Brazilian media reports that on Friday, Rio de Janeiro’s airspace experienced an unusual day with the arrival of British fighters and temporary airport closures. A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft declared an emergency near the Brazilian coast while flying over the Atlantic.
The Airbus A400M Atlas has taken over the lead of the RAF's tactical airlift of troops and equipment following the decommissioning of the Hercules C-130.
Last month the British Forces in South Atlantic Islands, BFSAI, stationed in Mount Pleasant Complex, MPC, were involved in the operation COLDSTARE as part of a routine maritime patrol in support of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands' rich fisheries resources.
Falkland Islands based PHAROS SG, on regular deployment as a South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands fishery patrol vessel, returned on Tuesday morning to Stanley Harbour, after assisting in the search for wreckage and debris from the Chilean C130 aircraft that went missing on Monday 09 December.
The Royal Navy vessel HMS Scott arrived on Sunday in the search area, to provide support to the Chilean military in their response to the loss of a C130 that went missing earlier in the week in the Southern Atlantic Ocean.
The contract to repair the 3,000-meter runway at RAF Ascension Island has yet to be awarded, and work may not be complete until 2022. It has been partially closed since April 2017. This means the Falkland Islands/Brize Norton airbridge will continue to operate through Cape Verde.
The Falkland Islands also joined Royal Air Force centenary celebrations. Despite poor weather the hangar event held at Mount Pleasant Complex, MPC, to celebrate RAF 100 the Royal Air Force Centenary (April 1) “went off perfectly,” according to spokesperson for the event.
The Atlas A400M arrived in the Falkland Islands last week. Having completed the 20 hour journey from the UK, A400M touched down at Mount Pleasant Complex on Tuesday afternoon, a week ago.