From East of Suez to the Eastern Atlantic: British Naval Policy 1964-70

267 Pages·2013·1.909 MB·English

by  Edward Hampshire

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
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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
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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