TNAG-0538-FCO40-633-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 127

CONFIDENTIAL

3RD DRAFT

a.

The Caribbean. The small garrison at Belize (formerly

British Honduras) provides a force for the external defence

of the territory and, when required, assistance to the civil

authorities in the maintenance of law and order. The

garrison consists of a small headquarters, an infantry

battalion less one company, and ancillary personnel and

equipment.

ARMY EQUIPMENT

16.

Improvements in Army equipment which have been recently

introduced, or are planned to take place in 1975-76, are listed

below.

Armoured Forces

17.

Armoured reconnaissance units in the United Kingdom, BAOR

and Hong Kong have all received the Scorpion tracked reconnaissance

vehicle. Mounting a 76mm gun, the Scorpion replaces the wheeled

Saladin armoured car in these units. The Scimitar tracked

and

reconnaissance vehicle with the Rarden 30mm gun, will begin to enter

service this year. The Spartan armoured personnel carrier

the Striker, a tracked vehicle mounting Swingfire anti-tank

missiles, will begin to enter service in 1976. These vehicles

and others still under development make up the tracked combat

reconnaissance vehicle (CVR(T)) family being produced in collabora-

tion with Belgium. The Fox wheeled light reconnaissance vehicle

(CVR(W)) will begin to enter service during 1975. A bridge-laying

version of Chieftain is now entering service and an armoured

recovery version will start to replace the earlier Centurion models

this year.

11

IJI

CONFIDENTIAL