N.A.T.O. FORCE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31678, 14 May 1968, Page 22

N.A.T.O. FORCE

U.K. Makes Increase

(N.Z. Prist Attn—Copyright

BRUSSELS, May 11. Britain has announced a 40 per cent increase in her contribution of land forces to the Western Alliance and naval forces to meet the growing Soviet threat in the Mediterranean.

The British defence Secretary (Mr Denis Healey) made the offer at a meeting of Ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. He told journalists later that the pledge was warmly welcomed. He said a 20.000-man air mobile task force had been put on a standby assignment in Britain, committed to be airlifted by British aeroplanes at a moment's notice to any part of the N.A.T.O. area. The task force will be made up of the Army’s 3rd division, comprising three infantry brigrades, two paratroop battalions, one special air service regiment, and an armoured reconnaissance squadron. The commitment would cost Britain about $1,249,900 a year, Mr Healey said. It was part of Britain's policy shift from a world role to a defence system based on Europe.