TNAG-0476-FCO40-541-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 69

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the Royal Marines to 70% of their present strength. Further reductions of the front line would include an additional 7 Destroyers/Frigates, 2 Conventional Submarines, 3 Mine Countermeasures Vessels, 10% of our planned strength of anti-submarine helicopters and 2 afloat support ships; planned orders for another 16 new shipa would have to be abandoned, and the nuclear attack. submarines and cruiser

programmes considerably slowed down. The MCM hover-

craft programme, the SKUA helicopter-launched air-to- surface missile and 15% more of the Navy's weapon development programme would have to be abandoned. There would have to be further reductions in naval and civilian manpower in 1978/9 of 11,000 and 7,000 respectively; and the remaining 50% of the Royal Naval Reserves and Royal Marines Reserves would have

to be disbanded.

The principal effects of these reductions, (which involve in total the premature disposal of 60 ships and the abandonment of 33 planned new orders (a reduction of 40%) plus 28 miscellaneous ships) would

be:-

(i)

(ii)

the abandonment of the capability to deploy a significant amphibious force in Northern Norway during a period of tension;

a total reduction of something like 25% in

naval manpower and in the planned ASW forces

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