Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XIII, Conflict in the South Atlantic, 1981–1984

399. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy (Perle) to Secretary of Defense Weinberger and the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Carlucci)¹

I–24529/82

Washington, October 1, 1982

SUBJECT

• Negotiations for Transfer of F–4 Aircraft to UK (S)—ACTION MEMORANDUM

(S) We have completed staff talks on the British request for 15 U.S. Navy F–4 aircraft. The request derived from a UK requirement to deploy F–4s to the Falkland Islands. The British can only do so if they draw down their own British based forces; the U.S. Navy F–4s are intended to serve as a backfill. Concurrently, the Secretary of the Navy expressed a strong desire to obtain a number of UK Hawks to serve as pilot trainers for the VTXTS program.

(S) The U.S. and UK teams reached agreement ad referendum, that:

—(S) The United Kingdom will purchase 15 F–4J aircraft, subject to the ability of the U.S. Navy to upgrade the radars currently on those aircraft from an AWG–10 to an AWG–10A variant. The upgrade is necessary for UK operations; without it the agreement will have to be revised. In addition, the U.S. Navy has undertaken to satisfy the UK that the United States can provide 18 months spares support for the upgraded F–4Js; that is, until a logistics line can be fully established.

—(S) The United Kingdom formally requested price and availability information on the aircraft, and will reply to DOD in three weeks time as to whether the upgrade is satisfactory. At that point the U.S. will furnish the UK with a letter of offer.

—(S) The cost of the F–4s could exceed $14 million; should that be the case, the DOD will inform the Congress of the sale at the earliest possible time. Thus, the letter of offer will not necessarily be delayed by Congressional action.

—(S) The United States will lease, at fair market value, 12 British Hawk aircraft for a period of 3 to 5 years. The actual period of the lease, and the costs associated with the lease, are to be developed by the UK in the next few weeks.

—(S) The F–4 sale is not contingent on the Hawk lease. The Hawk lease is contingent upon the F–4 sale, however.

—(S) The three week period required for the UK response should provide us with sufficient time to assess UK support for our positions at COCOM and, if necessary, to review the terms of the above agreement should that support be less forthcoming than we anticipate.² Specifically, we would like support for the creation of a military subcommittee in COCOM, for tightening the COCOM net, for action on silicon, and for immediately providing additional funding for strengthening COCOM (whose total budget is only $200,000).³

Richard N. Perle⁴

1. Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files, FRC 330–84–0004, UK (1 Oct–31 Dec 82) 1982. Secret. Sent through Iklé. Stamped notations at the top of the memorandum indicate that Weinberger and Carlucci saw it on October 4.
2. An unknown hand, likely Weinberger, crossed out the word “anticipate” and wrote the words “were given to believe” in the left-hand margin.
3. Weinberger initialed his approval on October 4.
4. Perle signed “Richard Perle” above his typed signature.