Britain To Boost Falkland Islands Defences

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Britain is to "beef up" its military presence on the Falkland Islands amid claims there is a heightened risk of invasion

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will announce reinforcements of troops and equipment following a Ministry of Defence review suggesting an attack on the South Atlantic archipelago is more likely.

"I'm going to be announcing to Parliament later today how we're going to beef up defences there, how we're going to modernise our defences," he told Sky News.

He added that he intended "to reassure the islanders that we're absolutely committed to their right to remain British and to the defence of the islands".

"We're modernising what we're doing there and I'm going to talk about the various capabilities and equipment we have there," he said.

"I can't give you too much detail of that because I can't even tell Parliament all the details of how we defend the Falklands, but what I can assure you is that we're absolutely committed to defending the Falklands.

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Gallery: Archive Images: Falklands War

British Royal Navy frigate HMS Antelope explodes in the bay of San Carlos off East Falklands

The landing strip of the military base Puerto Argentina is seen after a British air raid during the Falklands War

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Argentina's army soldiers place a mortar in Port Howard during the Falklands War

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British troops arriving in the Falklands Islands during the Falklands War

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Argentine Army General Mario Benjamin Menendez who ruled as governor for the 73 days addresses his troops during the Falklands War

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"The threat to the Falklands has not gone away."

Around 1,200 troops are based on the islands along with a small fleet of Sea King helicopters and RAF Typhoon jets.

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has revived tensions over the islands, which her country calls Las Malvinas, since she came to power.

Speculation emerged in December that Russia had agreed to supply fighter jets to Argentina in return for beef and wheat, to circumvent European sanctions imposed on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said a "devastating" Defence Select Committee report suggested British armed forces would not be capable of retaking the islands if they were successfully invaded.

"They've definitely got to get in and defend if the Argentines are boosting their military capabilities and posing some threat to the Falklands," he said.

"The reality is: They're not and they're not. Ultimately they want to get the Falklands back, (but) they're not going to go to war with Britain over it.

"They are boosting their military capability, but in a pretty insignificant way."

Prime Minister David Cameron, in his last Christmas message to the Islanders, announced a bronze statue of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher would be unveiled this year in the British territory.

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