TNAG-0539-FCO40-634-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 120

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

EFFECTS OF THE DECISIONS ON THE SERVICES

44. The implications of these reductions for the manpower and

equipment plans of the three Services, the Research and Development

(R&D) programme and for the defence industries are described

in the following paragraphs.

Royal Navy

45. From 1976 onwards all our major warships will be committed

to NATO in the Eastern Atlantic and Channel, although we will continue

from time to time to deploy ships in peace-time outside these areas.

We will no longer commit ships to NATO in the Mediterranean area, and we

will withdraw our naval forces hitherto stationed there and in Singapore

and the West Indies. The effect of these measures will be progres-

sive reductions of one-seventh in planned numbers of destroyers,

frigates and mine countermeasure vessels (MCMV8). There will be

consequential reductions in afloat support. We shall be specialis-

ing increasingly in nuclear-powered submarines, while other European

navies, such as the Royal Netherlands Navy, specialise in

conventionally-powered submarines. Consequently we will reduce planned

numbers of conventionally-powered submarines by about one quarter,

while continuing our nuclear-powered submarine programme. The new

class of anti-submarine cruisers will be continued, but we will

abandon our plans to replace the amphibious ships with new, purpose-

built vessels. Plans to replace the Wessex 5 helicopter have also

been abandoned. HMS Ark Royal will continue in service until the

late 1970s as previously planned.

46. The reductions in the numbers of destroyers and frigates,

which are accounted for by the cut in our overseas and Mediterranean

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