crisis put other commands in danger; Minuteman I Missiles were put at Military alert beginning on 27 October; U.S. Air Force. Systems Command turned Intercontinental ballistic missiles launch sites to control of the U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command at the time of the Airborne alert; U.S. Air Forces in Europe redirects squadrons for Nuclear strikes away from Germany (Federal Republic) in order to focus alert for Conventional warfare; Thomas S. Power notes significant possibility of Nuclear strikes from the Soviet Union by way of Antarctica; U.S. Air Force. Air Defense Command involvement in the Cuban Crisis; U.S. Air Forces in Europe involvement in the Cuban Crisis was hampered by inadequate information prior to News media announcements; U.S. Air Force. Systems Command recommends that Research and development Missiles not be incorporated into the Operational readiness status; U.S. Air Force. Alaskan Air Command required improved Communications procedures with Civilians in Civil defense organizations; Communications equipment required by the U.S. Air Force for the Cuban Crisis diluted the Military strength of forces in [Europe; Pacific Region]; Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command directed Airborne alert of one-eighth of U.S. Air Force. Air Defense Command B-52 Aircraft armed with Nuclear weapons for the first time after implementation of DEFCON 3; U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command activated all its forces after DEFCON 2 announcement of 24 October; U.S. Air Force. Tactical Air Command began Low altitude reconnaissance flights on 26 October to search for targets for \"massive\" Air attacks against Missile bases; Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Air Force Atlantic Command had 579 Aircraft at stage of Operational readiness and 49 Ballistic Missile Early Warning System Radar equipment on 24-hour operation during the Cuban Crisis; U.S. Air Force reports that U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff decided against planned use of tactical Nuclear weapons during U.S. military intervention in Cuba on 31 October that had been part of Operation Plan 314; U.S. Air Force reports that the U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command performed 2,511 missions armed with Nuclear weapons during the Cuban Crisis; U.S. Air Force. Continental Air Command reports problems because it was not consulted on [U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command; U.S. Air Force. Tactical Air Command; U.S. Department of Defense] decisions during Cuban Crisis planning; U.S. Air Force granted authority for forward Deployment of GAR-11 Falcon Missiles with Nuclear Warheads during DEFCON 3; U.S. Air Force. Caribbean Air Command was tasked with provision of [Riot control equipment; Military equipment] to Latin America during the Cuban Crisis; U.S. Air Force. Strategic Air Command began B-52 Aircraft Aerial reconnaissance with declaration of Airborne alert on 24 October; U.S. Air Force involvement in the Cuban Crisis

• Subject: Aerial reconnaissance / Air attacks / Airborne alert / Aircraft / Anderson, Rudolf, Jr / Angell, Joseph W., Jr / Antarctica / Arnold, Walter E / B-52 Aircraft / Ballistic Missile Early Warning System / Civil defense / Civilians / Command and control system / Communications / Communications equipment / Conventional warfare / Cuban Crisis (16 October - 20 November 1962) / Defense Readiness Condition 2 / Defense Readiness Condition 3 / Deployment / Europe / GAR-11 Falcon Missiles / Germany (Federal Republic) / Intercontinental ballistic missiles / Kennedy, John F / Latin America / Low altitude reconnaissance flights / McNamara, Robert S / Military alert / Military deterrence / Military equipment / Military expenditures / Military personnel / Military strength / Minuteman I Missiles / Missile bases / Missiles / Naval Quarantine of Cuba (24 October - 20 November 1962) / News media / Nuclear strikes / Nuclear warheads / Nuclear weapons / Operation Plan 312 / Operation Plan 314 / Operation Plan 316 / Operational readiness / Pacific Region / Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants / Power, Thomas S / Radar equipment / Research and development / Riot control equipment / Transportation / United States military intervention in Cuba / United States. Air Force / United States. Air Force. Air Defense Command / United States. Air Force. Alaskan Air Command / United States. Air Force. Atlantic Command. Commander-in-Chief / United States. Air Force. Caribbean Air Command / United States. Air Force. Continental Air Command / United States. Air Force. Strategic Air Command / United States. Air Force. Strategic Air Command. Commander-in-Chief / United States. Air Force. Systems Command / United States. Air Force. Tactical Air Command / United States. Department of Defense / United States. European Command. Air Forces / United States. Joint Chiefs of Staff