The Pace-Finletter MOU of 1952 was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 4 November 1952 between Secretary of the Air Force Thomas K. Finletter and Secretary of the Army Frank Pace that removed the weight restrictions on helicopters that the United States Army could use. It also widened the range of tasks the Army's helicopters could be used for. However, it also created an arbitrary 5,000 pound weight restriction limit on the Army's ability to fly fixed-wing aircraft. As a result, the U.S. Army today is dependent upon the United States Air Force to purchase and man fixed-wing ground-attack aircraft to fulfill close air support missions.

"...that established a fixed wing weight limit (for the Army) of five thousand pounds empty, but weight restrictions on helicopters were eliminated ..."

One of the consequences of President Harry S Truman creating the Department of Defense was the splitting off of the U.S. Army Air Forces (the U.S. Army Air Corps was disestablished in 1942) from the U.S. Army, and creating the U.S. Air Force. With the Air Force's natural inclination towards Air Superiority and Strategic (i.e. nuclear) priorities, the Army wanted air capabilities of its own. However, this would mean the duplication of some resources between the Army and Air Force. Eventually there was a meeting between Air Force Secretary Thomas K. Finletter and Army Secretary Frank Pace resulted in the Pace-Finletter MOU of 4 November 1952.

The previous Agreement of 2 October 1951 that was not able to resolve issues as the 4 November 1952 MOU did.

This MOU built upon the Key West Agreement.

The agreement read:

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING RELATING TO ARMY ORGANIC AVIATION

/s/ Frank Pace Jr.
Secretary of the Army