UK to spend extra £180m on defences for Falklands

BRITAIN will invest £180million over the next ten years to defend the Falkland Islands against a ‘very live’ threat from Argentina, the Defence Secretary said yesterday.

It came as it emerged Russia could be helping to re-arm the South American country.

Last night, Russia’s ambassador to London ramped up the rhetoric by comparing his nation’s takeover of Crimea to Britain’s role in the Falklands.

However, despite the new tensions, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Britain will not send more troops or warplanes to the region.

Instead, existing defences will be ‘modernised’, with investment in ‘ageing infrastructure’ and an upgrade of a surface-to-air missile system.

Mr Fallon had claimed the UK military presence on the Falklands would be ‘beefed up’, following a review by top brass. But later he told MPs there would be no increase in soldiers or attack aircraft as the report found they were at the ‘level required’.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin is reported to be working on a deal to lease 12 Sukhoi Su-24 bombers to Argentina.

Former RAF chief Sir Michael Graydon said: ‘It doesn’t sound to me like we are “beefing up” defences.

‘It seems like they are pretty thin … If Argentina did get hold of the bombers from Russia they could take the airfield out … we would have to be prepared to deal with a possible invasion … we need more troops.’

Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982, costing 260 British and 650 Argentine lives. The South American state still claims territorial rights to the South Atlantic islands.

Intelligence chiefs have warned that Argentina could land forces on a remote island, and that commanders need support helicopters to enable infantry to react to any threat. Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said the reported Russian deal was ‘very serious’, adding: ‘[Putin] is ram- ping up the tension.’ Mr Fallon told BBC Radio 4’s Today: ‘It is a very live threat. We have to respond … modernise our defences to ensure we have sufficient troops there.’ He told Sky News ‘we’re going to beef up defences’.

But in the Commons he admitted no more troops or fighter jets would be sent. Two Chinook helicopters will replace search and rescue Sea King helicopters, and ground-based air defences will be renewed around 2020.

Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko compared the 2013 referendum that found 99.8 per cent of Falkland Islanders wanted to remain a British territory to that held in Crimea

The snap referendum used to justify annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula was denounced by Britain. The Russian embassy accused the Foreign Office of applying ‘one logic’ to the Falklands and a ‘different one’ to Crimea.