CONFIDENTIAL
10. We could offer certain measures to NATO without further ado,
and announce them in the Defence White Paper. with their annual extra costs in brackets) are:-
These (together
Conversion of HERMES to CVS role 2 years earlier, in 1976 instead of 1978. ( )
11.
b.
C.
ā.
Earmarking of RFA ENGADINE for assignment to CINCHAN. ()
Earmarking of aircraft for SACLANT in the visual
reconnaissance role. (
>
Occasional participation in naval exercises and also in
the NATO Naval On-Call Force in the Mediterranean. ( ;
Reintroduction of Special Air Service Regiment reinforcement
options in the Southern Region. (
In addition, there are certain measures which we could offer
to NATO for detailed examination on the understanding that they could
only be put into operation if they could be accomplished without
significant peacetime cost for the United Kingdom. These measures
could be:-
a.
b.
Provision of a further two Royal Marine Commandos for
the Northern Region and Island Commands.
Temporary air deployments to the Southern Region.
Provision of offensive air support to North East Italy,
a. An option for a land force to deploy to North East Italy.
Kuch would depend on the extent to which our NATO Allies would be
willing to provide help with transport and "host" facilities to
enable us to carry out these measures. I propose that they should
be more fully studied before discussing them with our Allics, but I
could allude to them in my reply to the Secretary General of NATO.
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