Falkland Islands Tension increase

[alchresearch]

I wonder how much it would cost to fight rather than share the resources?

[Agent Orange]

If the government see a possible threat of another invasion wouldn't it make sense to start increasing the military presence now. Military installations can be modernized and increased in size and scope to accommodate the increase.

Fighter planes dont necessarily need carriers in this case. They could be shipped disassembled aboard large freight ships and assembled upon arrival. I assume there is an RAF airfield already in existence.

 

The question is though how important does the current UK government see the Falklands as continuing to be British

 

Here is a bit about RAF Mount Pleasant.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Mount_Pleasant

 

Hope it gives you an insight.

[Phanerothyme]

From Jordan, hence the EJ suffix I believe. You can still fit modern missiles to it though.

 

Nope, not any really modern missiles like the AIM120, as it doesn't have the avionics needed to operate them nor does Argentina have the treaty with the US needed to obtain them.

 

But these four Eurofighters you keep carping on about are not the whole RAF. The forces in the Falklands needn't be strong enough to repel a full scale state military invasion - if one should occur - because invasions are difficult to keep secret nowadays. Once any attempted invasion started, whatever plan that the military have thought up in response will be enacted. I'm not privy to the plan, but I expect it involves lots more soldiers and jets, and very little whining about not having an aircraft carrier.

 

Argentine forces cannot sit in The Channel firing submarine launched cruise missiles into London.

 

Britain , however, has the capability to do the exact same thing to Buenos Aires, should it feel the need.

 

But you still come up with a good reason to not have vast capital ships

 

I suggested that (the Argentinians) would capture the air base and not have to fight in the air. They can then sink any relief force with BVR hypersonic missiles launched from their ageing planes.

 

Does not the same thing apply in reverse, that any Argentine ship posing a threat would be sunk by 'BVR' [shall I just call you Goose? ] hypersonic missiles? Or don't we have any?

[andygardener]

I wonder how much it would cost to fight rather than share the resources?

 

I think the idea is to maintain sufficient defense and dimplomatic pressure on Argentina that no other Argentinian government seriously contemplates invading.

 

That way we don't have to share resources with a country that has no more claim to the Falklands than we have on Britanny.

[Tony]

It's 300 miles from the Argentinian mainland.

 

The eurofighers would outclass the argentinian airforce, but would they be sufficient without support to stop an invasion fleet that had destroyer support (with AA capability) whilst outnumbered by inferior planes?

The Argentian air force is expecting to take delivery of 12 Mirage F-1EJ in 2012.

 

Cyclone, seriously, you're talking out of your arse on this one. You're one of the smartest folk on SF but on this occasion you're miles off beam.

 

Aircraft carriers are old tech. Capital ships are past their sell by.

[Tony]

Fighter planes dont necessarily need carriers in this case. They could be shipped disassembled aboard large freight ships and assembled upon arrival.

 

Or they could just fly there overnight.

[simonj]

Why would anyone need to sneak anywhere? There's a fleet of them at Cottesmore that are just a day away.

Seriously, the Argentinian Air Force couldn't take the skin off a rice pudding with the remaining ancient junk that wasn't shot down last time.

 

I think you mean Coningsby? Cottesmore was a Harrier base and held its formal closing ceremony earlier this year after the retirement of the Harrier. I would be seriously impressed if a Typhoon could reach the Falklands from the UK in a day (which it can't)!

[Tony]

Well there you go, a simple allegorical mistake. Have a banana.

 

Now you've had your fun go read the thread to catch up with the grown ups.

[Halibut]

Well there you go, a simple allegorical mistake. Have a banana.

 

Now you've had your fun go read the thread to catch up with the grown ups.

 

Do I detect a little more waspishness than usual this evening?

[Tony]

I'll see your smiley and raise you one