RAF makes terrifying admission as Falklands stripped of key air defenc | UK | News
An RAF source has admitted Britain will be “under tough pressure” to defend the Falkland Islands against Argentina after Britain’s overseas territory is cleared of significant air defences. The horrifying admission comes after ministers were accused of lowering the Falkland Islands’ air defenses as Argentina continues to pour millions into expanding its air force.
The only Voyager refueling aircraft based in the Falklands has been redeployed in response to the escalating crisis in Iran, a senior RAF source has confirmed. The withdrawal of the tanker creates a significant operational gap in the South Atlantic and without support from Voyager, the RAF Typhoon fleet will potentially lose the ability to conduct 24-hour air patrols for the 2,600-mile round-trip journey to South Georgia.
The islands will be without aerial refueling capability for the first time since the 1980s, when Margaret Thatcher deployed a task force to defeat Argentina.
The senior RAF source said: “If the Argentines decide to test our defences, we will struggle to establish a sustained combat air patrol without the ability to refuel air-to-air. We need more planes and more pilots.”
An RAF source told Defense Eye: “This is not a permanent standstill for Mount Pleasant and reflects current demands from other activities, including the Middle East. There is an intention to provide Voyager support to the Falkland Islands where appropriate.”
The news comes just days after a leaked internal Pentagon memo revealed that the Trump administration was considering reviewing its support for Britain’s claim to the islands in retaliation for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s lack of support for the war in Iran.
Downing Street insisted the archipelago’s sovereignty was “out of question”, but the row highlighted the growing rift between Britain and the US.
“We are doing everything humanly possible to get the Falkland Islands back into Argentinian hands,” Milei told Neura yesterday. “Sovereignty is not negotiable, but it must be done sensibly, it must be done with intelligence.”
He is also said to have poured millions into his country’s military forces, spending more than £220 million on 24 refurbished F-16 fighter jets for the Danish air force.
In its statement, the Ministry of Defense reiterated the UK’s determination to defend the Falkland Islands.
The statement said: “The UK’s commitment to the defense of the Falkland Islands is unwavering and our ability to defend the islands remains strong with fast jets and advanced air defences.
“The redeployment of assets is routine and in support of operational priorities, and we continually evaluate our asset deployment.”
The Express has contacted the Ministry of Defense for comment.
