ECRETARY OF STATE
SECRET
ANNEX B TO COS 1068/30/1/68
1.
In accordance with the decision taken during the 1966 Defence
Review, the Royal Air Force presence in Hong Kong was reduced to a Luring staging post with no aircraft on permanent establishment.
the recent disturbances in the Colony, the Commander-in-Chief, Far East deployed six Royal Air Force helicopters to Hong Kong as an emergency measure. He planned to retain them there until January
1968.
2. The Commander-in-Chief, in consultation with the Governor and
the Commander British Forces Hong Kong, has now recommended that six Royal Air Force helicopters should be permanently established at Hong Kong. This would involve an increase of some 45 RAF personnel at Kai Tak and marginal adjustments in the supporting services there, but a corresponding reduction in Singapore. Although a continuous presence of helicopters can be maintained on a detachment basis from Singapore, undue prolongation of this task will give rise to serious personnel problems, some of which have
already arisen.
3. The Commander-in-Chief, Far Last considers, and we agree, that
SRT helicopters are essential in Hong Kong.
Recent events both
in Hong Kong and Aden have demonstrated that helicopters, in addition to providing tactical mobility, can undertake many other valuable tasks during internal security operations of the type
which may re-occur at short notice within the Colony.
4. The establishment of six helicopters in Hong Kong would reduce the Singapore Whirlwind helicopter force from 20 to 14. The Commander-in-Chief, Far East.has expressed concern over the effect this may have on army training and has recommended the retention for 1968 at least of the six helicopters recently
redeployed prematurely from Kuching.
On current plans these
aircraft are due to be withdrawn from the Far East by the end of
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SECRET