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BACKGROUND NOTES
Six Whirlwind Mk 10 helicopters were redeployed to Hong Kong from Singapore as a temporary measure in September 1967 at the time of the disturbances in the Colony. In February 1968 Ministers approved the permanent establishment in Hong Kong of these six helicopters which were formed into No. 28 Squadron. Although there have been public references to the temporary deployment of the six aircraft in 1967 and to their activities generally in the Colony (relevant Extracts are at Annex A) the details of the permanent establishment have not, in accordance with accepted practice, been revealed.
2.
The primary task of the RAF helicopters is to provide tactical airlift for the 63 major Army units of the Hong Kong Garrison. Operating conditions in Hong Kong have shown that the existing force can provide a simultaneous lift for no more than one half platoon. Earlier this year CBF Hong Kong mado recommendations, endorsed by CINCFE, that the helicopter lift available to the Garrison should be increased to provide a simultaneous lift for a complete platoon by replacing the six
Whirlwinds with six Wessex. Since Wessex could not be made
available at any stage in the foreseeable future, the Chiefs
of Staff recommended the alternative of increasing the existing
force by adding four Whirlwind aircraft starting in March 1970
by the transfer of aircraft as they became available from the
FEAF rundown.
3. Although not convinced that the requirement was absolutely
essential, the Defence Secretary approved it provided the additional cost (about £145,000 budgetary and £50,000 in foreign exchange in each year) could be contained within the Defence
Budget. The Defence Secretary also asked that the possibility should be closely examined of meeting the additional expenditure
out of the present cost of the Garrison, But the offsets s0
far put forward by Hong Kong and endorsed by CINCFE have only gone a very small way towards meeting the additional bill; consequently it has not so far been possible to make much
progress towards meeting this requirement. It seems unlikely that offsets for Hong Kong's additional helicopter requirement could be found from elsewhere in the world although this is a possibility which may have to be considered.
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