8 replies to this topic

[Guthlac]

http://www.express.c...lklands-defence


MORE than 150 troops have been sent to  the Falkland Islands to test the UK’s military capability against possible Argentine invasion.

Although the deployment is said to be part of a planned exercise, it comes as tensions between London and Buenos Aires were ramped up over a diplomatic exchange at the United Nations.

The development also comes in the week Prince William left for the Falklands on a routine deployment as a search and rescue pilot.

However, he is not involved in what is called Falklands Forum 12 in which Navy, Army and Royal Air Force personnel stage a “paper exercise” inside an aircraft hangar at Mount Pleasant, the island’s military airport.

It will also test in “real time” the reaction of naval, Army and RAF forces based on the islands.

Crucially, it includes staff officers from the Permanent Joint Force Headquarters, based in Northwood, Middlesex, as well as 70 reservists who will spend two weeks in the South Atlantic.

The Sunday Express has learned that a British nuclear submarine en route to the region is carrying a special team of Spanish-speaking communications technicians who will monitor any maritime radio transmissions in the region.

Argentina reacted to the 29-year-old prince’s deployment by accusing Britain of sending him “in the uniform of a conquistador”.

Last night it emerged that Sir Mark Lyall Grant, Britain’s ambassador to the UN, had delivered a letter outlining the UK’s territorial embrace of the islands in 1765 and how Queen Victoria had to send two Royal Naval vessels to eject Argentine troops in 1833. The letter, a rebuttal to a protest letter distributed by the Argentine government, stated that there will be no negotiations over the islands’ sovereignty

It also chastised Argentina for encouraging neighbouring nations to turn away vessels flying the Falklands flag, adding: “These developments call into question the commitment of Argentina to peaceful cooperation.” The UN has issued a resolution calling on the two countries to work out their differences.

A senior military source said last night: “Exercise Falklands Forum takes place every couple of years and is designed to test the islands’ military capability but this year’s event is very relevant. Sadly, the majority of the exercise is on paper because we cannot afford to send all the assets we would use in real-life.”

Last week it emerged that a nuclear submarine, thought to be either HMS Tireless or HMS Turbulent, was on its way to protect the islands. Each of the 4,700-tonne vessels has a crew of 148, Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Whichever submarine was deployed is expected to make at least two visits to Port Stanley to ensure Argentina is aware of her presence. While Britain’s most modern warship, the Type 45 Destroyer Dauntless, will provide an overall presence, the submarine will provide an outer cordon of covert protection.

Prime Minister David Cameron has approved the deployment after giving the green light to a wide range of contingency plans.

A team at Northwood is co-ordinating deployments this summer to mark the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict and deliver military effect if required.

Last night a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “The Falklands Forum is not a response to any perceived new threat. It is a routine exercise that takes place every two years and tests responses such as how emergency services would cope with excess flooding or other civil contingencies.”

[Witnere]

All this is, is someone has learnt from history and has determined that we won't be caught pants down this time. I still don't think there'll be another war.

[Grendel in Esseax]

It really pisses me off that Argentina screams & shouts the loudest about what the British Government chooses to do on its own soveriegn soil? it seems the aggressor needs to take a look at itself instead of mugging itself off in public again.

[Guthlac]

I think they should change rest of the place names in the Falklands to English place names. And repatriate all the fallen Argentinians back to Argentina.

[Sceadugenden]

I am not sure what the total forces are, about the 500 mark is about right. Even this will not be enough , especially if Venezuela and Uruguay decide to fight along side the Argentines. One thing that would cause a serious problem, is if the Chileans change sides. They have 3 of our type 23 frigates, the ex Grafton , Marlborough and Norfolk and type 22 , the ex Sheffield and other good vessels from the US, Israel,France , Germany and Holland. A bigger problem is that we have trained them.
On plus front they are scared of our Trafalgar and Astute class subs.
But on the other hand they know we have weak politicians and a lot of our service people are being slung on the dole queue, so are they worried about us ?

[Guthlac]

Sceadugenden, on 06 February 2012 - 10:28 AM, said:

I am not sure what the total forces are, about the 500 mark is about right. Even this will not be enough , especially if Venezuela and Uruguay decide to fight along side the Argentines. One thing that would cause a serious problem, is if the Chileans change sides. They have 3 of our type 23 frigates, the ex Grafton , Marlborough and Norfolk and type 22 , the ex Sheffield and other good vessels from the US, Israel,France , Germany and Holland. A bigger problem is that we have trained them.
On plus front they are scared of our Trafalgar and Astute class subs.
But on the other hand they know we have weak politicians and a lot of our service people are being slung on the dole queue, so are they worried about us ?

I was thinking something along the line that if they start actually attacking we should attack their navel dockyards also.

[Witnere]

With the extra 150 troops the garrison will have 1,350 infantry. Just fyi.

[Huscarl-80]

^{I cant see there being another war, Its just the spics kicking off due to the fact off all that potential black gold would line our governments pocket and not theirs. Even if they did try anything with there south american allies such as Uruguay, they would be severly beaten and it would be embarrasing for them, after all how many wars have Argentina and Uruguay ever fought in/won. I cant think of any. There is enough firepower and enough war fighting experience based on the Islands to repel them and they know it.}

[Guthlac]

http://hitchensblog....derage-sex.html

You can't replace warships with empty words
The more David Cameron rattles his rusty sabre, the more I fear for the Falklands. Margaret Thatcher nearly lost them, by proposing to scrap much of the Navy and withdrawing HMS Endurance. Luckily for her, the Argentinians didn’t wait till we had sold or melted down the ships that formed the Task Force, or she’d be a footnote.

Now, we could not possibly take the islands back if we lost them again, and I am not convinced we are strong enough to hold them against a determined attack.

We also have many fewer friends in the world than we had in 1982. I dread waking up one morning and hearing that Port Stanley is once again in Argentine hands.

Mr Cameron hopes to look tough by boasting about ship deployments. But while I don’t want to give too much away, our ships may not be well suited to the task they face. And they can’t stay for ever.

He should boast less, and try to rebuild the Navy he has cut so clumsily, before it is too late.