TNAG-0758-FCO40-962-Strength-of-UK-armed-forces-stationed-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 36

C.

C CONFIDENTI AL

C.

Command and Control Within Local Waters. Within this area

the nature of maritime operations (Illegal Immigrants, confrontation with

CPG craft, anti-drug smuggling, etc) dictated the provision of fast,

reliable and secure communications between the Patrol Craft and the opera-

tional centre (normally HMS TAMAR but sometimes Marine POLMIL). This

requirement could best be met by the provision of a secure voice net.

Unfortunately, however, the terrain of Hong Kong did not permit direct

voice radio communications between all local areas. A relay station was

therefore required, mounted at the highest available point. The present

Patrol Craft had such a net, based on commercial equipment, with a relay

station on top of Tai Mo Shan and shore stations at HMS TAMAR and Marine

POLMIL. This net however was totally insecure and it was not possible

to fit a security device to the equipment. Moreover, the present

equipment had been in service for some years and would soon require

replacement. It was therefore proposed that the present voice net should

be replaced with one using military radio and security equipments.

d.

Command and Control Offshore.

Outside local waters a similar

requirement for fast, reliable and secure communications existed, but this

could not be secure voice as no suitable security device existed for use on

long range voice. The normal naval method of meeting this requirement was

to use a secure radio teleprinter and the same system was proposed for the

Patrol Craft; ie one main HF transmitter and receiver together with

teleprinter peripherals and a security device. In addition, to permit the

ships to listen to shore while employing the main equipment on another

service, it was proposed a second receiver be fitted.

e. Interoperability. The exact requirements for interoperability were

extremely difficult to quantify as the Patrol Craft were liable to be

required to operate with almost any agency of the Hong Kong Government.

(The table at the end of this Annex shows some of the units with whom

D-2

CONFIDENTIAL* ̈*