TNAG-0061-FCO40-97-Strength-of-Hong-Kong-garrison-1968 — Page 68

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COS 1419/7/6/68

Chief of the Defence Staff Chief of the Naval Staff Chief of the General Staff Chief of the Air Staff

Copy to:

SECRET

104

740.

140

Copy No.....of 125 copies

Ministry of Defence

7th June 1968

Mr R.A. Sykes, Foreign Office Major-General J. M. McNeill,

Commonwealth Office

'C'

DUS

AUS (

COS Normal List

1.

FIGHTERS FOR HONG KONG

At your meeting (1) with Sir David Trench, the Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Hong Kong, you invited the Air Force Department to set in hand a study on the feasibility of a small air defence force in Hong Kong. It was proposed that the force should consist of four or five Hunters backed by a Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (HKAAF) component, and the possibility of maintenance being undertaken by the Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Corporation (HKAEC) was also to be considered.

2. I attach a report by the Air Force Department, concludes that a unit of five Hunter Aircraft with RAF pilots can be provided for Hong Kong from 1970 onwards, and that most of the servicing can be undertaken by the HKABC and that the HKAAF could provide an element of administrative backing, although this would require detailed consideration by the Commander, Far East Air Force.

3.

You are requested to inform me of your approval to, or comments on, the attached paper by noon on Friday 21st June 1968.

J. H. Gibbon

Major-General Secretary

Chiefs of Staff Committee

Enclosure: Note by the Air Force Department on Hunters for

Hong Kong.

Note:

1.

COS 25th Meeting/68, Minute 1.

One page only

SECRET