26
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE EXPENDITURE COMMITTEE
4 February, 1975.]
[Continued.
(ii) The United Kingdom Joint Airborne Task Force--the commitment to air drop 2 parachute battalions would be abandoned, together with the supporting arms and services and air transport. But we do not plan to disband the battalions of the Parachute Regiment, which have an infantry role, and we propose to retain a limited parachute capability. (iii) The United Kingdom Mobile Force-at present consisting of three airportable brigades plus associated divisional troops and an air element of Phantoms, Andovers and helicopters-would be reduced by 1979 to the equivalent of one airportable brigade group with an improved level of support equipment; the same air element, less the Andovers, and with Jaguars replacing Phantoms. It would be available for deployment to the Central and Northern Regions only. The other units making up the land elements of the UKMF would not be dis- banded but redeployed to other roles.
IV. EFFECTS ON THE SERVICES
15. The implications for the three Services of these proposed reductions in commitments were outlined in the Secretary of State's Statement of 3rd December. Further details in answer to the questions posed by the Clerk to the Sub-Committee are set out below.
ROYAL NAVY
16. The reductions in planned numbers of destroyers/frigates and MCMVs reflect the cut in our force declarations in the Mediterranean referred to in paragraph 14 above and in the case of the destroyers/frigates the withdrawal of the Singapore guard ship. The reduction in planned numbers of conventionally powered sub- marines does not imply any change in the operational concept of the submarine force. We propose in future to specialise increasingly in nuclear powered sub- marines, while the other European Navies, notably the Dutch, specialise in conven- tional ones.
17. The planned strengths of the destroyers and frigates, MCMVs and conventional submarines before and after the Review would be as follows:-*
*
These numbers are approximate and may fluctuate as the planned disposal dates of older ships are adjusted to take account of up to date assessments of their material condition or if the new construction programme is affected by slippage.
18. These proposed reductions would lead to the following deletions of planned orders in the period:
Destroyers/
1975-76 1976–77 1977-78 1978-79 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84
Frigates 21 1 Type 42 destroyers. 2 Type 22 frigate.
12 1 1 0 2 0
2
0
The distribution of destroyer/frigate reductions from 1977-78 onwards is under consideration. The programme of new MCMVS is being maintained because of the importance attached to countering the growing mining threat in UK waters. Provisional plans to replace a small number of our conventional submarines, starting towards the end of the period, remain unchanged pending further detailed consideration.
19. As the reduction in destroyers/frigates would be achieved by balanced reduc- tions in both older ships and new orders, the average age of the force would not be significantly affected by the Defence Review. But, as the new orders would not have entered service until later in the period, the average might fall in the shorter term with the paying off of older ships. There would be some reduction in the average ages of the MCMV and conventional submarine forces in the period as the proposed reductions would affect older ships.