Military of the Falkland Islands

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British Forces South Atlantic Islands
The tri-service badge: Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
Expenditure
Sterling figure estimate (FY04/05)	£365 million (part of UK defence expenditure)
US Dollar figure (FY04/05)	7 million
Percent of GDP (2004)	Approximately 0.03% of UK GDP

The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom and, as such, rely on the UK for guarantee of their security. The other UK territories in the South Atlantic, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, fall under the protection of the British forces on the Falklands (also known as British Forces Falkland Islands or British Forces South Atlantic Islands), which includes commitments from the British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. They are headed by the Commander of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands (CBFSAI).

The maintenance of only a token military force before the Falklands War allowed Argentina to start that conflict by easily capturing the islands. Following the reclamation of the territory in 1982, the UK invested heavily in the defence of the islands, the centre-piece of which is the new airfield at RAF Mount Pleasant, 25 miles west of the previous base at Stanley. The base was opened in 1985, and became fully operational in 1986.

Royal Air Force

RAF Mount Pleasant, built following the surrender of Argentine invasion forces, is capable of accepting trans-Atlantic aircraft such as the Lockheed Tristar. The Tristar was purchased mainly for the UK-Falklands route, until their entry into service leased 747s and 767s performed air transport.

The RAF's Tornado F3s provide air defence for the islands and surrounding territories. The four aircraft, and the crews that fly them, are rotated with UK based assets. The aircraft are housed in non-hardened shelters, sixteen of which were built for surge operations in time of tension or hostility.

The VC10 provides air transport and aerial refueling for the fighters. When a fighter is launched it almost immediately followed by the VC10 as changeable weather conditions might make diversion to another airfield necessary. The C-130K provides resupply missions through the use of air-drops and also carries out maritime patrol. The latter is an important mission to the Falkland Islands government as the Hercules verifies that all fishing vessels are licensed; at £1,000 per licence per season this is an extremely lucrative source of income.

The helicopters of 78 Sqn provide air transport missions. The Sea Kings and the Chinook also carry out short and medium range search and rescue missions respectively.

Organisation

• No. 1435 Flight – 4 Tornado F3s
• No. 1312 Flight – 1 Vickers VC-10, 1 Hercules C3
• No. 78 Squadron – 2 Sea King HAR.3s, 1 Chinook HC.2

Royal Navy

RAF Mount Pleasant has its own port facility and the Royal Navy maintains a presence in the area with a frigate or destroyer in the South Atlantic and a patrol ship permanently close to the islands. In addition an Ice Patrol Ship, HMS Endurance, is on station close to Antarctica for 6 months of the year.

The warship carries out the South Atlantic Patrol Task mission which "provides a maritime presence to protect the UK's interests in the region". Currently the Type 42 destroyer HMS Southampton performs the South Atlantic Patrol Task having taken over from HMS Cardiff when she was decommissioned in August 2005.

The Falkland Islands Patrol ship is a Castle class vessel. Currently HMS Dumbarton Castle patrols the waters of the Falkland Islands having taken over from a 3 year deployment by HMS Leeds Castle when she returned to the UK to be decommissioned at the same time as Cardiff. In 2007 HMS Clyde will relieve HMS Dumbarton Castle and HMS Leeds Castle, currently under construction by VT Group shipbuilders in Portsmouth, it is planned that she will stay permanently in the South Atlantic until 2012.

The Royal Navy also has submarines that it can deploy to the area, though such deployments are classified.

British Army

The British Army maintains a small garrison on the Falkland Islands based at Mount Pleasant. The total deployment is about 500 personnel made up of an Infantry Company, an Engineer Squadron, a Signals Unit, a Logistics Group and Supporting Services.

The 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) provides a constant support and is part of the Joint Service Falkland Islands Detachment which consists of RAF and RLC EOD teams. It is mainly based in Stanley but there is also a detachment at Mount Pleasant. The group destroys munitions from the Falklands War that did not explode at the time and briefs troops, tourists and citizens on the areas which are safe and the minefield marking which have been put in place.

There is also a Joint Communications Unit (JCUFI which incorporates the Signals Unit) providing the electronic warfare and command and control systems for the Royal Navy, Army and Air Force stationed there.

The Falkland Islands also maintains its own part-time volunteer force, the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF), previously known as the Falkland Islands Volunteer Corps. Although this unit existed in 1982 as a reinforcement for the Governor's detachment of Royal Marines, it did not play any part in the War of 1982.

Sources

 

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