TNAG-0539-FCO40-634-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 112

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d.

The NATO nuclear deterrent. NATO strategy is founded

on the triad of conventional, tactical nuclear and strategic

nuclear weapons. The Polaris force, which Britain will

continue to make available to the Alliance, provides a

unique European contribution to NATO's strategic nuclear

capability out of all proportion to the small fraction of

our defence budget which it costs to maintain. We shall

maintain its effectiveness. We do not intend to move to

new generation of strategic nuclear weapons. We shall

maintain our tactical nuclear capability, in accordance with

NATO strategy.

In addition we shall continue to maintain some specialist rein-

forcement capability

to 27 below).

(see paragraphs 26

Specialist Reinforcement forces

26. There will be no reduction in the present British contribution

of a battalion group, support units, 12 Harrier aircraft and four

Wessex helicopters to the Allied Command Europe (ACE) Mobile Force.

This contribution will continue to be available to SACEUR for

deployment throughout his area of command. But we will make

signigicant changes to our contributions of other specialist

reinforcement forces.

27. Our specialist reinforcement forces were originally designed

to meet our former world-wide commitments, as an alternative to

overseas garrisons, but were committed to NATO in 1968. The land

elements of the United Kingdom Mobile Force (UKMF) and United Kingdom

Joint Airborne Task Force (UKJATFOR) have never been fully equipped

for highly-mobile armoured operations in a NATO environment; and

the specialised amphibious shipping could only be replaced at

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