SECRET
5.
Paragraph 9 of the paper refers to the need to extend the
runway at Kai Tak airport. We expect the runway to be extended
by more than the stipulated 1,000 feet but cannot yet say when a
final decision will be taken.
BACKGROUND
6. Hong Kong's small unit of fighter aircraft was withdrawn in
1967 as part of the Defence Review reductions. Since then air
cover of the Colony has been maintained by periodic visits of
aircraft fra Singapore, When the decision to withdraw from
Singapore by 1971 was announced the Governor expressed his concern
that after that date air cover would not be available; he
suggested that a unit might be re-established within the Colony
at lower cost by use of local resources of manpower and aircraft
servicing facilities and said that the Colony would contribute
to the coat.
7. In May 1968 Ministers approved "a proposal to station Hunter
aircraft in the Colony, subject to further examination of the
possibility that these aircraft might be manned and serviced
from local resources", Subsequent studies indicated that local
resources could be used for servicing but that local manning would
not produce significant economies and wore undesirable on grounds
of efficiency. Detailed proposals have been put forward by the
Kinistry of Defence on the basis that no part of the cost should
fall on Defence votes. The cost to Hong Kong, if the Colony
were prepared to accept it, would be of the order of £300,000 for
the capital cost of the aircraft and £335,000 per annum for the
recurrent costs.
SECRET
/ B.