TNAG-0060-FCO40-96-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 74

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Sir Morrice James

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The Stationing of Fighter Aircraft in Hong Kong

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When last month we submitted these papers to you with the draft of a letter to the Secretary of State for Defence putting the political case for stationing a small number of fighter aircraft in Hong Kong, you minuted (see flag X) suggesting a discussion.

2.

In submitting the original draft we had in fact been thinking in terms of a permanent fighter presence in Hong Kong not in the short, but in the medium and long term future, i.e. when the run down in forces in the Far East makes it impossible to continue any longer the present arrangement whereby detachments of fighter aircraft are periodically deployed in Hong Kong from Singapore. But I must admit that our draft was not nearly as clear as it should have been for which we apologise.

3. We have now prepared a fresh and rather different draft, which I submit. In the period that has elapsed since your minute and the submission of this fresh draft, thinking in the Ministry of Defence has progressed somewhat from what it was a month ago. The planners have now completed their study and are recommending the following garrison:-

(a) An Army component of 7% units, with a reinforcement capacity of up to 10% units within 72 hours.

(b) A Naval force of two frigates, five coastal mine sweepers and one supply vessel.

(c) An Air Force component of one flight of six helicopters, one flight of five hunters, and a complement of the R.A.F. Regiment.

These proposals are for the permanent garrison of Hong Kong after 1970/71. These proposals are of course, excellent from our point of view. They are to be considered at a meeting on Friday with General Carver, to which the Department will be invited; and I hope that we may give the proposals strong backing from the political point of view.

4. We understand that in formulating their proposals the M.O.D. planners have relied partly on the political case for stationing fighters once more in Hong Kong after 1970/71; and that they would find it helpful if we could deploy the political case at ministerial level in time for Friday's meeting.

5.

I therefore submit the attached revised draft; and I am of course at your disposal should you wish to discuss it.

ALS.

(A. N. Galsworthy)

11 March, 1968.