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similar diversity and complementarity of maritime forces.
Moreover,
each ship, submarine and aircraft carries a variety of weapon systems
and sensors, enabling it to carry out a wide range of tasks.
95. In order to maintain Alliance strategy and to avoid leaving
NATO disproportionately dependent on the US for its maritime defence
in the Eastern and Northern Atlantic, the Royal Navy needs to continue
to contribute balanced maritime forces capable of deterring and
countering aggression at all levels of conflict. In view of the
marked increase in the quantity and quality of Soviet offensive
maritime power in relation to NATO maritime capabilities, there is
no justification for the UK's removing any major element of maritime
capability or reducing significantly the UK forces that would be
available to SACLANT and CINCHAN at an early stage of operations.
Nevertheless, at the Critical Level the number of amphibious ships
would be halved, destroyers and frigates reduced by 13%, conventional
submarines by 26%, minecountermeasures vessels by 17% and afloat
support by 31%. This would entail the premature disposal of many
ships and the cancellation of orders for others. Uniformed and
civilian manpower would be reduced by some 9,000 and 7,000 respectively.
Details of the force strengths in 1978/9 compared with those planned
in LTC 74 are set out in Appendix 1 to Annex L.
96. Land Forces. In assessing the Critical Level of land forces,
the Ministry of Defence has assumed three basic tasks:
8.
b.
C.
to provide a credible defence of the Central Region
frontage now assigned to 1 (BR) Corps;
to provide a brigade in Berlin;
to provide for the direct security of the UK base
in peace and war and at the same time to produce
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