Falklands MLA says islands have “state of the art” defense technology

A member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly said the archipelago's current defenses are sufficient, in response to questions raised in Westminster over the maintenance of the armed forces and the equipment deployed in the islands. Lewis Clifton, a member of the Executive Council who holds the Emergency Services and Island Security portfolio, told FITV that they receive regular briefings from the Commander of British Forces at Sullivan House, the seat of the islands' government in Stanley, which give them “absolute assurance” that the islands are secure. “There have been a number of issues raised in Westminster recently, and there have been some statements with regard to the maintenance of our armed forces here, the assets that are here, the replacement of the Typhoons,” he said, adding: “So why wouldn't we feel secure?” Clifton was referring to the replacement of the Tranche 1 Typhoon jets assigned to the islands with Tranche 2 aircraft, planned for the rotation between November and December 2027, which carry more advanced radar, avionics and weapons. The swap was confirmed this month in the House of Commons by Luke Pollard, Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, responding to a question from Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty on steps being taken to ensure the archipelago's security. The lawmaker said assembly members were invited to the Mount Pleasant complex shortly after taking office in December, where they saw “firsthand” a range of new missile equipment that has been introduced. “We have state-of-the-art technology here,” he said. He did not specify which systems were involved or provide figures on the deployment, and there is no independent verification of the equipment he referred to. The remarks come amid rising tension between Argentina and the United Kingdom over sovereignty of the archipelago. Over the past two weeks, Argentina's government has filed criminal complaints and opened administrative proceedings against companies linked to hydrocarbon exploration in the area, and the United Kingdom published guidance backing companies operating there, which Buenos Aires rejected. Top Comments Disclaimer & comment rules- Veteran Read all commentsNot forgetting the unpublished movements of the silent service. Posted 3 hours ago 0Please log in or register (it’s free!) to comment. Login with Facebook