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SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN
execution of both roles simultaneously. At this time the minimum force level of
Scout helicopters required to provide operational support in a contingency
situation for the parallel conduct of both roles is 6 aircraft, employed on the
tasks listed at Annex E. Due to the requirement to conduct all roles simulta-
neously, at short notice and for extended periods, MODUK supports CBFHK's judge-
ment that the availability of a minimum contingency force of 6 Scouts should be
vouchsafed until the RHKP has assumed responsibility for the whole border and
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the majority of the garrison's tasks in about 1993. Subsequent further reduc-
tions will be dependent on the ability of the HKGFSD to assume a proportion of
the Scout force's operational contingency tasks at the particular timescale
under consideraton. HQBF Hong Kong have indicated their willingness to accept
the CDS 7/87 decision now incorporated in LTC assumptions that the reduction
of Scout helicopters from 8 UE to 6 UE should be implemented as planned in 1989,
provided that the 2 aircraft withdrawn are retained in Hong Kong as reserves.
A number of options for management of this force of 8 helicopters have been
reviewed with the aim of preventing deterioration and ensuring the contingency
availability of the 2 spare aircraft. MOD Army's preliminary recommendation was
that the force should remain at a unit establishment (UE) of 8 aircraft as DAAC
does not support the retention of IUR aircraft at unit level without the provi-
sion of properly established funding and manpower.
28. Scout Immediate Readiness Reserve (IRR) Trial. Currently, however, LTC
provision is based on the CDS 7/87 plan to reduce the Scout force level to 6 UE.
It is recognised that re-instatement of additional funding for a force of 8 UE
would necessarily be at the expense of other projects. It is therefore pro-
posed that the Scout force level should reduce to 6 UE and 2 IRR aircraft; the
ROW 113 (HONG)
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SECRET UK EYES A LOCSEN