The Government says British forces in and around the Falkland Islands remain at an appropriate level of strength and readiness, describing the UK air, land and maritime presence in the South Atlantic as “robust”.
The assessment was set out in a written parliamentary answer to Independent MP Alex Easton, who asked about the adequacy of forces stationed in and around the islands and the steps being taken to support recruitment and retention.
Defence Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said: “The UK Government is steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination.”
She added: “The Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining a defensive military presence in the South Atlantic to ensure the protection of the Falkland Islands.”
The British presence includes forces across the air, land and maritime domains, with the Government saying the posture is kept under continual review.
Sandher-Jones said: “Our defences in the South Atlantic are robust, consisting of air, land, and maritime forces with a strong permanent presence on the Falkland Islands. I am confident that our military presence is at the appropriate level for the defence of the Islands, and we keep this under constant review.”
Easton’s question also raised the ability of the Armed Forces to recruit and retain enough personnel to sustain their commitments. In response, Sandher-Jones said: “The Government is focused upon improving Armed Forces recruitment, modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract the best possible talent across all roles and missions within the Armed Forces.”
She added: “Defence is already delivering a range of new and more flexible routes into service designed to widen participation, attract specialist talent and improve access to military careers.”
Bugger all the argies could do even with 12 f16s. Our ability to strike the Argentinian mainland has exponentially improved. No need for black buck when a sub could sit off the coast and take out airfields and infrastructure.
They might chance their luck. Gambling that we might not be able to get an astute out to sea.
We could more than likely surge one if necessary. But that would only be one part of our potential to hit back at their infrastructure, additional Typhoons and tankers would be at Mt Pleasant within 24hrs and could bring a healthy amount Storm Shadows along for some fun on day one, nothing sends a message like having your homeland airfields combust whilst you’re the one meant to be operating offensively.
We also have all these lovely new long range drones and fancy interceptor drones we’ve been designing with and in some cases building for Ukraine and testing within our own forces, if Argentina were to try and compete with us on that front. XV Patrick Beckett recently demonstrated launching a 300km rated model of her very small stern section, such a thing could give our escorts so reasonable land attack punch in a pintch as well.
We have more options than just the SSN’s, and Argentina has even less in the way of airdefenses than we do – infact the FI might well have more SAM’s and MANPADS on it than the whole of the Argentinian military has.
Take them out with what? We dont have a sub at sea, and when we do it’ll be one sub. How many TLAM would that carry? 4/6? What happens then? Sub goes all the way back to Gib or Scotland to re-arm? How long is that going to take? We know we only have 100 TLAM in total, its not war winning is it? As with everything people like to point out a capability like its Top Trumps, but when you actually consider it for a moment theres nothing actually behind it. The entire armed forces are exactly that. For instance we have given our entire stock of Storm Shadow to Ukraine, theres nothing behind it. Our entire armed forces have provisions for 8 days of peer conflict then we are out, recently pointed out by Tom Tudgendat and not contradicted by MOD.
How do you know we dont have a sub at sea? All submarine deployments are highly classified and I’d wager you dont have access to that information.
Everybody knows the situation with the subs, its been reported everywhere including on this site. The idiots running the show didn’t build the required facilities to maintain them. We’ve got one available max and its not been to sea for ages. And even if we do eventually get one to sea the rest of point stands.
Well isn’t that one sub enough to interdict any seaborne traffic from the argie mainland to the FI? TLAMs would probably need to have US permission to be used so that won’t happen with trump in charge! So that leaves SS to rearrange the A/C on argie control towers and maintenance facilities on any airfield being used against us! All doable with the political will IF it is there.
You think we’ll have our one available SSN in the South Atlantic when we need it???Come on now. Its got the nuclear Trident boat gig to protect, carrier escort duties, aswell as North Atlantic patrol. Our one boat was even sent off to Australia this year and had to be brought back to the Gulf when Iran kicked off. Our entire defence is so weak now everything is make believe. You have no idea the shape we’re in.
So what is it then no boats at sea or one boat doing all you have said? There is no credible evidence that the Argies are going to invade the FI tomorrow is there? IF and when they get that capability who is to say what boats we will have ready to go to WAR after all that is what it will be and I would hazard a guess that would be the priority! Despite all our criticism of the MOD ( rightly deserved in some cases) there are still many officers and planners who know a lot more than we do over plans for the defence of the FIs!
There are no boats at sea now. In extremis we can get 1 (!!!!) Boat to sea, for our entire worldwide taskings. Its a complete joke.
Of course ! Because it’s been “ reported”. By journalists and guesswork who have the same access as you ..None
Would there be a chance the argies can basically do what Iran Russia and Ukraine are doing and start with drones of all shapes and sizes, money being a strain on them would that not be a logical next step for them.
Then what? There is no point of attacking a BOT with anything if you haven’t got the forces to take advantage of any drone attack etc!
An Astute can carry up to 38 TLAM’s. More than enough to cause a bit of mayhem.
Our entire TLAM stock is 100. Theres no way on gods earth an Astute will carry 38
Was Maths one of your favoured subjects? As for other comments that Britain needs US permission to fire sub based TLAM’s is complete garbage.
You think we’ll have our one available SSN in the South Atlantic when we need it???Come on now. Its got the nuclear Trident boat gig to protect, carrier escort duties, aswell as North Atlantic patrol. Our one boat was even sent off to Australia this year and had to be brought back to the Gulf when Iran kicked off. Our entire defence is so weak now everything is make believe. You have no idea the shape we’re in.
You honestly beleive our one Astute will have available has 38 TLAM on it? Utter horsehit. We’d be lucky if it carrying 4.
You are correct Bill in the fact we can legally launch TLAM but the diplomatic and military consequences after we have done so probably negates the possibility of us ever getting any more! Just a quick google will show how much targeting data,maintenance etc comes from the US! Just look at Ukraine and the difficulties they had getting to use US weapons! In a WW no bother but the FI would be looked on as a ‘local’ event and I don’t think trumpy would look on us kindly for using US weapons to bomb his mate!
I hope we’re capable of rapidly reinforcing to a full Typhoon squadron & a flight of F35s, plus airlifting in a brigade of troops & more CAMM batteries to forestall any invasion attempts. As we’ve gutted out amphibious capabilities should we end up needing to retake the Islands if another invasion occurs.
That is the whole reason the air bridge exists👍