§ 34. Sir J. Edenasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his policy to create in the British Army a wholly airborne fighting unit along the lines of in the United States Airborne Cavalry Division; and if he will make a statement about the availability of helicopters to British forces overseas.
§ The Minister of Defence for the Army (Mr. G. W. Reynolds)No, Sir: to support British forces overseas we have more than 250 helicopters available.
§ Sir J. EdenIn view of the significant military development in the use of helicopters as an airborne cavalry division which is now taking place in battle operational circumstances, can the hon. Gentleman—whom we congratulate on his new appointment and welcome to the Dispatch Box—confirm to the House that we are doing our very best to learn from this experience, and to see whether it is possible to adapt this to our own requirements?
§ Mr. ReynoldsI thank the hon. Gentleman for his remarks. We take all possible steps to learn from the experience of other countries in all aspects, as they come along. It would be rather difficult to do what the hon. Gentleman suggests, because we inherited in the Army, in October of last year, only 88 operational helicopters. We have since placed further orders, and we shall have four times that amount by March, 1968.