Options
GULF AWARDS
— PAGES 12-13
Navy News AUGUST 1991
57 ROYAL VARIETIES SHOW
20p
Rosyth keeps the little ships, Type 42s for
Portsmouth
* *
After presenting a new colour to Naval Air Command at Yeovilton, The Queen reviews a fly-past of 57 aircraft representing the history of the Fleet Air Arm (see page 9).
FOLLOWING the extensive review of naval base arrangements, Royal Navy ships will continue to be based at Portsmouth, Devonport, Rosyth and Faslane — but Rosyth's four Type 42 destroyers will transfer to Portsmouth, where more than 1,000 of its Service personnel will re-locate.
'Some disruption inevitable' COMMENTING on his message to the Fleet outlining the support structure for the "post-Options" Royal Navy, the First Sea Lord (Admiral Sir Julian Oswald) said, "A change such as this cannot be implemented overnight and in developing detailed plans we will seek to minimise the disruption for our Service and civilian men, women and families. "Notice for appointment or draft will, wherever possible, be in keeping with accepted rules. The Naval Secretary and Captain Naval Drafting will take account of those with special needs." He also said, "Disruption for some of our people is inevitable with implications which are
well understood, but clearly, in the changed international situation in which we must operate, now and in the future, and in the severely constrained financial environment, support must be provided commensurate with the size of the Fleet and in the most cost-effective way. "It will be necessary, therefore, to look for further reductions in the support and training areas to match the anticipated post-Options front line." Earlier, introducing this year's Defence White Paper, the Defence Secretary Mr. Tom King had said that for most of the Armed Forces their future in the Forces would continue to be a good one. "The vast majority of them will not be affected in any serious way and I want them to know that," he said.
1 2 per cent manning cut by mid '90s ROYAL Navy and Royal Marines numbers are to be reduced, in line with reductions in the size of the Fleet, from the present total requirement of around 63,000, including trainees, to about 55,000 by the mid-1990s. account plans for rationalisaThe new 55,000 figure — tion of support activities. announced in the 1991 De"There is no substance in Press fence W h i t e Paper and reports that this lower level re5,000 lower than envisaged sulted from a deal to preserve in the Options for Change the equipment programme at statement of July last year the expense of people," it was stated. — reflects further work carThe high outflow of personried out in refining necesnel in 1989-90 left the Navy sary manpower levels for under-strength and, although the post-Options Service, the loss of trained personnel Navy News was told. In particular, the manpower 0 Turn to page 33 requirement now takes into
Other points announced in the outline of the Navy's future support infrastructure include: A continuing need for a naval presence at Portland. 0 Ships of the Northern Ireland Squadron to move to Faslane. • RN air station HMS Daedalus and a number of stores depots to close, and HMS Nelson's Gunwharf waterfront site — formerly HMS Vernon — to be sold. After referring in a Commons answer to each of the four base ports and to the Portland operating base, Defence
Secretary Mr. Tom King said, "We will now proceed to rationalise the support activities in each of these naval base He went on, "The Rosythbased squadron of four Type 42 destroyers — HMS York, Glasgow, Liverpool and Edinburgh — will be redeployed to Portsmouth, which will become their base port. This will allow the support activity for Type 42s to be concentrated in Portsmouth with consequent economies. "This move to Portsmouth will take place progressively from mid-1993 to late 1994. In addition, the four ships of the Northern Ireland squadron will move to Faslane in 1993.
Changes at the fop IN A SERIES of changes now under way in the higher administration of the Royal Navy, most parts of the Second Sea Lord's department are to integrate with CINCNAVHOME's staff, while at the same time some Service conditions matters will come under triService administration. - . But a wide range of Tiaval personnel and other matters will in future be conducted from Portsmouth where the Second Sea Lord will be based and his appointment combined with that of CINCNAVHOME under a new title. The move forms part of Turn to page 33