(DEFENCE AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SUB-COMMITTEE)
4 February, 1975.]
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[Continued.
20. These reductions in the strength of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines assume proportionate economies in shore support and training. In this connection a critical review of shore training and support has been set in hand.
ARMY
Army Manpower
21. Our plans for making reductions in Army manpower are not yet completed. But of the present estimated reduction of about 12,000, the equivalent of something under one half is thought likely to result from the reduction in the number of soldiers assigned to non-NATO commitments which will be either abandoned or reduced. Our objective will be to achieve the reductions as far as possible by restruc- turing rather than disbandment of individual units. The planning of the new structure is being based on the following main principles; reducing or eliminating headquarters in the chain of command; extending span of command; con- centrating specialist functions and equipments hitherto distributed widely throughout units; cutting out certain tasks and functions; and combining the command structure of regular and TAVR formations. The restructuring will be accompanied by renewed pruning of overheads and the support organisations. We hope by these means to make substantial improvements in weapon/manpower and teeth/tail ratios, though inevitably at the expense of some loss of flexibility and so to preserve to the maximum extent (and even improve in some areas) our front line combat effectiveness.
Gurkhas
22. The size of the Gurkha Brigade will be reduced by 1,000 men, from its present strength of nearly 7,000 men; and though the Gurkhas will be retained mainly for service in Hong Kong their service liability would continue to be world- wide. No savings would result directly from the withdrawal of the Gurkha Battalion from Brunei, because the full costs of that battalion are at present paid for by the Sultan of Brunei. The reason we propose to withdraw the Gurkha Battalion from Brunei goes wider than the search for direct financial savings. During the Review, we examined all of our non-NATO commitments case by case in accordance with strategic priorities. As was made clear in the December 3rd Statement we propose to withdraw from all our non-NATO commitments except where we had obligations towards our remaining dependent territories; and except where there were particularly strong political reasons for our retaining the commitments at least for a time and in current political circumstances. Brunei is not, of course, a dependent territory, nor in the view of the Government were the political circumstances in Brunei such that we would be justified in retaining the Gurkha battalion there (even at no direct cost to the United Kingdom).
Army Equipment
23. Substantial modifications are going to be made to the Army's equipment plans. As indicated in the December 3rd Statement, four major measures which it is proposed to include are:
(a) cancellation of the Vixen wheeled reconnaissance vehicle;
(b) withdrawal from the collaborative RS 80 project for long-range artillery ; (c) reductions in the planned purchases of light helicopters, Lynx and Gazelles ; (d) reductions in the planned purchases of the CVR(T) family of reconnaissance
vehicles.
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The Vixen was intended to be introduced into service in 1977, but instead the Army will carry on with the Ferret.
The withdrawal from the RS 80 project on which the UK, Germany and Italy have been working, can be effected without financial penalty, since we are just about to complete the project definition stage and no formal commitment beyond that has been made.
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We
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