CONFIDENTIAL
UK EYES A
ANNEX C TO
D/ACDS (CONCEPTS) 108/5 DATED
OCT 89
EUROPEAN MILITARY CAPABILITIES OOA
1.
There is clearly a large measure of uncertainty about
predicting what forces our European allies might be able to field OOA in 10 years time, but a survey of current and
proposed capabilities enables some reasonable forecasts to be
made.
2.
France.
France will wish to maintain her nuclear systems
and intends to develop a CW capability, which will be scrapped
if a multilateral ban is reached. In order to maintain her
freedom of action 00A and in Europe she will seek to maintain forces close to their present levels, including some 1000
tanks, 500 artillery pieces, 8000 armoured vehicles, 500 helicopters, 450 front-line aircraft, general-purpose naval forces and a carrier-based air strike capability. France
believes that her garrisons promote stability and stations
some 30,000 men of all 3 Services and the Gendarmerie in
Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific areas. It is likely that she will retain a land intervention force with parachute,
air-mobile and light-armoured elements, based on the present five-division Rapid Action Force (FAR). This force will have an amphibious capability. France will continue to attach great strategic importance to the Mediterranean and will probably station a major proportion of her fleet there, including the aircraft carriers.
3.
The FRG. The Federal Constitution currently stipulates
that the role of the Bundeswehr is purely defensive and it is
widely held in the FRG that operations OOA are precluded,
though this attitude may change. The Germans have already
demonstrated a willingness to deploy anti-terrorist paramilitary forces abroad. However, in addition to the
anc.1s2
C-1
UK EYES A CONFIDENTIAL