The Falklands conflict of
1982 posed an incredible challenge
For decades they'd been shaped,
in many cases with the aim of better
for fighting the Soviet Union
It was expected that this battle
of the North Atlantic,
in the skies over northern Europe
The Falklands, however, was an unexpected
The RAF in particular were presented
successfully contribute
to liberate the islanders and return them
The RAF was not used to operating
Their capabilities were built
or from friendly air bases.
And yet the sheer distance of the Falkland
4000 miles from the nearest landform
meant that the RAF
in which you could actually contribute
whilst
it was goinng to need to be supplied
essential equipment, things,
All of these things
The RAF was going to provide those.
But how could be
involve itself in strike operations
The RAF mobilized straight away,
from the UK to Ascension.
That really rivaled any airlift
operation undertaken
This was the first major contribution
and it's something that they maintained
This required them
that had fallen into abeyance or been lost
For the Hercules, for example.
Aircraft need to be modified heavily.
And it wasn't just a question
of putting in a system
This was a system
needed to be designed tested
And it was a major triumph and success
so, so effectively,
Another example of innovation,
and then resolving them on the spot
came with the fitting
These were surveillance aircraft.
They were not necessary
but operate in a huge range
with an air to air refueling capability
meant they needed to defend themselves
fighters ever and was quite
But again,
this was something that the RAF found
They tested it, they worked it up
And it's just one of many examples
but also of overcoming challenges
from the Falklands campaign for not just
