Britain accused of weakening Falklands air defences as Argentina rearms with fighter jets
Ministers have been accused of downgrading air defenses for the Falkland Islands as Argentina expands its air force.
This comes alongside threats from Trump to withdraw support for Britain’s sovereignty, after an internal Pentagon email suggested the US was considering options to punish NATO allies it believed had failed to support its war on Iran.
The criticism arises after RAF sources confirmed that the sole Voyager refueling aircraft based on the Falklands had been redeployed following the Iran crisis.
The decision potentially means that RAF Typhoons could not conduct around-the-clock air patrols for the 1,600-mile round trip to South Georgia.
As a result, the islands will be without air-to-air refueling capacity for the first time since the 1980s, when Margaret Thatcher sent the Task Force to defeat Argentina.
Argentinian President Javier Milei has previously pledged to strengthen the nation’s military forces and expressed his desire for Argentina to regain sovereignty of the Falklands during his election campaign.
The news comes as Buenos Aires spends over £220 million on 24 refurbished F-16s fighter jets from the Danish air force.
They are also understood to be seeking two KC-135R Stratotankers from the US for air-to-air refueling capabilities.
A senior RAF source expressed concern about the UK’s ability to defend the islands should the Argentines wish to launch a challenge.
"If the Argentines decide they want to test our defenses, we would be hard-pressed to mount a constant combat air patrol with no ability to conduct air-to-air refueling. We need more aircraft and more pilots."
The comments also come after the leak of an internal email from the Pentagon, outlining options for the United States to punish European allies who had not backed the president’s war on Iran.
This included reassessing diplomatic support for longstanding European “imperial possessions,” such as the Falklands, located 300 miles from mainland Argentina, as well as suggesting suspending Spain from NATO.
In response to the threat from the US, No 10 said: "The Falkland Islands have previously voted overwhelmingly in favor of remaining a UK overseas territory, and we’ve always stood behind the islanders’ right to self-determination and the fact that sovereignty rests with the UK."
Following the concern raised over the air defense situation in the Falklands, the Ministry of Defence reiterated the UK’s commitment to defending the Falklands.
"The UK’s commitment to the defense of the Falklands is unwavering – and our ability to defend the islands remains strong with fast jets and sophisticated air defenses.
"Any redeployment of assets is routine and to support operational priorities, and we are constantly assessing our asset deployment."
LBC has contacted the MoD for comment.
Head of Investigations
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