From East of Suez to the Eastern Atlantic British Naval Policy 1964-70 Edward Hampshire FROM EAST OF SUEZ TO THE EASTERN ATLANTIC Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies Series Series editors: Professor Greg Kennedy, Dr Tim Benbow and Dr Jon Robb-Webb, Defence Studies Department, Joint Services Command and Staff College, UK The Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies Series is the publishing platform of the Corbett Centre. Drawing on the expertise and wider networks of the Defence Studies Department of King’s College London, and based at the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the UK Defence Academy, the Corbett Centre is already a leading centre for academic expertise and education in maritime and naval studies. It enjoys close links with several other institutions, both academic and governmental, that have an interest in maritime matters, including the Developments, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC), the Naval Staff of the Ministry of Defence and the Naval Historical Branch. The centre and its publishing output aims to promote the understanding and analysis of maritime history and policy and to provide a forum for the interaction of academics, policy-makers and practitioners. Books published under the eagis of the Corbett Centre series reflect these aims and provide an opportunity to stimulate research and debate into a broad range of maritime related themes. The core subject matter for the series is maritime strategy and policy, conceived broadly to include theory, history and practice, military and civil, historical and contemporary, British and international aspects. As a result this series offers a unique opportunity to examine key issues such as maritime security, the future of naval power, and the commercial uses of the sea, from an exceptionally broad chronological, geographical and thematic range. Truly interdisciplinary in its approach, the series welcomes books from across the humanities, social sciences and professional worlds, providing an unrivalled opportunity for authors and readers to enhance the national and international visibility of maritime affairs, and provide a forum for policy debate and analysis. From East of Suez to the Eastern Atlantic British Naval Policy 1964–70 EDWARD HAMPSHIRE The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK © Edward Hampshire 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Edward Hampshire has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court East 110 Cherry Street Union Road Suite 3-1 Farnham Burlington, VT 05401-4405 Surrey, GU9 7PT USA England www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Hampshire, Edward. From east of Suez to the eastern Atlantic : British naval policy 1964–70. -- (Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies series) 1. Sea-power – Great Britain – History – 20th century. 2. Great Britain – History, Naval – 20th century. 3. Great Britain. Navy Dept – History – 20th century. 4. Great Britain. Royal Navy – History – 20th century. 5. Great Britain – Politics and government – 1964-1979. I. Title II. Series 359'.03'0941'09046-dc23 The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows: Hampshire, Edward. From east of Suez to the eastern Atlantic : British naval policy, 1964–70 / by Edward Hampshire. p. cm. – (Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7546-6972-2 (hardcover) 1. Sea-power – Great Britain–History – 20th century. 2. Great Britain–History, Naval – 20th century. 3. Great Britain. Royal Navy – History – 20th century. 4. Great Britain – Politics and government – 1964-1979. 5. Naval strategy – History – 20th century. I. Title. VA454.H26 2013 359'.03094109046--dc23 ISBN 9780754669722 (hbk) ISBN 9781409466130 (ebk – PDF) ISBN 9781409466147 (ebk – ePUB) V Contents List of Tables vii List of Abbreviations ix Glossary xi Preface xiii Introduction 1 1 The Royal Navy in 1964 7 2 Emerging from Mountbatten’s Shadow 41 3 The Navy Alone 77 4 The Cancellation of CVA-01 107 5 The Navy and the Defence Expenditure Studies 141 6 The Mediterranean Strategy 165 7 Building a New Fleet 191 8 Conclusion 223 Bibliography 235 Index 245 For Ellie. List of Tables 1.1 Major RAF aircraft programmes 20 1.2 Aircraft carriers, in service and planned 1964 27 1.3 Strike and fighter carrier aircraft, in service and planned 1964 28 1.4 Breakdown of carrier programme costs (1965–75), 14 December 1964 30 1.5 Cruisers, destroyers and frigates, in service and under construction 1964 31 1.6 Major weapon systems in service and under development 34 4.1 Proposed aircraft carrier programmes 1964–66 129 This page has been left blank intentionally List of Abbreviations AAC Army Air Corps ACAS (Pol) Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) ADA Action Data Automation: computer command system for larger British warships AEW Airborne Early Warning AUS Assistant Under-Secretary of State CAAIS Computer Assisted Action Information System: computer command system for smaller British warships CAS Chief of the Air Staff CDS Chief of the Defence Staff CENTO Central Treaty Organization (‘Baghdad Pact’) CGS Chief of the General Staff CinCCHAN Commander-in-Chief, English Channel (NATO) CNS Chief of the Naval Staff CoS Chiefs of Staff CSA Chief Scientific Adviser (Ministry of Defence) DCNS Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff DNP Director of Naval Plans DPS Defence Planning Staff DOAE Defence Operational Analysis Establishment, Byfleet DOPC alternative abbreviation for OPD DS 1 Defence Secretariat, Branch 1 – Policy (Ministry of Defence) DS 4 Defence Secretariat, Branch 4 – Naval Policy (Ministry of Defence) DS 12 Defence Secretariat, Branch 12 – Defence Staff (Ministry of Defence) DS 22 Defence Secretariat, Branch 22 – Policy (Ministry of Defence) DNTWP Director of Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy (Naval Staff) DUS Deputy Under-Secretary of State EASTLANT Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic (NATO) EEC European Economic Community EFTA European Free Trade Association FAA Fleet Air Arm (of the Royal Navy) FCO Foreign and Commonwealth Office x From East of Suez to the Eastern Atlantic FO Foreign Office GDP Gross Domestic Product GNP Gross National Product LTCs Long-Term Costings M1(N) Military Branch 1 (Navy Department of Ministry of Defence) MoD Ministry of Defence NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organisation OPD Oversea (sic) Policy and Defence Committee (of Cabinet) OPD(O) Oversea Policy and Defence Committee – official (i.e. Civil Servants only) sub-committee OPDO(DR) OPD: defence review sub-committee of official sub-committee ORC Operational Requirements Committee (Ministry of Defence) PEG Programme Evaluation Group (of Ministry of Defence) PUS Permanent Under-Secretary of State (except where stated, at Ministry of Defence) RAF Royal Air Force SACEUR Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (NATO) SACLANT Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (NATO) SAS Special Air Service SEATO South-East Asia Treaty Organization SSBN Nuclear-powered ballistic-missile carrying submarine SSN Nuclear-powered ‘hunter-killer’ submarine STOL Short Take-Off and Landing aircraft STRIKEFLTLANT Commander NATO Strike Fleet, Atlantic VCAS Vice Chief of the Air Staff VCDS Vice Chief of the Defence Staff VCGS Vice Chief of the General Staff VCNS Vice Chief of the Naval Staff VSTOL Vertical and Short Take-Off and Landing aircraft VTOL Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft WDC Weapon Development Committee (Ministry of Defence) WESTLANT Commander-in-Chief, Western Atlantic (NATO) Glossary AS-12 French-built helicopter-launched anti-ship missile Broomstick Codename for Type 988 radar Buccaneer British-designed maritime strike aircraft. Modified versions: Buccaneer 2, Buccaneer 2* and Buccaneer 2** C-130 US-built transport aircraft (known as Hercules) Comet British-built passenger aircraft, modified for maritime reconnaissance or anti-submarine warfare Commando ship helicopter carrier specialising in amphibious operations Confessor early designation of Sea Wolf CoS (62)1 Chiefs of Staff paper no. 1 of 1962: strategy paper accepting the possibility of the need to support the anding of substantial troops against a ‘dug-in’ enemy CVA-01 British-planned strike aircraft carrier CVA-02 sister ship of CVA-01 ET.316 early designation of Rapier British-built land-launched light anti-aircraft missile system F-111 Large US-designed swing-wing strike aircraft GWS-1 British-built Sea Slug area defence anti-aircraft missile system GWS-30 British-designed Sea Dart area defence anti-aircraft missile system GWS-31 pared-down version of GWS-30 Hercules see C-130 HS.681 British design for a STOL transport aircraft Ikara Australian-designed anti-submarine torpedo launching missile system J79 Original US-designed engine for Phantom aircraft Lynx British-design for small naval anti-submarine helicopter Ondine British design for submarine launched anti-ship missile system P.1127 Subsonic VSTOL British-designed aircraft, developed into the Harrier P.1154 Supersonic VSTOL British-designed aircraft Phantom US-designed fighter aircraft PX.430 Early designation of Sea Wolf Scimitar British-built maritime strike aircraft xii From East of Suez to the Eastern Atlantic Sea Cat British-built anti-aircraft point defence missile Sea Dart British