On June 14, Rear Admiral Carlos Maria Allievi, chief of staff of the Argentine Navy, announced that the acquisition of landing platforms and amphibious assault ships is being examined, as well as an agreement with Denmark to take over fighter aircraft F-16. A military buildup observed with disquiet and a certain degree of nervousness by Great Britain: «The 1982 Falklands War remains a defining event in the history of the United Kingdom and Argentina. The plans of the Armed Forces of Buenos Aires to obtain new equipment represent a clear threat to the Falklands”, writes the English newspaper Telegraph in an in-depth analysis. And he raises the alarm: “Argentina is arming itself for a new Falklands war.”
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The resolution
That the front is hot is demonstrated by the position of the Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, who four days ago once again raised the issue of the “illegal occupation” of the Malvinas/Falkland Islands by the United Kingdom in a session of the Special Committee on decolonization of the UN in New York, asking London for “bilateral negotiations” to resolve the dispute over sovereignty. During the debate on a draft resolution signed by Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela – the six Latin American countries of the Committee – which proposes the establishment of a bilateral negotiating table, Mondino highlighted that «191 years have passed since the beginning of the illegal occupation of the islands by the United Kingdom, but the time that has passed has in no way diminished the validity of the claims, nor changed the belief that the long-standing dispute should be resolved peacefully, through bilateral negotiations.” Self-determination, added the minister, “cannot serve as a pretext to attack the territorial integrity” of Argentina, warning that “the current composition of the population of the islands is the result of the colonization of the United Kingdom, which after having occupied the territory by force and having expelled the Argentine authorities, implemented measures to prevent the settlement of Argentines from the mainland favoring that of the British, with the aim of defining a demographic composition suited to its interests”.
Milei’s plans
Argentina has repeatedly expressed its determination to reclaim sovereignty over the islands, with President Javier Milei reminding his country that the Constitution explicitly mandates the reunification of the Falklands with Argentina. Despite the UK’s equally clear position that the islands’ sovereignty is non-negotiable, the Argentine government continues to press the issue. President Milei made his intentions clear, drawing parallels with the return of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China and assuring that Argentina’s claim to the islands is non-negotiable. He acknowledged that it could take decades to achieve sovereignty, but Argentina’s insistent statements highlight, according to the Telegraph, the need for Britain to maintain a solid position and send a clear long-term message: «The UK can fight and win to protect the islands.” Of course, the F-16 jets, especially if supported by refueling planes, could compromise British air superiority in the Falklands, just as the amphibious ships could land a number of men capable of overwhelming the English garrison present. However, the newspaper underlines, the use of these resources “presents potentially insurmountable challenges for Argentina”.
Diplomacy
One of the first problems is of a diplomatic nature: advanced military equipment produced in the United States, including the F-16, cannot be used without US consent. In the absence of American support, aircraft like the F-16 are very complex to use in combat. Furthermore, the geographical location of the Falklands, which are approximately 300 miles from the Argentine mainland, separated by the often treacherous waters of the South Atlantic, exacerbates the logistical difficulties of implementing and maintaining an amphibious operation over such a distance. The British Typhoon jets, positioned at the RAF base in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, would make an amphibious action of similar scale impossible, the Telegraph points out. “If Britain were alerted to an attempted invasion, which would be difficult to prevent, it could send an attack submarine or other naval reinforcements to the area. So, at least for now, Argentina cannot realistically reconquer the Falklands.” The situation however highlights the current weakness of the British forces. «The Royal Navy today has only six attack submarines. It would almost certainly not be able to send more than one to the Falklands and perhaps not even one at all. The real concern lies in the adequacy of Britain’s capabilities, particularly the size of its fleet.”
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The messenger
