7. Assuming that Ministers agree that we should endeavour to meet the Sultan's request for a loan of 4 helicopters, the next stop would be to send out immediately a reconnaissance party to Oman to assess the precise requirement, as CSAF has suggested. At the same time, the Air Force Department will, as a matter of urgency, trawl for volunteers for loan service in Oman, initially for a period of six months i.e. up to July. If personnel are required on loan thereafter, further volunteers can be called for. 8. The Fco at official level are in favour of our assisting by means of a loan if this can be done. 9. We recommend therefore that we should a. tell the Sultan that we are urgently examining the questia of providing up to 4 Wessex, 'with essential supporting personnel, for an initial period of 6 months, (with the possibility of extondins the period if it proves necessary in the light of actual experience) at a cost of £450-550,000 for the 6-month period; b. send out a reconnaissance party immediately to examine and refine the requirement; c. set in hand immediately a trawl for RAF volunteers to determine the extent to which we can meet the requirement; d. earmark 4 Wessex from the forces in the UK and Germany in such a way as to reduce the direct consequences on our own commitments. 10. We should aim to complete (b) and (c) within two weeks with a view to Ministers being able to reach a final decision in time to allow the first aircraft and crews to fly out to Oman by 1st March. 11. We propose that the Secretary of State should seek the concurrence of his Ministerial colleagues on the DOPC to these, proposals out of committee. CONFIDENTIAL
