SECRET
Lastly, while the RAF party referred to above would be adéquate to conduct minor servicing, third and fourth line servicing is now the responsibility of the USAF and it could not be undertaken by the RAF without an extremely expensive programme which would involve training a special servicing team from the RAF, obtaining all the necessary USAF technical publications, and obtaining the necessary support from the American manufacturers. One estimate already provided suggests that the necessary maintenance arrangements with a US contractor could cost up to $1M a year.
Against this background, the RAF would be extremely reluctant to carry on with the operation of this radar for civil purposes. We would be prepared to consider it only against undertakings that
the full cost of the RAF continuing operation would be met by the Hong Kong Government;
b.
satisfactory arrangements would be made between the Hong Kong Government and the United States authorities about the supply of spares and servicing;
C.
every effort would be made to hand-over operation to a civilian firm such as Cable and Wireless;
d.
every effort would be made to press on with the provision of a new civil radar at Kai Tak.
see it, this operation has nothing to do with the Defence Review or with the negotiations about the future size of the Hong Kong garrison and the size of the Hong Kong Government's contribution to the cost of that future garrison. The continuing use of the radar for ATC purposes would have no military value whatsoever because all the necessary surveillance personnel would have been withdrawn; all that we should be leaving behind would be people to keep the radar actually working.
As you will see, the practical difficulties of continuing the operation of this radar are very great and it would be desirable to ensure that the Hong Kong Government fully appreciates the magnitude of the effort which would be involved so that it can decide whether it is worth it in terms of the extra radar cover which it would provide. Before a final
decision is reached, it will obviously be necessary for some further investigations to take place - for example, into the possibility of Cable and Wireless taking over the maintenance of the radar, and into the likelihood of the USAF agreeing to it remaining for a substantial period. Nevertheless, it would be desirable to put the considerations referred to above infront of the Hong Kong Government as soon as possible.
I am copying this letter to Teddy Jackson, in Defence Department, who has an interest in the matter and I am also copying it to my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence who are concerned with the question of the future garrison and the Hong Kong Government's contribution.
CURE
Yours suiterely
Brain Do