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Possibility of Airborne Attack on the United Kingdom

1 Jan 1953

TOP SECRET Casualties inflicted by air defences 9. If an airborne attack was launched as a complete surprise and our defences had not been alerted in any way, it is probably that very few casualties would be inflicted on the enemy in the air, either by fighters or by LAA guns. (Because of the nature of the targets which we think the U.S.S.R. would choose, only LAA guns could be brought to bear). 10. If, however, it proved possible to alert the defences seven days before the attack we think that the following results might be achieved:(a) Fighter Defences Since we have assumed that airborne operations would be undertaken in conjunction with full scale bombing raids by the Long Range Air Force, which of themselves would be capable of saturating our defences, it is impossible to give any exact figure of casualties to transport aircraft.
united kingdom germany strategy russia air power air warfare ussr cold war england contingency planning mobilisation bombing british army military intelligence paratroopers ministry of defence joint intelligence sub-committee chiefs of staff war preparations atomic warfare patrick reilly kenneth strong air raid precautions military strength predicting enemy intentions air raids assessing enemy strength arthur shortt anti-aircraft defence military objectives soviet air force surprise attacks
Collection ID
CAB158
Conflict
Cold War
Countries
England Germany Russia United Kingdom USSR
Document Reference
CAB 158/15/33
Document Types
Report
File Reference
CAB 158/15
Identifier
10.1080/swwf.cab158.0015.033
Keywords
Military Intelligence Contingency Planning Assessing Enemy Strength Predicting Enemy Intentions War Preparations Air Power Air Raids Bombing Air Raid Precautions Soviet Air Force Air Warfare Military Objectives Surprise Attacks Mobilisation Atomic Warfare Paratroopers Anti-aircraft Defence British Army Strategy Military Strength
Languages
English
Organizations
Chiefs of Staff Ministry of Defence Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee
Pages
5
Persons Discussed
Patrick Reilly Arthur Shortt Kenneth Strong
Published in
United Kingdom
Series
Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office: Central Intelligence Machinery: Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee Later Committee: Memoranda (JIC Series). Joint Intelligence Committee: Memoranda 1-62
Themes
Military Intelligence

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