TNAG-0539-FCO40-634-Strength-of-garrison-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 18

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

The areas where Britain. can best contribute

25. The Government has decided to concentrate British effort

in those areas where it believes that Britain can make the most

significant contribution to her security and that of the Alliance.

The Government judges these to be:-

*

2. The Central Region, where NATO is heavily and

increasingly outnumbered in fighting divisions, in manpower

in fighting units and in all the major weapons systems (tanks,

field guns and aircraft)(see figure 2). The British Army of the

Rhine (BAOR), which holds an important section of the Central Front

in the crucial area of the North German plain, and RAF Germany

play a major part in the forward defence of this Region.

For these reasons, we will continue to maintain an army force

level of 55,000 and a tactical air force on the mainland of

Europe in accordance with our Brussels Treaty commitments,

making no reductions below this level.

in advance of mutual and balanced force reductions (MBFR).

for reinforcing these

We shall continue to

provide

forces in times of tension or emergency. They will bc

progressively re-equipped to improve their effectiveness.

Scorpion tracked reconnaissance vehicles have already entered

service with the Army; in due course the Lance tactical nuclear

missile system will replace Honest John; and the Rapier low-

level surface-to-air missile system has entered service with

the Army, and with the RAF Regiment for airfield defence.

Plans for the introduction of the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft

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CONFIDENTIAL