The UK is to invest in £300 million over the next 10 years to enhance operational communications, renew the existing air defence system and upgrade infrastructure on the Falkland Islands.
Britain had already ordered additional Giraffe AMB radars to bolster the ground based air defenses on the Falkland Islands, the Swedish company SAAB announced earlier in the year that it had received an order from the UK MoD for the supply of new radars and the upgrade of existing systems.
The MoD has also selected missile maker MBDA’s CAMM(L) to replace aging Rapier weapons on the islands as part of the upgrade.
CAMM(L) is the land-based variant of the CAMM missile family and will replace the Rapier missile batteries of the British Army from 2020 or so. Four three-pack launchers are fitted to a self-contained “pallet” that can be fitted to a range of vehicles. The launch vehicle will not have its own radar, instead taking targeting information over a secure datalink as part of an integrated air-defence network and using the active seeker head for terminal guidance. Some reports have called the land variant, “Land Ceptor” similar to the naval “Sea Ceptor”.
The relevant section of the Strategic Defence and Security Review states:
“We will continue to work closely with the Falkland Islanders to defend their right to selfdetermination, which is enshrined in the Charter of the UN. They face an unjustified claim of ownership from Argentina. We judge the risk of a military attack to be low, but we will retain a deterrence posture, with sufficient military forces in the region, including Royal Navy warships, Army units and RAF Typhoon aircraft. We will invest up to £300 million over the next 10 years to enhance operational communications, renew the existing air defence system and upgrade infrastructure.”
The system is currently in a £228 million development phase at MBDA.
It’s name is Land Ceptor.
Over 10 years.
Indeed, that’s mentioned in the byline.
Woof we’re truly rearming! Absolutely based
The money is going to renew equipment on the islands, while announced over the last few months, the SDSR has confirmed the scope of the upgrades.
Based
Dave mate can you speak English please?
^I can as demonstrated. Nice you pick this page to voice your language concerns buddie
This was actually pre announced some months ago… and no we are not rearming that’s nonsense. A lot of that 300M is being g spent on rebuilding the 3 radar sites and the MPC – all of which are now 30 years old – all were built with a 25 year life so it’s getting urgent now to sort it all out.
Hopefully now the wicked witch has gone, we could see an improvement in our relationship with the Argys.
Ha ha, love that “the wicked witch” ??????
Hope yes. But rely on, no!
Who cares about our relationship with Argentina?
What’s been spent on Britain to protect our children of britain etc from cowardice jihad terroism
Was any spent on the security as to protect children etc from these regimes invading us
Yes. Significant sums in cyber security, spies, and special forces etc. All have a very direct relevance to protecting ourselves from terrorist attack.
But haven’t protected children from being subjected to jihad rapes etc which shouldn’t cost a thing to protect our children !
Great words.
John Francis that’s a different budget. Jesus what is with people on here?
y not dat £300 million is invested in development rather than defence? do u British, want a repeat of 1982 Falkland War wth Argentina????
The Argentine navy is sinking in harbour and its airforce hasn’t been updated since 82’… They make lots of noise but they don’t have the capability!
but still, I guess days of Margaret Thatcher were over
Speak softly and carry a big stick.
I’m always fascinated by the estimation of cost attributed to Falklands defence. With regard to the cost of keeping service personnel there, they have to be garrisoned somewhere and Port Stanley is probably cheaper than Germany or Southern England. Opportunities for training excercises are greater with so much open space and a small population.
“Opportunities for training excercises are greater with so much open space and a small population.”
From what I can gather the Falklands are one of the few places where the garrison commander has received complaints from the nearby civilian population when there AREN’T occasional loud noises from training exercises.
True Allan, but there are still a large number of Argentine minefields
It’s also worth pointing out that the Argentine order for those refurbished Kfirs has been put on hold
Yes and the Argentinians should have been made to clear them up. I’m told a number of them have been dealt with, by our people of course!
High stocks of fishing rights…Oil…South Pole drilling adjency rights. Of course the Falklands needs to have robust defences as economically she is very important.
Well I hope it’s not spent on buying Rapier crap.
Nah it’s the Rapier replacement CAAM(L). We’ll see how that performs over time, hopefully a bit more reliable!
Just to be clear I know the photo is a Rapier!
That would be the “rapier crap” that has had fifteen countries operating it, with 600 launchers and 25,000 missiles built so far?
And what was so bad about it,worked pretty good when I worked on it and also very reliable when used properly with in its design parameters.
What drivel 20 Bty RA is theHQ Bty of 16 Regt RA and is not in the Commando role or an AD Bty. If the basics are what else is ? Money better spent at home or the Police
Do we really need to? Argentina has practically retired it’s airforce and its navy keeps sinking in harbour. How much of a threat are they anymore?
The threat is low, but let’s not make the same mistakes we made in the past huh? This sum is to be spent over the next 10 years so its not a huge amount to pay really (and if oil does start to be pumped from there it will be paid for easily)
Agreed Russ. Plus, if oil does start to be produced in the region, then Argentina won’t be the only threat! It is very likely we will require an enduring presence, for purely central UK (‘selfish’) reasons, quite apart from our (quite right) committed obligation to defence our overseas territory.
Our so called friend Obama is keen our strengthening the relationship between USA and Latin America (he likes to use the name Malvinas), perhaps refurbed ex-USAF F16s may find their way to Argentina along with ex-USN warships.
Yes, nasty Obama, the Argentinians should buy ex-RN warships like they used against us in 1982.
Probably more than the combined GDP of Argentina and the Falklands put together.
If the sad passing of Baroness Thatcher was to improve Anglo-Argentine relations, i think we’d have detected a noticable improvement by now given how long she has been gone. I’ve always thought Argentina should be grateful to Britain. We helped them attain their independence in 1825 from Spain. Throughout the following century, British capital investment built the county’s infrastructure and industrial base. A bit of gratitude would be nice instead of animosity!
well i think it will pay for itself over the years as the falklands do pay tax to the uk,so it,s only fair to support them…
To late
And what about Gibraltar ? Have we been forgotten ?
You don’t need defences. Just let the folks spill out of the pubs at closing time and thr enemy is sorted
Lol
Total waste of money spend it on the nhs or the police in this country Tory twats
The NHS already has a budget of £130 billion and the Police have escaped cuts. Bore off you mong
Typical Tory cunt
I’ve been there. It’s a barren wasteland. I’d rather have more police.
100% agree. Stop colonialism in 2015.
Barren wasteland that’s strategically and economically important. Police have their own budget.
There should be no reason to plow money into the islands defences, but history can not be forgotten and we were not the aggressor in that war. We have a moral duty to protect the islands until such a time we resolve things peacefully with Argentina. From what I have seen there is no real desire by either party to achieve that currently. Saying that, if the oil starts flowing as expected, the cost will be a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of tax revenue they generate. The Scotland independent vote centred around the oil revenue and… Read more »
“Land Ceptor”? Might be on the official paperwork, but I can’t imagine the troops actually using it would avoid a somewhat more dromedary nickname for CAMM(L)s
It is little. The danger is not Argentina, is China set up a base in Neuquen.
Hi, people who lives in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas to us). I’m from Argentina and I want to tell you something: Yes, we claim for the islands, because they’re in our own sea. But in my opinion, we shouldn’t do anything about it because you’re living there, and you want to live there, and you are british citizens. In 1982, we were under the worst dictatorship of all times. Things weren’t goint great. To contain the strong popular discontent with the political and economic situation, our president back then (a drunk son of a bitch) tried to divert tensions… Read more »
UK Trident nuclear submarine base far better in Falkland islands. aye!
[…] [1] https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/300-million-to-be-invested-in-defence-of-the-falkland-islands/ […]