MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

The defense of the Falkland Islands with the Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons

Four Typhoon FGR4 from 1435 Flight are currently based at Mount Pleasant Complex. Photo: RAF

During the Easter holiday period, the RAF detachment in the Falkland Islands continued to deliver air operations in the South Atlantic. One element of the air operations is a Quick Reaction Alert response carried out by the Typhoons of 1435 Flight.

The flight is made up of RAF personnel who serve at the Mount Pleasant Complex on a rotational basis from the Typhoon Force front line squadrons.

Squadron Leader Murphy said, “The daily flying here provides us with great training opportunities that we don’t often experience in the UK.

”Intercepting the various aircraft of Mount Pleasant Complex and the Islands keeps our Quick Reaction Alert skills sharp.

“Having a dedicated Voyager tanker is real bonus too, extending the time we are airborne and able to defend the Islands if required.”

1435 Flight consists of engineers, support staff and pilots, who maintain and fly the Typhoon FGR4 aircraft based at Mount Pleasant Complex.

The primary role is Air Defense and Quick Reaction Alert, much like in the UK.

They are poised 24/7 to intercept any unidentified aircraft around the Falkland Islands, a role the flight has been undertaking at Mount Pleasant Complex since 1986 with Phantoms, then Tornado F3, and now Typhoon.

All of the personnel are deployed to the Islands individually from Typhoon squadrons at RAF Lossiemouth and Coningsby and spend between six weeks and six months at Mount Pleasant Complex depending on their role. (Forces News)