DRAFT TELEGRAM
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Following our answers to the questions in your 648 of the 3 July:
1. If MERMAID's refit were to be undertaken in Hong Kong the exchange with CHICHESTER should take place by March 1977 at the latest since MERMAID should start her refit by that
date. The most up-to-date information on the material state of CHICHESTER is held by Commodore Hong Kong and he should be able to advise you more specifically than the MOD on what further capital expenditure is likely for the ship. On the
basis that MERMAID would refit in UK she would replace CHICHESTER early in 1978).
2. We have no firm information on the likely cost of a refit
for MERMAID in Hong Kong. Although Commodore Hong Kong has suggested that it might cost about £1.5M, at 1974 prices, a firm estimate could only be made after it has been established that the refitting work required, according to the vessel's material
condition in 1977, can be undertaken to an acceptable standard
in Hong Kong. The total production cost of a refit in the UK
dockyard on the same price basis is likely to be £2.5M. This
figure is based on MOD's wide experience of refitting frigates in
UK dockyards but we cannot be more precise until a detailed
examination of MERMAID is undertaken before the refit.
3. The refit for MERMAID is a "normal refit, not a "major"
refit which occurs at about the half or third life of the
ship and lasts up to 2 years. A "normal" refit for a ship of this type can be expected to last about 10 months. Ships similar to MERMAID operate for 3 years after a normal refit before requiring a further one, but this period would
probably be extended, perhaps to about 5 years or even more, in the case of the Hong Kong guard ship because of the
limited operating patterns involved. But in the case of
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