• Deployments

South Atlantic Islands

The British Army provides a constant garrison on the Falkland Islands to support the Navy and Air Force with ground capabilities such as air defence and Infantry specialists. The austere terrain and challenging South Atlantic climate also provides unique training opportunities to increase the readiness of our soldiers to respond to crisis in all environments around the world.

History

Argentinean landing

In March 1982, Argentinean scrap metal merchants landed on the Falkland Islands' dependency of South Georgia and raised the Argentinean flag. This was followed by an invasion of the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982. The United Nations Security Council condemned the invasion.

South Georgia recaptured

The United Kingdom reacted by sending a Task Force to the South Atlantic and imposing a naval and air blockade on the large Argentinean garrison on the Falkland Islands. South Georgia was recaptured, and a large logistics and staging post was set up on Ascension Island to support the Task Force.

Surrender

On 21 May 1982, British troops landed at Port San Carlos and began to move towards Stanley. Our troops won a significant battle at Goose Green, which laid the foundation for victory. After an intense air and artillery barrage and the capture of dominant mountain ridges around Stanley, the Argentinean Commander on the Falkland Islands surrendered all his forces on 14 June 1982.

Post-conflict

After the 1982 conflict, the UK established a garrison on the Falkland Islands, consisting of naval, land and air elements. The situation in the South Atlantic has changed substantially since the conflict. Argentina is now a democracy, committed to the peaceful resolution of issues over the Islands.

Who's deployed