
The 250 years since Britain officially claimed the Falklands will be celebrated on a number of occasions this month. Celebrations are being organized in Stanley by members of the public on January 21 and 24 and by Falkland Islands Government on January 23 and 31, along with a ceremony on Saunders Island at Port Egmont on January 23.

The Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol Ship has carried out her first inspection of a fishing vessel in Antarctic Waters. HMS Protector met the fishing vessel while on patrol in Antarctic waters and made arrangements to carry out the inspection.

It is with regret that the Falkland Islands Government learned that Donald ‘Don’ Bonner passed away on the morning of Tuesday 16th December 2014, aged 87.

The UK showed its commitment to the UK/Chile defense relationship by sending a Royal Naval ship and the First Sea Lord to Exponaval 2014. The Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Dragon, made its first visit to Chile since commissioning and this was an opportune time for both navies to discuss their future modernization plans and acknowledge the important historic and enduring links between the two Services.

Chilean foreign minister Jorge Burgos revealed this week that the presence of HMS Dragon in Valparaiso was authorized after having consulted with Argentina, and underlined that Chile strictly abides with what was agreed regarding the passage of British vessels through Chilean waters.

UK ambassador in Chile Fiona Clouder underlined the values and qualities of the Royal Navy and Chilean Navy during a reception on HMS Dragon, which called at Valparaíso for the week long Exponaval 2014, considered the most important naval, maritime and ports' exhibition in the southern hemisphere.

Argentine media is reporting that HMS Dragon, Type 45 destroyer and one of the most modern vessels in the Royal Navy is currently in Valparaiso, Chile attending the Exponaval 2014, one of the main naval and maritime exhibition events in the Southern hemisphere.

Argentine opposition lawmakers expressed concern about alleged logistic support from Brazil and Chile to British warships and other auxiliary vessels in the South Atlantic and demanded the government of president Cristina Fernández report to Congress on the matter.

UK described recent combined military exercises in and around the Falkland Islands as part of regular routine training. The statement follows on Thursday's strong Argentine protest, (which claims sovereignty over the (Malvinas) Islands), and called the military exercises a “new provocation”.

The second-oldest vessel in the Naval Service, veteran tanker RFA Black Rover, a well known presence in the Falkland Islands, has completed her penultimate deployment, a marathon of 17 months in the Atlantic. No Royal Navy vessel can carry out a patrol in the Southern Hemisphere without the support of a Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker – a duty performed in recent years by a Rover-class vessel.