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commitments, will be achieved partly by the premature disposal
of older ships and partly by the adjustment of new construction
programmes. Over the Review period nine new destroyers/frigates
will be cut from the forward programme, including planned orders
in 1975-76 for two Type 42 destroyers. There will be a corresponding
reduction in the future requirement for Lynx helicopters. Ships
already under construction will not be affected by these proposals.
Reductions in MCMVs (also related to our Mediterranean commitments)
and in conventional submarines will be achieved by the premature
disposal of existing ships. Because of the magnitude of the mining
threat to UK waters, longer term plans for a smaller number of
more advanced new MCMVS remain unchanged. Reductions in afloat support
?
will be made by phasing out older ships and by deleting from the forward programme one Fleet maintenance ship, three large Fleet tankers and one afloat
support ship. The reductions in strength of the Royal Navy and the
Royal Marines will lead in due course to economies in shore support
and training. We aim to secure savings as quickly as is consistent
with the needs of the Fleet.
The Army
47. The Statement of 3 December said that the size and shape of the
Army would be adjusted to meet the new framework of defence priori-
ties and the demands of economy. In order to achieve these
The
objectives in a manpower-intensive Service, it was decided that a
major restructuring of the Army would have to be undertaken.
main aim of this restructuring will be to maintain as far as possible
the present combat capability of the Army in Europe and in the
United Kingdom, while reducing the overall number of men.
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Planning is