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Draft USAF-RNLAF Technical Arrangement Concerning Weapons Storage at Soesterberg AIRFIELD: memorandum from Commodore J.W. Thijsen, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, to Chief MAAG [Military Assistance Advisory Group] et al., 7 March 1963, Ref: Letter USAFE, Office of the Commander-in-Chief, dtd 11 December 1961, with Draft Technical Arrangements Proposal attached, Secret

- 3 't l raft UBAft-RNLAP Tecb 'n1oal Arra ngemarat conce1 '1'd ng weapons norae e at Soesterbere a WV Cb1et G a'tta-Ohiet 4f r i Jne SectiOl'l acloaure 08pie 1-6 1 I e e' - Jfoo M Afdeling Wetgering en PubUelI reeht 111'» 'biJ1asan a ar 7-12 ClN bijlapax nr 1 Intern i a a 1 JlSJZ bijlage ex nr 14 ArclWd bijlae ex mr 15 2 4 5 iet Letter USAft - dtd Office of th Commanderin Chief' December 11 '961 Reference 18 made te letter mentiOl'l a4 a bo'I'e in CJllWtTS AB pr0p0se4 1br oonsideration enta re the I'Jtorage fd ua nuclear weapons t SoesWrberg Aid1el4 1 wh1eh 2 Jbzoreaaons whioh 8 J 'e weU lmcmn to you a deoision 'the qaesticm wbethel' sto ••• of tbê speoial wea pona oould be perm1ttec1 had to bIJ po I am notr in a positicm GD hnerer te state tbat I de 1Dprinciple agree with the storaBll Ol the conditicm tbs an agreement vil1 ' rea cbed _ tbs prori sicms wbioh are to •• laU dom iJl a ot tbe tecbn1ca1 t to 'be oonclwlecl ' Men CINOUSAFi anti m yseU concerning tbe IltMl- r wadlea4 aup of tbe USU oa1 figbter squadl 'oD a' Soesterberg Airfiel4 3 Ne he ts bas1ca117 aoeeptable propoaec1 10 the' re fereneed Iett to the lUlLAP but in rq opinion r dM tioaal andmore deta 11a4 P1'O 1Sl Ol'l8 8 'e needed tG attah a oompreheaaiv tecbnical en the subjen 1'0 meet tbis requinment a prel'iminary dratt tor auch aft arrangement - 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- 4 I Custody and release of nuclear weapons C stody of nuclear weapons will be the responsi bili ty of the USAF When the weapons are released by appropriate authority they will be employed by the USAF tactical fighter squadron only in accordance with NATO military plans and procedures established by SACEUR 5 Weapon movement The USAF shall be responsible for the movement of nuclear weapons All weapon movement to from Soesterberg Airfield will be carried out by air subject always to the provision of paragraph 3 above 6 Security The internal security of areas reserved for the exclusive use of the USAF shall be the responsibility of the USAF 7 SECRET The responsibility ç J J ' t I' y ' SECRET - 2 - 7 The responsibility for the enemal security of nuclear weapons located at Soesterberg Airfield shall be as determined in Annex C - 8 Safety The USAF shall be responsible for radiologioal safety in conneetdon with the storage of nuclear weapons at Soesterberg Airfield Detailed arrangements have been laid down in Annex Q 9 Maintenance surveillanoe and assembly The USAF will be responsible for the maintenance surveillance and assembly of nuclear warhead sections including the provision of personnel and technical equipment for the performance of these functions J 10 Construct ion development maintenance and operation of stora site The costs of construction development and except as otherwise ed in Annex B of mainienance and operation of the storage and associated facilities including those required for the support of the USAF nuclear weapons custodial and supporting personnel shall be borne by the USAF I 11 To to the NATO ion costs frastructure the extent however that the North Atlantic Council agrees infrastructure funding of NATO atomic stockpile construothe apportionment of costs will be subject to NATO in procedures 12 Support It is understood that the provisions of paragraph 6 of the RNLAF-USAF Technical Agreement Concerning Use of Soesterberg Airfield dated ••••••••••• hereafter in the Annexes of this arrangement to be referred to as TA-Soesterberg shall apply to the maintenance and support by the RNLAF of US-units and equipment associated with the storage of the nuclear weapons at Soesterberg Airfield only insofar as will be expressly stated in Annexes A and B to this arrangement 13 Command authorit The presenoe of the USAF custodial units and supporting personnel at Soesterberg Airfield will not alter the command responsibility and authority of the Commander RNLAF Soesterberg but with reepeot to the USAF custodial unit and supporting personnel all functions of command control administration training and taotioal operations will be retained by the USAF unless otherwise authorized by competent US authority The Seni r USAF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield Camp New Amsterdam will however make every effort to conform with RNLAF procedures and regulations 14 SACEUR-plans Upon the promulgation of SACEUR-plans regarding the employment of USAF nuclear weapons at Soesterberg Airfield further technical arrangements may be negotiated between the Commander in Chief USAFE and the Chief of the Air Staff RNLAF 15 Information services No public release of informatlon èoncerning USAF nuclear warheads will be made by the USAF or the RNLAF except as mutually agreed 16 Differences SECRET SECRET - 3 16 Differences of op nlon If in the implementation of this arrangement differences of opinion should arise which cannot be solved at local level the point in controversy will be submitted to the Commander in Chief USAFE andthe Chief of the Air Staff RNLAF This arrangement shall enter into force when signed by bath parties thereto and will remain valid till the date of expiration of the RNLAF-USAF Technical Agreement concerning use of Soesterberg Airfield or until revoked by either party The Hague Wiesbaden SECRET • i SECRET ANNEX A TO TEE TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN TEE COMM ANDER IN CHIEF USAFE AND TEE' CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF RNLAF FDR TEE NUCLEAR WARHEllD SUPPORT OF THE USAF TACTICAL FIGHTER 'SQUADRON BASED AT SOESTERBERG AIRFIELD Communications 1 In addition to existing communications facilities outlined in paragraphs 19 to 27 inclusive of annex I of the TA-Soesterberg tha following communicatiöns links will be required by the USAFt a security öommunications links between elements of the security forces b entry into the NATO communications network 2 These communications links will be provided by the RNLAF at the request of the USAF and are to be paid for and manned by the USAF ' ' - ' II ItfW lv SECRET t t 'I-- J r - J fl i» J fI r - r t ' 'l j' SECRET ANNEX B TO THE TECm ICAL ARRANGEMENT BET WEEN TEE CONID urnTIER IN CRIEF USAFE AND TEE CRIEF OF TEE AIR STAFF RNLAF FDR TEE NUCLEAR WARHEAD SUPPORT OF TEE USAF TACTICAL FIGHTER SQUADRON BASED AT SOESTERBERG AIRFIELD Administrative and Logistic Support The RNLAF will provide administrative and logistic support to USAF custodial unit and supporting personnel as indicated in this annex 1 2 Installations • USAF custodial unitand supporting personnel may utilize existing installations and facilities outlined in paragraph 1 of annex I of the TA-Soesterberg The provisions of the TA-Soesterberg will apply to normal maintenance and operation of these installations and facilities Any modifications repairs or additions to these installations and facilities resulting from such utilization are to be paid for by the USAF 3 Transportation USAF custodial unit and supporting personnel may utilize exist1ng transport- and POL-facili ties as euilined in paragraphs 13 and 17 of Annex I to the TA-Soesterbe'rg in connection wi th the operation of the storage sit 4 In the event of emergency-evacuation of the nuölear weapons the Commander RNLAF Soesterberg ll provide at no cost to the USAF such additional transportation as may be agreed between himself and the Senior USAF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield Camp New Amsterdam 5 Medical sUl port The provisions of paragraphs 28 to 32 inclusive of Annex I to the TA-Soesterberg will apply to USAF cus liodialunit and supporting personnel and their dependents SECRET SECRET ANNEX C THE TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE COMMANDER IN CRIEF USAFE AND TEE CRIEF 0 F TEE AIR STAFF RNLAF OOR TEE NUCLEAR WAREEAD SUPPORT OF THE USAF TACTICAL FIGHTER SQUADRON BASED AT SOESTERBERG AIRFIELD ro Security 1 Criteria Security measures and procedures win be equal to those specified in SHAPE document 6430 20 ACE Plan for the NATO SAS-Program 2 Security Plans The Commander RNLAF Soesterberg in coordination with the Senior USAF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield Camp New Amsterdam will prepare security plans for the protection of storage areaS at all times and especially in the event of subversive activity civil riot or similar emergency 3 The Senior USAF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield Camp New Amsterdam and the CommanderRNLAF Soesterberg will maintain close contact in order to be fully and currently informed of matters affecting security ofthe storage site and of all USAF and RNLAF property and personnel connected therewith 4 Right of access The determination of the right of access to areas reserved for the exclusive use of the USAF custodial unit shall be the responsibility of the USAF 5 Responsibility'for security of the airbase The prov s on of paragraph 6 of the TA-Soesterberg establishing the responsibility of the RNLAF to provide security of the airbase including that portion of the base perimeter which contains the USAF-area does pertain to additional security-requirements resulting from the storage of nuclear weapons at Snesterberg Airfield only insofar as indicated in this Annex 6 Security Guard Force The security guard force comprising the security det aohmerrt thcsecuri erve __ __······'security standby alert forces win '1 including roving patrols and the be provided by the USAF 7 Augmentation Alert Force The RNLAF win secure the provision of an augmentation alert force wi th a strength equivalent to one rifle company which must be capable of reinforcing the security guard fóroe át Soesterberg Airfield within four hours after notice has been received 8 Emergenoy plans The Senior US AF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield Camp New Amsterdam in agreement with the Commander RNLAF Soesterberg will prepare plans for the evacuation of warhead sections in the event of subversive activity disaster civil riot and any other condition of emergenoy 9 The USAF is responsible for destruction of USAF nuclear warhead sections and equipment when such act ion becomes necessary Destruction orders win SECRET SECRET - 2 orders will be in accordance with plans to be developed by the USAF in agreement with the Chief of the Air Staff RNLAF In making these plans the following will be considered a Risk inherent in destruction b Possible loss of the warhead section to unauthorized persons w c The operational aspects 10 Intelligence SUPE0rt The RNLAF will provide intelligence support at the req est of the Senior USAF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield Camp New Amsterdam In cobrdination with the appropriate uivil authonities the RNLAF will maintain a continuing survey of the local population in order to provide an estimate Of the actual or potential threat as posed by hostile intelligence or subversive sabotage groups 11 Securiiïy clearances RNLAF personnel whose dutiesrequire or permit access to classified information shall possess an appropriate securi ty clearance The defini tion of classifie - information and the criteria used for determining eligibility for security clearances will be aS provided in article X and the Security Annex with Appendices A and B of the Agreement Between the Government of the United States and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands dated 9 May 1959 SECRET I l I -c SECRET ANNEX D TO TEE TECRNICAL ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE COMMANDER IN CRIEF USAFE AND TEE CRIEF OF THE AIR STAFF RNLAF FOR THE NUCLEAR WARHEAD SUPPORT OF THE USAF TACTICAL FIGRTER S UADRON BASED AT SOESTERBERG AIRFIELD Safety Radiological safet v The USAF will devise and apply strict safety rules and procedures with respect to all weapons operations and will oarry o t an adequate safety inspection program Minimum requirements of the applicable Netherlands safety rules will be met by the USAF insofar as such rules are applicable to the armed forces of the Netherlands l' 0 2 The USAF will be responsible for giving the RNLAF authorities adequate warning and advice on any radiological hazards caused by fissionable materiel inUSAF custody 3 Should RNLAF personnel be associated with the weapons operations tecause of their assigned duties they will be informed by the USAF of a plicable safety rules and procedures 4 The USAF will insure that USAF and RNLAF personnel will not be sub ected to radiological hazards exte rna 1 or internal which are ±n exce s of those permitted by their respective national standards 5 De ontamination The USAF will be responsible for decontamination of operationaJ -and stàrage areas The RNLAF will provide such assistance to support TJSAF-ê econtamination efforts as may be agreed between the Commander RNLJ FSoester-oerg and the Senior USAF Commander at Soesterberg Airfield C New Amsterd8 o 6 ii logi ê- L rG R q 3 EementB The USAF will bear the oosts of the necessar radiologioal survsy instruments required by the RNLAF as a direct resu t oi the establishment f USAF-stocks of nuclear weapons at Soesterberg Airfi lld 7 Exp-osive Ordnance Disposal The USAF is responsible for the explosive ordnanc» disposal of nuclear warhead sections and for appropriate action in the even of an incident or accident involving these weapons 8 n the event of destruction or any other emergency involving nuclear warhead sEations the RNLAFwill provide such assistance as may be agreed between t13 Commander RNLAF Soesterberg and the Senior USAF Commander at Soesterberf Airfield Camp New Amsterdam The USAF will give assisting RNLAF persennel such information and instruction as may be necessary for the performancq cf their tasks 9 Fire prote- tiC'n Fire prevention measures and inspections within all are Served for the exclusive--G Seöf fihe USAF wiliï è a USAF responsibilï'ty - -- SECRET APPEND1X _' ' ' ' ······8· ·· ·· ·· -·· · · - - ' --- -e' C # 0 -- o USA F the ' bulldings arrf i et d 50 cale 1 5000 erberg - - -- This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu Read related article US Nuclear Weapons in the Netherlands A First Appraisal 2021-01-08