TNAG-2404-FCO40-3491-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1992 — Page 3

trooping requirement for helicopters

to move half of an internal security company of

waves (i.e.

PTU

one

(two platoons) in two

platoon (42 men) and one officer in the first wave; one platoon in the second wave); and

(b)

а

to move the SDU in sticks of less than

full section

(a full section comprises

32 men plus 10 000 pounds of equipment).

Any operation involving Police trooping as detailed in (a) (b) above would require the simultaneous use of a further helicopter to put in position secure communications equipment for the Technical Services Division of the Police. Thus, as each S76A can carry only eight men, six general-purpose trooping helicopters would be needed to meet Police requirements as against the present fleet of five.

8.

In normal circumstances, the present fleet of three SAR helicopters is sufficient to provide one on standby for SAR purposes at all times and one could be made available

support Police operations to cover the shortfall of one general-purpose

However, helicopter. because much of the available space in the SAR variants is occupied by special equipment, they can only be used for communications, not for transporting large numbers of men.

an

9.

Thus the present fleet is barely adequate to handle all the assignments and then only if none of the trooping helicopters is unserviceable at the time emergency occurs. However, there is no margin of safety. To allow for routine maintenance and normal downtime, additional helicopter capacity is required, equivalent to four $76AS, to ensure availability at any one time of sufficient carrying capacity to meet operational needs.

10.

A review in the light of operational experience also suggested that there could be advantage in providing the additional capacity by the acquisition of two larger helicopters rather than by four S76As. Large civil helicopters which are currently on the market are

(a) Boeing Chinooks which can carry 50

passengers;

(b)

Aerospatiale Super Puma AS3 32 L-ls which can carry 20 passengers; and