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W(B)L 51-7406
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T.S file not
(a) to deter intrusion by military aircraft
into Hong Kong air space (e.g. by Chinese
Communist or Nationalist aircraft)
(b) to bolster local confidence.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have
supported the Governor and have argued in
favour of the proposal on the additional ground
that the alternative of sending aircraft from
elsewhere (i.e. from the United Kingdom) to
reinforce the garrison in a period of tension
might constitute an act likely to exacerbate
and escalate what might well be an already
inflammable situation.
6.6. The proposal was approved by Ministers
(in D.O.P.C.) in May 1968 "subject to further
at present aware examination of the possibility that these
aircraft might be manned and serviced from local
resources". Subsequent studies indicated that
local resources could be used for servicing but
that local manning would not produce significant
economies and was undesirable on the grounds of
efficiency. The Ministry of Defence accordingly
produced estimates of the costs of establishing
and operating such a unit, with R.A.F. manning,
which, in round figures, envisaged capital
expenditure of £300,000 for the purchase of
the aircraft and recurrent annual expenditure
of £335,000.
Flag A
23
7.7. Difficulties arose over the provision of
the necessary funds to meet this expenditure.
The Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of Defence
maintained that no part of the costs should be
accepted against defence votes since there was
no military case for establishing a fighter
unit in Hong Kong and that any argument for so
doing must therefore be based on political
grounds.
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