é COSY NO.U£E

Page 1 of 6 r::--1 es

,05S

RKCRET

» MPSB(50)21 , « 2k JUNE 1950 , i '

NORTH ATLANTIC MILITARY PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY BOARD

STANDARDIZATION

(Note by the Secretory)

The following document was anuroved by the RVS at i ts 25th (1950) meet Ing for submission to the North Atlantic Military Production and Supnly Board at i t s 2nd (1950) meeting.

Study and determination of practicable means and methods for the furtherance of standardization, and areas in which prof itable results may be expected from the production and supply viev/point.

1. At 1:.he f i r s t (1950) meeting of the Military Production and Supply Board, the Permanent forking Staff was directed to pursue the following problem area and to report thereon to the Board at i ts second (1950) meeting;

Study and determination, of practicable means, and methods for the furtherance of Standardisation, and .-trees in which pro f i t -able results may bo exoected from the '-rodeotioe and suonly view-point (iiPSB(50)12 (Revised)).

2. In addition, the PVS, at the f i r s t (1950) meeting of the id-SB, was directed to select certain items in the deficiency l i s t s submitted by the Pact nations and to recommend to the Military Committee that these items be considered in i ts deliberations on standardization. (MPSB(50)13 Revised)

3. The P:'S at i ts 2pth meeting, approved a l i s t of items selected in accordance with cr i ter ia established by the IviPS3 and directed the transmittal of the attached l e t te r to the Standing (b-oup, Tliis communication was dispatched or. 22 June 1950.

THOMAS S. DRUHM, Jr Secretary

STANDARDIZATION

I . TJiE PROBLEM

I I . FACTS BEARING ON THE PROBLEi

I I I . DISCUSSION AND

* f c

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

NATO SECRET

MPSB (50)21 ige 2 of 8 page5

I I I . DISCUSSIOIi AND CONCLUSIOIIS

1, The F'VS considers that th.; a et ion outlined in item I I paragraph Jj above, f u l f i l l s tho speci f ic task that i t was directed* to do. Regarding the broader aspects of the task as outlined in Item I I , paragraph 1 above, i t is rh.lt incumbent upon the PVS to maintain a continuouß and sustained e f fo r t to achieve a greater measure of standardization. The FeS v.'ish to suggest certain f i e lds •vhich they should now study to this end. In the opinion of the H.'S i t would be profitable to ini t iate technical studies:

a. with a vie'" to' obtaining a greater measure of inter-changeability of tiie high mortality parts of auto-motive equipment (e .g . bvterries, distributors, valves, engine stool tyre s and sparkplugs) and other categories;

b. to determine and exploit the possibi l i t ies tot con-verting existing weapons to permit interchange-ability

^ of ammunition.

2. The Permanent Working Staff oropose that these studies should be undertaken v/ithir the following general principles:

a. that the work bc entrusted to a small group of representatives of NtA. countries who would act on behalf of the whole, and whoso conclusions would be subject to atroroval by other member countries;

b. that the represents.tives be senior technical experts with suitable qualifications for tho task that w i l l bo set before them;

c. that representatives acting on thoee technical groups assure continuous and sustained e f fo r ts on the tasks ,vhich are set, before them;

^ d. that tern technical groups be established with pro-vision made for cart ici. pa tion by military experts as required and eith the hvo defining the tusks and then acting in an advisory and co-ordinating capacity, .

IV. Rirc OHMEN DAT IOHS

It is recommended:

a. That the MPSB note the orogress made by the FVS as outlined in Item I I , Paragraph 3 above, and as indicated in the attached memorandum to the Standing Group.

b. That the general principles outlined'above for oursuing the technical studies proposed be approved by the MPSB.

I j Cheeham Place London, S.W.l

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

NATO StaCRiST

-.•'•'öS (50)21 r ..;<•• 3 o f Ö v ^ g o s

MEMORANDUM FOR STAND IKG GROUP OF THE MILITARY COMMITTEE

SUBJECT : STAiroARDIZATIOi!

1. The views of the Military Production nn<? Supply Bo..rd on the question of Standardization were transmitted to the Military Coiiimittee in a note (reference MFSB(3? )13(Ltr . ) , dated 30th March, 1950.

2. This note emphasized that, without standardization of end products, any progress toward integration of the production of those end products would necessarily ho extremely limited. I t was stated that the Military Production and SuiIply Board had directed i ts Permanent Worhing Staff to select certain items of e quipment î

(a ) which appeared most readily susceptible to st-.ndardiaa-t ion;

(b) the standardization of which would be most l ike ly to lead to economy through integration and co-ordination of production;

(c) the standardization of which would tend to simplify the supply problem, particularly with respect to spare parts;

(d) the standardization of which would be l ike ly to per-mit improved methods of production most readily,

3.-.The object of this paper is to forward to tho Standing Group a l i s t of items selected in accordance with the above cr i ter ia . In the f i r s t instance, the selection has been made from a few

^Limited classes of arhiy équipaient in order to make an in i t i a l ^ P t t a c I c on the problem. On the b;. sis of a factual analysis of'

the types in use and either in current production or planned .tor production within those limited classes of army equipment the Periiianent Working Staff has p r e p a r e d a l i s t of equipment set out in the Annex to this note, in respect of which iinmediate decisions on standardization are necessary Qn production grounds.

k* I t is realized that, in order to arrive at a decision to standardize a type of weapon or equip;.'.ont among the member nations, i t is necessary f i r s t to obtain technical military decisions on the user characteristics required, and secondly, f o r production exports to re-commend precise types which appear to thou to sat isfy the user requirements, while at the s.u.ic ti>..e being capable of economical production. The f i r s t step is idio definit ion of tie. user characteristics, and the f ina l decision, after consultation with production exports, rests in the Ivmds- of the military (that io to say, the user) authorities. I t is also appreciated that a considerable amount of consultation between military experts at the technical l e ve l s ' i s necessary before agree men fc can be re.ichod on user characteristics raid before a choice can bo made either between existing types or between prototypes of fered by the pro-duction authorities.

NATO

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

HPfB (50)21 - Pngo U of S Tgcr. KENORANDUM" FOR S T M D I K G GROUP OF TILS MILITARY COMwITTdb

5. Tiio amount of technical voric to bo done on both sides neces-sitates arranging the work in soi.™ order of pr ior i ty since i t can-not a l l proceed simultaneously. The cr i ter ia which may be adopted by the responsible mil itary authorities in placing particular weapons or equipment high in the order of pr ior i ty are necessarily d i f ferent from those which would influence the production authori-t i es . The main object of this paper, therefore, is to invite the attention of the Standing Group to those items f o r which, on pro-duction grounds, there is an immediate need f o r standardization, and to request the Standing Group to give the necessary directions to insure that rapid decisions are reached by responsible military authorities in respect of these items, so that the Perifianent Work-in.;; Staff may attempt to secure early e f f ec t i ve co-ordination of their production.

The Penarunent Working Staff appreciates that tho decisions cel led f o r on the mil itary side aro necessarily of a detailed and to clinical nature. They realise that coeu.ii tteos of mil itary ex-perts dealing aith these questions have been set up in the Western European Regional Group, in the Horthern Etiropoan Regional Group, and in the Southern huropean/Wv.stern Mediterranean Group. The Permcxnont Working Staff' would not bo troubling the Standing Group with this question but f o r Lho fac t that these questions ore being handled at the technical l eve l simultaneously by the three Regions so that there is no single military organisation at the technical level dealing with this question on a Uorth Atlantic basis.

7. The Scandiag Group is , therefore, invited:

(a) To agree that pr ior i ty be accorded to the work of reaching decisions on the r, t an da. rdi zr. t ior. of the items of equipment l i s ted in the Annex to this note.

(b) I f this is agreed, to consider the suggestion that the work of the technical mil i tary cousittoes at present operating in the Regienal Gro ups should be oo-ordineted in such a way that there is created a single e;:port committee system on the military side, operating on e. North Atlantic Tivaty basis, to whom this work can be entrusted and with whom the Poriaenont Working Staff may make the necessary contacts. (In this con-nection i t may be thought desirable to combine the coiiuaittees working in London in the Wostera Kuropoan and Northern European Regional Groups with representa-tives of the ne,tiens which are not represented" in those committees so as to form a single body entrusted with studying the whole problem. The standing Group may ca.ro, however, to nominate i-ypropont.itives to dis-cuss with the Permanent Working Staff the methods f o r the immediate establishment of mach inory to Implement the policy suggested.)

( c ) In order to ass is t the Peinaanent Worhin,..; Staff in plan-ning the co-ordination of production, to inform the Pemianent Worhina Staff us soon as possible when the Standing Group expects that decisions may be reached on the items in the Annex to this note.

TIiOMAS D. DRUMM, Jr. Secretary .NATO

SKOHKT

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

• • t»

NATO

SECRET

: r >S3 (50)21 PaiO- 5 of o M a , , . .

AIfilEX

AisIALYS IS O E R E C O M M E h D A T I PITS FOii STAiTDARiJ I L A T I O H

The inquiry vos confined to tho following classes or equipment :

( i ) Ammunition up to 17 mm hO i.im Ammunition Anti-tonic Grenades for Ri f les

( i i ) Weapons using the A..munit ion at ( i ) above

( I i i ) Anti-t.ani: rochets Ro ci'.et launchers

( i v ) Portable (Man pa ci:) Electronic Ecpai p.. lent

^ ( v ) J e e p s

( v i ) Light Tanics (up to and including 30 tona) Scoiit cars, Armored cars, Half-track cars, and

Peraonnel carriers

( v i i ) Mortars

( v i i i ) Anti-tank Minea An t i >o re onn 1 H in o s

On an aimlynie of tho Infora1Oticn provided by the various countries on their holdings o f , and production plans regarding, those ite,.is, the FV?G has selected the following items on which ; decision on s »v naerdisation is re que s tod at the ear l iest pos-sible date to enable the P^S to make e f f ec t i ve progress with the Uannin."" of integr^iod production. L

Infantry Ri f les Light mach ine Guns S ub -ma en i no Gun s Pistols Inf .'in try Radio (Wireless J Sets Platoon leve l Infantry Radio (Wireless) Sets Company level J e e p s Mortars Light T.'inks Ar.acred Cars Ralf-trac?. C. rs and Personnel Carriers Carbines LO io i guns Anti-tank Rockets and Rocket Laimchers

TIio factual basis f o r the above selections is summarised ho 1 ow. Wo s ep.a x*;: ce references made to the various natures or ammunition at this stv.ge. I t should not bo assumed however !.!)"t, I f each weapon is s tandardizod on a simple caliber, the .oaamietion for those weapons wi l l automatically have been stand-

ardised. Slight differences be twoun too types of a.oiunition cf the o a oiu ca l iber but manufactured by di f ferent processes may

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

HATO AKKEX (Cont'd)

SECRET MVSB (5-0)21 - P, ge 6 of 8 pager.

make i t impossible f o r tho ae^munition to bo f i r ed from dif ferent weapons of the aone caliber.

further: tore, the aim should be to produce say, a .30" ammunition which can be f i r ed from a l l 30" caliber weapons. This is a point which w i l l have to be carefully watched when the de-ta i ls f o r deciding on standard weapon designs are discussed be-tween fho experts. (In this connection i t wi l l be noted from the ensuing paragraphs that France is .modifying the 7.5 mm r i f l e •foid machine gun tc take .30" ammunition and is to produce a car-bine siui lar to the U.S. model to take .30" ^nmunition, and Ita.ly is modifying the .303" Bron L.M. gun .end the 8 ma Breda 37 M.G. to take U.S. .30" ammunition. This is a practical interim standardizntion measure.)

Infantry Ri f les

There are f i v e calibers of di f ferent models in use by w'even countries; three di f ferent calibers are in current produe-^Plion, and two are planned f o r production (France is planning

tn modify the 7.5 mm to take .30" ammunition).

Frtau the production peint of view there is a.atfrong case for the standardisation of this weapon.

Lieht gnchine G\ins

There are four di f ferent calibers of varying models in use and. two types in current produelien including, in Denmark, the Mridoen model, using . 30" a. .munition. Tim U.S. is contemplating the production of a now type; Norway 1.:: planning to produce U.S. models while France is planning te ^oOdfy the 7.5 mm to take .30" ammunition, and Italy is riodifying the .303" Bren M. G, and 8 inn Hiuda 37 M.G. to take U.S. .30" ammunition,

•I On production grounds i t is , therefore, desirable to stand-'rdizo on one typo.

SUb-mach ine Guns

Two calibers, th> 9 mm and the 45", of varying models, are in use. Three types of the 9 mm ere in production, and two are planned, while- Norway is planning to. produce a U.S. model of the .45". Tlse U.S., however, is not proeucing and does not intend to resume production of the .i+5".

I t is desirable on production grounds to "chieve a standard

type.

Pistols Four di f ferent calibers, ef varying models, are in use;

two types are in current production, The production is planned by Belgium, Italy .and Norway of three existing ty pua, while the U.S. is planning to produce a new type.

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

ANNUX (Cont'd) N-VTC

CCCkET

•V:- 0-.0) -1. - '•••• ; / OÎ" -g,,

Agreement on n standard io, thor .fore, ' 'Ivia-Ol... rro.- the point of v.ievv of production.

Infantry Kadlo ( »Vi :\.l>.n-. ) Plotoon LeVol

A j'iXü.iln.r of ai f fwrent t,/peo in use. Tv.o typ_ , ihe ...3. 88 • aKl the- S.d.R. 53ô ore in current production. Future production is plann.. t'I on current types, hiodif ied vorsiono of Uioe types -nd now design;:. Fro;. tho production standpoint i t is advisable, to concentrate on a standard typo.

Ini'an try IP die (Wireless) Set Cmooany Lo Vol

A number of d i f f e rent types are in us.... Two types, Liie W.3. 31 -'-nd the S.O.R. 300 are in current product.)on. At tin, s-.mo ti MU- the U.S. is planning to produce a new type, i t io , the rv-i'ore , desirable to consider tiie do lect ion of a st m dard typ.o.

.lo ep a

^ ^ Production is contemplated in four countries, each country producing a d i f ferent type. Largo numbers are and w i l l bo in une in J. A.T. countries, thus creatine a preble. : oi' the provision of spare parte and operating supplies.

The-ro io, tho-reforv, r strong case for ston-d.Irdinntien.

Mort nrs

In p .r t icular , within the 31-120 ::in reioe, a mult ipl ic i ty of ty^es i.e .in use; several -Iiff-O rent typ.o s are ir. current pro-duction or ere -Ianned f o r product ion.

On production grounds, ther , fcre , standardisation of mortam i.„ desirable,

M y h t Tank::

F ur d i f f e rent ty^.os .re at present in une in N.A.T. coun-tr ies , Non... is in current production, hut France and the United St- tws o- oil contemplate the production cf a no»/ type in the future.

The absence cf current production and the interval b uforu French .nd Am-. rican pi* ns ere implemented should a i l . ./ scope i'or considérât ion ei' the Stendern iaat i-.-n of this Vehicle, wiiich is el early desirable.

Armored Cars

Various t,y.,es are in use, Sait none is in production. Franco is ; lanniro to . roduc.- a new model in th-~ FY 51/52, Tiieru Would .appear to a . n.< groat obstacle, Lheroforw, to the evolution of a st.- ne-..I'd t,m , b ,.iO.are the French mo&ol is .-roducwd«

NATO

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE

AKHhÀ (Cont'd)

half-track Core and Personnel Carriore

ikU'O

SECRET

(1

J-C) ? •

Th-. so v..hides -re in use in France ; tho U. 3, A, and the • '• K, hen;, is in production, though the U.r;, ir contemplating th' product ion of a new mod~.-l when the st.: eh pi s i tion nécessi-ta u-,», • nd U.<, d.h. is ,, lennln ; ta prouuo. '.bhecled Personnel C: ri'iers to r v l a c e Half-tracks and, 1-/.:% " i l l •;. reduce Tracked .-.. a. Os. St' nd' H i rv t i cn is , tuae. 'ce. , -.h. s iras l e .

CarhInes

Only one type, the U.S. .30" is in use. son.- is in pro-duction hut Norway is ; lanning to ; roduce the 'ihg type, while Ki-ence is contemplating the production of a me.1 ol similar to the U.S. type, using ,30" ammunition.

There would appear to be ample scope f o r standardization •n one type.

ZjO ;..a Cuns

fc U.K. and U.S. Bofors types are in use. JIono of these weapons ™m> at ^ro;>ent being pinduced. Nerv,-ay is planning the production ef o Befors ty^e, and I ta ly is to produce a type on which informa-lien is net available. Tiiero would appear to be scope f o r stand-ardisation.

Anti-tank Rockets and Rocaet Launchers

The U.c. .£.36" and 3.5" are in use by most countries. Norway is planning tentat ively f o r the production of both types, while es regards the 2.36" I ta ly is planning to produce the Launcher and .1:- 3tuâying the question of producing ehe Rocket. The U.S. is pro-ducing the 3.$" Launcher end Rocket and is planning the production ep new typos of 2.36" rocket '.aid 3.5" Launchers. Several countries '..•ill m.ceivo U. types under

S t.-ne -.rdis.atiun appears to be in progress, de facto , and the I. hS would be glad, therefore, to rcceivo conf irma'.tion that the d.s. 2 o6 " and 3.3" Rockets and Launciiers sheubd be accepted as t .11(.0 advised on future designs.

NATO

SHCRdT

DE

CLA

SSIF

IED

- PU

BLI

C D

ISC

LOSU

RE

/ D

ÉC

LASS

IFIÉ

- M

ISE

EN

LE

CT

UR

E P

UB

LIQ

UE