As part of the scheduled rotation of its deployed forces in the Malvinas Islands, the British Army recently completed the unit handover with the transfer of responsibilities from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles (2 RGR), to A Company of the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (3 PARA), which now assumes duties as the infantry company at Mount Pleasant Complex.
In the words of the new commanding officer: “A Company, 3 PARA is very excited about its time in the Malvinas Islands and to continue the work of previous deployed units. In particular, it will be very meaningful to be here during the commemorations, remembering the actions of our predecessors alongside veterans from the UK and the local community.”
This type of troop deployment forms part of the sustained British military presence in the Malvinas Islands since 1982. Despite Argentina’s longstanding objection to the militarization of the archipelago, the arrival of 3 PARA—a highly trained unit with airborne capabilities and roles linked to special forces—reinforces the strategic significance the United Kingdom continues to assign to the islands in the context of its illegal occupation.
It is worth recalling that during the first months of the year, troops from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles (2 RGR), actively participated in exercises and operational tasks throughout their deployment on the archipelago. One of the most significant events during their stay was Exercise Cape Kukri III, held between 17 and 21 March, during which 2 RGR troops carried out large-scale simulated fire maneuvers as part of their final training phase. Activities were concentrated in Onion Range, a training area located in the centre of Isla Soledad near Mount Pleasant.
Simultaneously, operations also took place in the Stanley Common area, where troops conducted both day and night deployments and maneuvers in the Challenger, Wall, Harriet, and Tumbledown hills, enhancing terrain familiarity and improving tactical interoperability under adverse conditions.
During the current month of April, an airdrop exercise was carried out by a Royal Air Force (RAF) Airbus A400M tactical transport aircraft. The deployment took place near Pradera del Ganso, Isla Soledad, with the objective of enhancing logistical capabilities for operational and humanitarian support scenarios. A total of 24 pallets, each weighing 900 kilograms, were dropped from an altitude of 3,000 feet.
This operation was organized by 1312 Flight with support from 47 Air Dispatch and RAF Brize Norton’s Nos. 30 and 70 Squadrons. According to the RAF, it was the largest cargo drop ever performed from a single aircraft in the Malvinas Islands and one of the most significant undertaken by the British Air Force in recent years. The exercise also served as a proof of concept for future logistical missions in remote environments.
Image credits: BFSAI
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