Britains Small Wars - Falklands (1982)

The difference now is the Mount Pleasant airbase. There is a fully functioning all weather , long runway airbase that will allow the rapid reinforcement of the Falklands in time of tension. It has 4 Typhoon fighters based there and is a fully defended airbase with radar, air defence missile batteries and ground forces.
There is usually a reinforced company of infantry, a warship is always in the area and of course the hidden menace of a nuclear hunter killer fleet submarine. Once Afghanistan is over I would like to see the infantry levels increased to Battalion strength and a squadron of light armour sent there, although Argentina would of course claim we are provoking them.

As for Argentina? the truth is that their armed forces are at the same level they were in 1982, the same equipment, unmodernised, they do not pose a threat, As long as the UK does not get complacent. The real threat is a special forces attack to capture or put out of action the airbase. If the UK remains alert there is no way that Argentina could invade the islands. If Britain does not stay alert then yes, any Argentine sneak attack & occupation would result in the loss of the islands for Britain with no hope of recovery.