ROYAL NAVY’S PLANS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 11

ROYAL NAVY’S PLANS

Commandos In Pacific (N.Z. Press Assoctatton— CovurtgMt SYDNEY, February 15. Britain is forming a large seaborne commando force for the Pacific to be based at Singapore and also to cover the China Sea and the Indian Ocean, RearAdmiral V. C. Begg, second-in-command of the Royal Navy’s Far East Station, told a press Interview in Sydney today. The first step in the formation of the force would be the commissioning of a commando carrier —a converted aircraft carrier—to carry about 800 commandos able to operate 200 miles from the coast. Admiral Begg said a "floating commando force” will completely change the concept of British strategy in the Indian Ocean and the China Sea. The first carrier to be converted would be H.MS. Centaur, which will replace H.M.S. Albion when it returns to Britain soon. Admiral Begg said the commandos would be supported by a large force of helicopters and aircraft “Local ’bushfires’ rather than a full-scale war are what strategists ore thinking about” he said. , .“When police action is necessary such a striking force would proceed to the trouble area at full speed and nip th| trouble in tha bud.”