t
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Chapter Three
act as a FMB for evacuation operations in sub-Saharan Africa. Wideawake
airfield is owned and operated, through a contractor, by the United States; a long-term administrative agreement governs British defence use of its facilities, through a lease-back arrangement.
Military Task 1.18: Security of the Falklands and South Georgia
337. As long as Argentina maintains its claim to the Falkland Islands the
United Kingdom needs to maintain appropriate forces there. These are currently centred on an infantry company group and Tornado F3 air defence aircraft at RAF Mount Pleasant, and supported by a Royal Navy presence in adjacent waters; Hercules tankers, helicopters and Rapier surface-to-air missiles provide additional support. These forces are designed to deter possible aggression against the Falkland Islands, South Georgia (where there is a small military presence) and the South Sandwich Islands, calling on reinforcements if necessary. Should this
deterrence fail, the garrison is tasked with maintaining the integrity of
Mount Pleasant airfield as an airhead for reinforcement; defending other
military installations in the Falkland Islands; providing for the safety of
shipping and aircraft within the area; countering military action against
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; and providing 24-hour
military SAR cover and, when military cover is not affected, SAR for the civil community.
Military Task 1.19: Maintain a British Military Presence in the British
Indian Ocean Territory (Diego Garcia)
338. A small naval party (currently around 40 personnel) is based on
Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) to exercise the
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