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the financial advantages to be gained but also for the military
benefits to be derived from standardised equipment which should
facilitate common logistics, training and operations. (See
Chapter II paragraphs 13 to 16 for further details on collaboration.)
MANPOWER IMPLICATIONS
64. In broad terms manpower
reductions will
be of the order of 38,000 or 10 per
•
cent for the Armed Services; and 30,000 or 9 per cent for civilian
support. These assessments have been made against actual strengths
at 1 April 1974 and cover the reductions expected over the five-
year period to 1 April 1979. By this time the new manpower levels
resulting from the Defence Review will have been broadly achieved.
It is difficult to provide detailed estimates at this stage of
when or where these reductions will fall, but the figures below give
a broad indication of the overall effect:-
Strengths at 1.4.79
Percentage Reductions
Strengths
1.4.74
Reductions by 1.4.79
'Royal Navy/
79,000
5,000
74,000
Royal Marines
6 per cent
Army
180.000 (including
7,000
15,000
(including
165,000 (including
8 per cent
1,000
Gurkhas)
Gurkhas)
6,000 Gurkhas)
Royal Air
100,000
18,000
82,000
18 per cent
Force
UK-based
249,000
15,000
234,000
6 per cent
civilians
Locally-entered 60,000
15,000
45,000
25 per cent
civilians
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