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UK EYES A
EXPANSION OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AIR WING (HKGAW)
62. Between 1989 and about 1992 the HKG plans to expand the HKGAW helicopter force to support Police border control, IS and S&R tasking. By 1993, 10 Dauphin N1 helicopters should be operational; 3 N1 helicopters will be equipped for day/night S&R operations. Once the first 2 Nls are operational (1989), the HKGAW has agreed to undertake some day-to-day military tasking and to earmark 2 helicopters against the garrison's half company IS lift requirement. However, when the RHKP has assumed all the IS and anti-II tasks, including full border responsibility (about 1993), all HKGAW helicopters will be dedicated to Police support. Even if HKGAW helicopters remained available to the garrison after this time, it would be imprudent to rely entirely on HKGAW support. By the mid 1990s most of the HIKGAWLe helicopter orows will be local Hong Kong residents with little or no experience of the garrison's operational flying and continuation training requirements. It is considered that the necessary experience would only be available if helicopter crews were trained and dedicated full time to the military task or had recent experience of the military helicopter support role. Further details of the HKGAW expansion plan are at
Appendix 3 to Annex C.
FUTURE MILITARY HELICOPTER FORCE
63. As a first stage, and subject to further study of the optimum mix of aircraft types, the military helicopter force should be reduced to 6 Wessex and 6 Scouts when the first 2 Nls are operational in 1989. Once the RHKP have assumed all the military tasks (about 1993) the garrison's half company IS lift requirement could be reduced to a simultaneous lift of a single platoon to meet any unforeseen contingencies IS, border/flank deployments, et al and this would require 4 Wessex. To provide the necessary light helicopter support (e.g. command, control and communication, reconnaissance and observation duties) 4 Scouts will be required until such time as the Sovereign Force reduces to a single battalion the ultimate intention - when 3 Scouts would be
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adequate. Amplification of these helicopter force level figures is at Annex F
30 UK EYES A
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CON
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