§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the relationship between recent changes in British and Allied operational style initiated by the Commander in Chief, Northern Army Group, General Bagnell, and the United States Army airland battle doctrine;
(2) what is the relationship between the changes in style of operations of British and Allied forces recently initiated by the Commander in Chief, Northern Army Group, General Bagnell and the follow on force attack strategy.
§ Mr. StanleyI refer the hon. Lady to the replies I gave her on 30 November 1984 at columns595–6.
§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the extent to which the changes in style of operations of British and Allied forces initiated by the Commander in Chief, Northern Army Group, General Bagnell, have been implemented along the lines indicated in General Bagnell's article in the September 1984 edition of the Royal United Services Institute Journal, relating to concepts of land-air operations in the central region.
§ Mr. StanleyBritish Forces Germany are deployed in support of the agreed NATO strategy of flexible response and forward defence. Within that overall strategy, a revised concept of operations for NATO's northern army group has now been agreed, which places increased emphasis on the selection and defence of vital areas, tactical flexibility, the employment of reserve formations and co-operation between ground and air forces.