AIR ESTIMATES

Wairarapa Age, 7 March 1935, Page 5

AIR ESTIMATES

EXPANSION OF BRITISH FORCES.

PROVISION FOR ADDITIONAL SQUADRONS.

OUTLINE OF PROPOSED PROGRAMME.

RUGBY, March 5. The Air Estimates for 1935 were issued this morning. They total £23,851,100, a gross increase of £3,685,500 on those of last year. In a memorandum accompanying the Estimates the Secretary of State for Air, Lord Londonderry, points out that his Majesty’s Government made it plain when publishing the Air Estimates in 1934 that they could not, in the interests of national and Imperial security, ac-

cept the position of continuing inferiority in the air. Accordingly last summer, in view of the rapid development of foreign air forces and the absence of concrete results from the Disarmament Conference, the memorandum continues, the Government reluctantly decided they had no option but to undertake the long-delayed expansion of the Royal Air Force.

The programme announced to Parliament last July provides for the addition of 414 squadrons by the end of 1938, and, when completed, the total first line strength of the Royal Air Force in regular squadrons will be approximately 1330 aircraft, plus some 130 aircraft in non-regular squadrons. Four of the 411 additional squadrons were formed in 1934, and a further 25 are to be formed in 1935 and in 1936. In 1935 12 new squadrons will be added, to the home defence force, which, will then consist of 54 squadrons—4l regular and the remainder auxiliary Air Force or special reserve squadrons. The fleet air arm will bo increased by 19 first-line aircraft. Nineteen existing squadrons will also be re-equipped in the course of the year. New formations will raise the total strength of the Royal Air Force, including the fleet air arm, to the equivalent of 106} squadrons, being 93} regular squadrons supplemented by 13 non-regular squadrons of the home defence force. The programme is being so arranged that it will be possible to retard or accelerate it in accordance with the requirements of the international situation. His Majesty’s Government believe that the conclusion of the proposed air pact, to afford security against aerial aggression in Western Europe, would be of the utmost value in the maintenance of European peace, and they earnestly hope it may facilitate the early limitation of the air forces of the world by general international agreement. A net increase is shown in the total vote for civil aviation of £82.000 over the 1934 figure. This is mainly due to the urgent necessity for improvement and development of ground organisation on Empire air routes to facilitate operation by night as well as day. Improved ground organisation will also assist in the inception of the projected Empire air transport scheme for carriage of all first-class mails by air whenever possible. Negotiations are in progress for an air service to connect Hong Kong with the main Australian route at Bangkok, and plans are under consideration for linking the British West African Colonies with, the trunk route to South Africa. It has not yet been possible to inaugurate the projected air service to connect Bermuda with New York, but it is hoped that it will be in operation towards the end of this year or early in 1936. The subsidy to light aeroplane clubs is increased to £25,000, compared with £16,000 last year.—(British Official Wireless.)