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CONFIDENTIAL
backed up from time to time by larger ships, such as HMS Ark Royal,
and Royal Naval amphibious forces. The size and frequency of these
deployments will be adjusted in line with Defence Review decisions,
and we shall no longer permanently station ships in the Mediterranean.
9. One Royal Marines Commando Group, stationed in Scotland,
trained in Arctic and mountain warfare. The Group exercises in
northern Norway to fit it for service on the northern flank of NATO.
Deployments outside the NATO Area
is
10. Naval forces are at present deployed outside the NATO area
as follows:-
a. The Far East and the Indian Ocean. A guardship and five
patrol craft are stationed at Hong Kong for maritime policing
duties. The future size of this force and the arrangements
for financing it are being discussed with the Hong Kong
Government. A frigate is currently stationed at Singapore
as part of our contribution to the Five Power Defence
Arrangements but this ship will be withdrawn by April 1976.
A Royal Naval submarine is serving with the Royal
Australian Navy until September 1975. Other British naval
tasks in the Indian Ocean and the seas of South Fast Asia
are being met primarily by deploying groups of HM Ships from
the "nited Kingdom. At present each group includes a
cruiser or guided-missile destroyer, together with frigates,
Royal Fleet Auxiliaries in support and a nuclear-powered
submarine when possible. Group deployments will continue
in this way from time to time but will occur less fre-
quently in future.
ITI
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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL