SLIDE 4
ON
Rhine Army
*
14. Now for our stationed land forces in Germany. At present,
we maintain on the Continent of Europe a total of some 60,000
soldiers. This includes our brigade in Berlin and our
contribution to various NATO headquarters, but the majority make
up the British Army of the Rhine, which consists of a corps of
three all-regular, armoured divisions, stationed in Germany and
deployed across the line of one of the main potential Warsaw
Pact thrusts into the industrial and political heartland of
Western Europe. It is an essential component of the Northern
Army Group of SACEUR's Central Region.
SLIDE 4
OFF
*
15. Our deployment on the Continent absorbs at present no less
than 40% of the trained strength of our Army, and an even higher
proportion almost 50%, of our actual combat units. Furthermore,
most of the Army in the UK exists, directly or indirectly, to
sustain or reinforce our contribution to the Northern Army Group.
This commitment is very costly, not only in budgetary terms, but
also in terms of our hard pressed balance of payments. Neverthe-
less, we attach such importance to Alliance defence and
deterrence in this crucial area of the Central Region and to the
Alliance's common stance in the IBFR negotiations, that we have
decided that we shall make no cuts in our land forces stationed
in Germany in advance of MBFR. We shall no doubt need to make
from time to time, as in the past, minor adjustments in support
posts and in manning levels as our precise manpower situation
fluctuates. Our aim, however, will be to stay as close as we
can to our Brussels Treaty commitment of 55,000 men, certainly
until the completion of an MBFR agreement. However, in the light
?
SECRET UK EYES A