CONFIDENTIAL
· CONFIDENTIAL
(MRCA) into KAF Germany will continue, and Phantoms will be
replaced with increased numbers of Jaguars.
b. The Eastern Atlantic and Channel Areas.
NATO's strategy
of deterrence on the mainland of Europe would not remain
credible without a parallel strategy in the Bestern Atlantic
and Channel areas, upon which our maritime force declarations
will in future be concentrated. These are the forward sea
areas of NATO, corresponding to the Central Region on land,
in which NATO's maritime forces face the growing power of
the Soviet Navy (see figure 3).
All the sea-borne supply and reinforcement routes from
North America to Britain and the European mainland pass
through these areas. If the balance of maritime power were
allowed to shift so far in favour of the Warsaw Pact that it
had an evident ability in a period of tension to isolate
Europe by sea, the effect on Allied confidence and political
cohesion would be profound.
NATO depends critically on Britain to provide the main
weight of the maritime forces immediately available to the
Alliance in these areas; it is for this reason that the
Government plans to maintain its contribution to their defence
virtually undiminished. Therefore the cruiser and nuclear-
powered submarine programmes will be maintained and the new
classes of destroyers and frigates will continue to build up.
The security of the United Kingdom and its immediate
approaches, at sea, on land and in the air. Without this no
contribution to the security of our Allies and no reinforcement
of our forward-based forces would be possible.
C.
I-12
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL