 This is the Big Picture, an official television report of the United States Army produced for the armed forces and the American people. Now to show you part of the Big Picture, here is Master Sergeant Stuart Quain. This is an age of streamlining. Everything from automobiles to guided missiles today reflects the dynamic look of the future. Your Army is no exception. Its modern fighting division is lean and functional, simple in organization and efficient in performance, keeping pace with the many marvelous inventions at its disposal. The Pentomic Division, so named because it consists of five battle groups, is a semi-independent, self-contained fighting unit designed to operate effectively on an atomic battleground should the need ever arise. Today's Pentomic Division is characterized by the ability of fewer men to deliver a more devastating concentration of firepower on any would-be aggressor. It is an ultra-modern idea, but the story behind it is as old as the history of man. Since the beginning of his time on Earth, man has been reacting to his environment in order to stay alive. He increased his knowledge, constantly improved the surroundings in which he found himself, and learned over the centuries how to survive hostile nature as well as hostile fellow human beings. The forward-looking and ingenious ones managed to stay alive only through superior military organization, tactics, and weapons. The long range and rapid fire of bow and arrow artillery deepened the battlefield and ultimately led to larger and more powerful weapons. The catapult could punch an opening in a castle wall. The crossbow, with its deadly accuracy and tremendous impact, was thought to be a weapon so terrible that it would end war. But heavier armor was developed for protection, and the short range of this weapon was soon regarded as a primary disadvantage. The English longbow used against armored French knights at Crécy and Agincourt represented the pinnacle of firepower until the age of explosives. Here indeed was a new type of environment. It developed slowly. The early guns were less accurate, had a slower rate of fire, and a shorter range than the longbow which they replaced. But guns were being enlarged and consistently improved. They increased in destructive power and in bulk. As better metals and machines were developed, the tools of war became more plentiful and efficient. Not only tools of war, but the course of human history itself was changed by a violent explosion in the New Mexico desert. Age we live in was born. Who has the United States Army charged with supervising the initial development of this mightiest of all explosives, adapted it to the Army arsenal, and reorganized to defend against it? Why not call on the Army for an answer? Well America is planning to survive, I can assure you. Our Army has been reorganized in complete recognition and acceptance of the unparalleled changes in our environment. The knowledge that atomic weapons are in our hands and in the hands of our potential enemies greatly influences our thinking. It has meant a reevaluation of our approach to modern war, the war of the future. To be sure we have also reorganized to wage modern non-atomic war, so-called conventional war. Conventional weapons and equipment of the Field Army have been and are being made. Lighter, stronger, longer lasting, and with an increased radius of action. So we do stand ready to fight a modern war with improved conventional weapons. But because of the continuing threat of atomic weapons and missiles, with their far greater range and vastly broadened target area of destruction, the Army has been recast to fight and win on the atomic battlefield also, wherever it proves to be. This film is a combined progress report and forecast to tell you something about the Army's doing and will continue doing to adjust to the impact of the changing scene. To meet and master the realities of man's environment in this modern age. The Army is prepared today as always to fight a conventional non-atomic battle. It is also ready to employ nuclear weapons should it ever be necessary. One low yield atomic warhead will release as much destructive energy as 21,600 105mm howitzer high explosive shells. The old Army Combat Division with its triangular three regimen structure has been recast in pentagonal form in order to better adapt it to any situation. Its five mobile battle groups operating semi-independently provide more firepower with less manpower than ever before. In any future combat there would be no static front line and the depth of division sectors would be much greater in order to reduce to a minimum a division's vulnerability to atomic weapons. The pentomic unit embodies the concept of lean active mobile task forces capable of dispersing widely on any battlefield. With his troops so dispersed how could a commander bring the full strength of his pentomic division into offensive action against an enemy? There are three basic elements in the answer to that question. Wide-ranging communications. Wide-ranging communications increases the commander's control even with wide dispersion. A network of radial relay circuits tie in combat support and administrative units with a communication center in such a way that even with an atomic blast the system can continue to function over a variety of other traffic patterns. The equipment which makes up this communication system must be sturdy and powerful but also light enough for easy transportation. Helicopods into which the equipment for an entire command post can be assembled can be deposited wherever they are needed and can be quickly put into action as a communications nerve center. Long-ranging firepower of the second element in the pentomic concept is comprised of many new weapons including missiles. Many of these missiles such as the honest John Rocket can deliver either a high explosive or an atomic warhead. Missiles with atomic capability are assigned to missile commands. Units set up to provide atomic fire support to allied or U.S. ground forces. Honest John is self-propelled on its launching platform so when it's air-transported it's ready to go. A smaller version, the little John, supports ground troops in any terrain at short notice. The mighty Redstone Chief Operational Missile for the Heavy Missile Command is ready to support a pentomic division from far behind the battleground. The Redstone was the forerunner of the Army's Jupiter Sea which launched Explorer, the first satellite sent into space by the United States. The smaller missiles can be moved with the battle groups in the field. Even the corporal, a medium ballistic missile with excellent range and a devastating impact, is highly mobile. This weapon has both atomic and non-atomic capability. It is estimated that four corporal battalions firing atomic missiles would exceed the power of all American artillery in World War II. La Crosse is a highly accurate surface-to-surface missile for close support of ground troops. Its pinpoint delivery makes it an ideal weapon for destroying enemy bunkers or fortifications. It can be moved speedily into position and be ready for action within minutes. Nike Ajax, the Army's ground-to-air defense missile, is capable of destroying fast-moving enemy aircraft. Nike Hercules is a faster, higher-flying brother of Ajax and is capable of carrying an atomic payload into large formations of high-altitude bombers. The Hercules attains a speed of more than 2,000 miles an hour and is guided by radar on its deadly journey through the sky. Latest in the Nike family, not yet operational, is the Zeus, called an anti-missile missile, built to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles. While Nike Ajax and Hercules are designed for the upper reaches, Hawke is used to handle low-flying aircraft. Hawke is a homing-type missile. Once on its own, it seeks its prey independently and pounces on it with sudden surprise. Dart is the soldier's missile, an amazingly destructive weapon that weighs less than 100 pounds and can be carried with infantry tools. Swift and lethal can knock out any modern tank. A David among Goliaths, weapons of the Pentamic Army are radically new. Some, like the M60 machine gun, are simply newly designed models of weapons used by the Army for many years. The M60 fires the standard NATO 7.62-millimeter cartridge and replaces the older machine guns, both the light and heavy. Its light weight means that it can easily move forward with the assault troops all the way to the objective. M14 Springfield is a lighter, more efficient rifle for the modern infantrymen. It is capable of either fully automatic or semi-automatic fire. It also fires the standard NATO cartridge, which can penetrate a steel helmet at 1,200 yards. It will replace three standard weapons, the M3 submachine gun, the 30-caliber carbine, and the M1 Garand rifle. Weighing less than nine pounds, this weapon was only recently accepted for general use by the Army after passing rigorous tests. Far-Ranging Mobility is the third element of the Pentamic Unit, linked with wide-ranging communications and long-ranging firepower. Helicopters are basic to this concept of mobility. Skimming over any kind of terrain, they can dart in quickly and unload infantry units ready for battle, providing a dimension to two-povement never before possible. Weapons and supplies can be carried short distances and delivered to troops in the combat area, saving precious time, which might be lost by ground transportation. Enough ammunition to keep light artillery batteries operating for hours can be delivered in minutes by a flight of these whirly birds. They are vital to the fast-moving, hard-hitting Pentamic Army. The helicopter's ability to make near-vertical takeoffs and landings in any type of terrain renders it ideally suited to perform reconnaissance. It is also used to evacuate the wounded in order that they may receive medical attention as soon as possible. Many thousands of American lives were saved in Kolia as a result of this kind of merciful helicopter mission. Fixed-wing light aircraft also perform a number of important jobs. One of the most vital of these is observation for artillery flying. These planes are also used for wire laying and supply drops, employing the latest techniques and equipment. The light plane is well suited to help give the Pentamic unit its mobile character. Fixed-wing aircraft, like the helicopter, prove themselves invaluable in securing reconnaissance information. Equipped with television, photographic and other surveillance devices, these aircraft provide the kind of widespread observation of the battle area needed by ground troop commanders. On the basis of information transmitted to trackers on the ground, commanders are aided immeasurably in their fight against what has been in all wars the greatest and most frustrating problem, the gathering of accurate reliable information about opposing forces. This experimental radio-controlled drone carrying an aerial camera is an example of surveillance devices to aid the commander. In the not too distant future, drones will fly with one or more electronic devices such as radar, infrared, motion picture and television cameras. Controlled from a remote ground position, this equipment will be able to gather information long in advance of the most forward reconnaissance elements and with no danger to our personnel. Sky cavalry, a new concept incorporated into the Pentamic division, uses aerial steels to sweep over wide fronts and extended distances in the battle area on the cavalry's traditional mission of reconnaissance. Part of the sky-caps function is to transport organic infantry and reconnaissance platoons to critical areas. Some ground reconnaissance elements are armed against enemy attack with a recoilless rifle mounted on a jeep. These units are linked by radio to aerial reconnaissance. Warning and advising each other, aerial and ground observers combine to operate as a wide-ranging, far-seeing information-gathering team. An ultimate objective of the Pentamic Army is realized in the airborne division, first to be given the pentagonal form. It is completely transportable by air. Formally, supplies, repair equipment and supporting elements were dropped piecemeal or were sent into the division battle area only after ground transportation was possible. Now, the entire division moves through the air. Most of it is air droplet. Much material is air landing, but every man and every piece of equipment necessary to the division's fighting strength on the ground is airborne. The armored unit has always had many of the desired features of the new Pentamic Army. It is a mobile, maneuverable force capable of massive firepower. For still greater mobility, the Army is bringing forth a new light tank. It carries a deadly 76-millimeter gun and can be transported by air. Designated the T92, it is faster, smaller and more agile than its predecessor. A highly maneuverable armored steam, it can turn quickly in its own length. The low silhouette helps protect the vehicle from the menace of enemy anti-tank weapons. It would also serve to lessen the effect of any atomic blast. If it is completed in a critical area, it can add the needed punch to assault troops. The armored personnel carriers of the armored division provide swift ground movement for the modern combat soldier. These carriers are capable of transporting the entire complement of one reinforced battle group with all weapons and essential equipment. Rugged and amphibious, the light armor of these vehicles and their capability of being tightly closed give excellent protection on the atomic or non-atomic battle vehicle. They can move troops into an objective area quickly and without regard for the type of terrain. Moving from one part of the battle area to another, each personnel carrier can deliver a rifle squad equipped for its specific mission and also carry ammunition and a three-day supply of rations. However, he is transported to his destined point of contact with the enemy. By air drop or light aircraft or armor plated carrier, he is still the individual soldier who, just as he has on battle fields of the past, will carry the heaviest share of fighting responsibility on any battle field of the future. The atomic war he may be forced to fight will be a war of dispersion, which he will be able to win with the aid of wide-ranging communications, on-ranging firepower, on-ranging mobility. Let us look now at a combat exercise embodying these three elements of the pentamic concept. Let us imagine that our army has decided on an offensive thrust to seize a key area deep in enemy territory. The plan calls for an all-out airborne drop on the target. The idea is to affect the deepest possible penetration in a hurry and make the target area a base for further offensive action. Air Force planes, especially designed for this kind of operation, discords the soldiers as rapidly as possible. Each man jumps with his own unit and all of the equipment he will need when he lands. Large pieces of equipment are dropped with the men, including a heavy self-propelled gun. The weapon has been thrust and rigged in such a way that it will always land upright and ready for action. Half a dozen immense 100-foot parachutes are required to deliver its bulk safely to Earth. The airborne attackers carry out their operation with split second precision, and each piece of equipment is unlimbered the moment it strikes the ground. Firepower is needed now. Supported by heavy fire, the airborne infantrymen advance. Even dispersed over wide distances, the troops are still connected to their command with the latest of communications equipment, such as the two-way radio set contained in the helmet or the improved sound-powered telephone. Intelligence transmitted from the forward reconnaissance element speeds the infantry attack on the objective. Another unit of armor strikes to link up with the airborne attackers, now creating chaos in the enemy rear. Aerial observers have reported, however, that a bridge has been blown up by the enemy and armor's path. If this were to delay armor's advance, it would seriously hamper the army's effort to set up a base for powerful coordinated firepower. In other times, it would indeed have created a delay, perhaps a fatal one, but the equipment of today's army is equal to the crisis. To permit the tanks to cross over the area blasted by the enemy, a mobile assault bridge moves with the armored column. Developed by the Corps of Engineers, the bridge can handle any vehicle up to 50 tons. It rides on a standard tank chassis and is operated by a two-man crew. Little time is lost as it prepares to span a ravine which is holding up the armored column. Covering fire is furnished the crew by a waiting tank. For a moment, the bridge rears up before extending itself across the castle, like a great cautious monster trying to find a safe footing for the impatient armor. A jeep moves up first and finds one tread solvent enough for its narrow wheelbase. Although the ravine took only minutes to span, armor has been held up long enough. Without the mobile assault bridge, such a delay in the advance might have been measured in hours, critical hours which now have been saved. SkyCav has been covering combat surveillance, exchanging information with our ground forces, making sure no profitable target is offered the enemy. The commander calls for artillery support to knock out enemy weapons which might direct fire on our assaulting units. His request is relayed through the communication system to a corporal missile battalion in the rear. Missile artillery and other weapons combine for mass firepower and help to neutralize enemy positions. Bridges retrieved for instant use elsewhere, now that the armored column no longer needs it at this point. A plastic assault pipeline is used to refuel armor from a distant gasoline source. Immediately needed supplies are ferried in and dropped by cargo helicopters. These same aircraft are utilized on the return trip for the rapid evacuation of wounded. The objective has been seen, but the assault troops do not rest. The troops remount and move in small active units to hold and enlarge the area. Secure in their new position, they move forward once again, unleashing a new attack upon the next objective. We've tried to give you a brief rundown on thinking and planning for the Pentamic Army and show you what we have done and are doing to materialize that thinking in positive action. What we haven't shown you is the vigor with which new weapons, new equipment, new organizations and new ways of doing things are being made ready for phasing into the Army. Some of these are being phased in now. Some are for next month. Some for a half dozen years from now. The flexible structure of the Pentamic Army will accommodate all new tools as they become ready. Ours is a modern Army, for and of the modern American soldier who was born into a land of applied science, who cut his teeth on radio grids and model airplanes, who grew up with mechanical marvels and electronic wonders as robot companions that he learned to adjust, maintain and improve. To this resourceful soldier, we offer the Army of the future today. The enormously flexible structure of the Pentamic Army will accommodate all new weapons, methods and ideas as they are available. Ours is a modern and dynamic Army, as strong as the men who serve in it, as responsive to the challenge of the future, as the country it serves. Now this is Sergeant Stuart Queen, your host for The Big Picture. The Big Picture is an official television report for the armed forces and the American people, produced by the Army Pictorial Center, presented by the United States Army in cooperation with this station.