DPG 076/2
076/
Registry
No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret,
DRAFT
To:-
Secret.
Mrs M Williams
Confidential.
DS 5
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
CONFIDENTIAL ON
!
Ministry of Defence.)
Main Building
Whitehall
i
Type 1 +
From
Leben
37
CA Munro
Telephone No. Ext.
In Confidence]
THE DEPLOYMENT OF RN TASK GROUP 317.8
Department
D/DS5/61/276/77
DSR 11
cc:
M Bittleston Esq
DS 11 MOD
D C Kirk Esq
DS 11 MOD
1. I note from the latest edition of the diary of Naval Joint
↓
Amphibious Exercises (circulated by Cdr Vicary under reference
that
!
N/DNW/78/1/12 of 20 April) RN ships (Task Group 317.8) are scheduled
to take part in MIDLINK 79 under CENTO sponsorship from 16-30 November.
The detailed programme which you sent to me under cover of your letter
of 14 December also provides for ships of the Group to participate in
MIDLINK.
1
2. CENTO will not exist by November and in any event all military
activities under the auspices of the organisation have already cased.
I can see no possibility of us reaching agreement with Pakistan, Iran,
Turkey and the US to hold maritime exercises on the MIDLINK pattern in
the North West Indian Ocean at this time. We have therefore, been
considering how the ships of the Group might be deployed between the
end of their programme in Malaysia and Singapore, and Christmas, when
they are due to reach home waters. One possibility of course, would
be for the Group to return home ahead of schedule, an option which
might, I suppose, earn us just a little credit with those in NATO who
worry about the amount of time spent out of area by RN ships.
But given
the infrequency of these deployments and the modest amount of time that
would actually be saved I think that the balance of advantage lies in
arranging additional visits and exercise along the homeward route. I
have consulted interested Geographical Departments here and would now be
grateful if you could put our ideas to CINCFLEET.
3.
As we are planning to build the next Group deployment aroui
nd NS13000 BOOM 5/78 HAG
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