No Action On Major Military Proposals

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31320, 16 March 1967, Page 1

No Action On Major Military Proposals

(from Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, March 15. Although the financial year ends on March 31, the Government has not acted on any of the major military measures promised in its 1966 Defence White Paper.

The Army recruiting programme is well below its required quota, the Army re-equipment programme has been slowed, and purchases of light army support aircraft and new Air Force strike aircraft have not been made.

If sufficient members are available, the Minister of Defence (Mr Thomson) hopes to convene a meeting of the Cabinet Defence Committee next Tuesday. This will consider the White Paper proposals, but final decisions will be for Cabinet itself.

Mr Thomson leaves the following week for a fortnight’s trip to South-east Asia. The White Paper, published last May, outlined “action during 1966-7 on 12 specific points.” Some, including the hiring of a Royal Navy frigate, the delivery of a new frigate (then under construction), and the delivery of maritime reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters, required no fresh action, and have since occurred. With the arrival of Orions, the White Paper promised the withdrawal of the Sunderland flying-boats. They will cease operations on March 31. ARMY GAPS The Government undertook vigorous recruiting to fill Regular Army manpower gaps. The recruiting campaign is in progress—but is well short of its required

quota. The aim was to put 300 men into camp in May to proceed overseas in November. The Regular Force had a strength on March 31, 1966, of 5549 men—l7s more than a year earlier. The latest total is slightly lower, and the New Zealand commitment overseas has recently been increased by one company of 160 men. The Regular Force ceiling calls for 6250 men. The clamp on State spending has made capital equipment the most vulnerable item in the Defence vote. Mr Thomson is known to be concerned that it may not be possible to complete field force re-equipment by March 31, 1968, as envisaged in the 1963 five-year plan. Purchases of Army field force equipment were to be more than doubled to £2.6 million this year—but actual

procurements are believed to have been less. Some £250,000 was budgeted for the purchase of up to six light Army support, planes (probably the Helio Super Courier). An order for them seemed last year as imminent as the frigate order—but nothing appears to have developed. CANBERRA SUCCESSORS Ten months ago the Air Force told the Defence Coun cil that it wanted Mac Donnell Phantom F 4 strike planes tc replace its Canberras. The White Paper promised ar order this financial year tc permit the new aircraft to be come operational by 1970. The delay between ordei and delivery is about twe years. Late last year the Defence Council apparently endorsee the R.N.Z.A.F. choice in re commendations to the Cabinet Defence Committee. Then it appeared that enough monej for 14 Phantoms, at some £750,000 each, would be avail able. FUNDS REDUCED However, the amount has since been reduced, and some pressure has been applied to buy planes which are less costly but which have a poorer performance. Whatever happens, the R.N.Z.A.F. will have less time than expected to get its flying and maintenance crews ready for service. Phasing-out of the Canberra will probably be delayed, as the initial order will be for not more than eight Phantoms. The Canberras are quite , capable of flying efficiently • beyond 1970, but by that time [ they will be on their own. as . the Sunderlands are today. Britain, the United States and Australia will have discarded them.