TNAG-0617-FCO40-765-Strength-and-cost-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 66

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for a Squadron comprising several vessels.

10.

The waters around the Colony include many shallow or restricted areas where the

effectiveness of a frigate-size vessel is reduced. While a single frigate solution

can probably be ruled out because of the limitations on its availability, the requirement

of can be satisfied by a Squadron composed of smaller vessels, or of a mix/frigates and

and smaller vessels.

11. In their preparatory work towards the Naval Staff Target, the Naval Staff are

considering the possibilities of a Squadron composed of 1 Frigate and 3 patrol craft, or

of 5 patrol craft. The former would, on the assumption that the frigate would not be

new, result in lower capital costs, but, because of the increased manpower requirements,

stores and engineering support required by the irigate, be more expensive to run. While

at this preliminary stage in the Naval Staff studies, the order of whole-life costs of

these two options are unquantified, it is considered that an all-patrol craft solution

is likely to prove the cheaper of the two. For this reason it is assumed that, while

not finally rejecting the alternative, MOD will use for purposes of illustration the

order of capital and running cost resulting from the procurement and operation of 5

patrol craft (although the precise nunber of vessels and their detailed characteristics

are not at this stage determined).

HONG KONG GOVERNMEN" ATTITUDE AND INTENTIONS

12.

The Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong Government has already been approached informally in order to ascertain the Hong Kong Government's likely attitude to the

replacement of the present patrol craft, and he has discussed this with the Naval Staff

and with AUS(GS, during a visit to London in August. He made it clear that while the

Hong Kong Government accepts (and indeed supports, the continuing need for a Royal Navy

presence in the Colcuy's waters, they are concerned that any.new vessels should be as

inexpensive as possible, because they will be required to meet the major part of the

capital and running costs of the Squadron.

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