After recapturing the territory in June 1982, the UK invested heavily in the defence of the islands, the centrepiece of which was a new airfield at RAF Mount Pleasant, 27 miles (43 km) west of Stanley.

[8][9][10] The FIDF is now a platoon to company-strength light infantry unit with a permanent training Warrant Officer seconded from the Royal Marines.

[13] Lilibet is named in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and has been leased to the Falklands Government by Seagull Maritime Limited for fifteen years.

[14] Civilian-crewed, the vessel is a Damen Stan 5009 patrol ship with a maximum speed of up to 29.5 knots (54.6 km/h; 33.9 mph) and a crew of up to 28 persons.

[16] RAF Mount Pleasant has its own port facility[17] called Mare Harbour, operated by Naval Party 2010 (NP2010).

The Royal Navy deploys a River-class offshore patrol vessel, HMS Forth, in the south Atlantic and the ship is the principal naval presence permanently close to the islands.

[18] In addition, an Ice Patrol Ship, HMS Protector, is on station close to Antarctica during the regional summer months.

[19][20] Prior to 2015 a major warship and RFA vessel commonly carried out the Atlantic Patrol Task (South) mission, which provides for "a maritime presence to protect the UK's interests in the region".

Prior to Southampton's deployment in August 2005, the role was filled by HMS Cardiff, which was decommissioned on return to the UK.

[22] October 2011 saw the arrival of the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose, generating a statement from UNASUR (Union of South American Nations).

[32] The threat posed by submarines to hostile ships was demonstrated during the Falklands War when HMS Conqueror sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano.

The Royal Navy's current fleet submarines also carry BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of 1,500 miles (2,400 km).

Utilizing RAF Ascension Island, a station which reports to the Commander BFSAI, these aircraft maintain direct air links between the U.K. and the Falklands.

[46] The Voyager is deployed in the islands for air refueling operations but is unable to fit within a hangar at RAF Mount Pleasant due to its size.

[47] Initially, a C-130 Hercules was used for transport, search and rescue and maritime patrol until replaced with an A400M Atlas aircraft in April 2018.

[48] In January 2023, an RAF A400M Atlas supported by a Voyager tanker aircraft, dropped the first of 300 fuel drums as part of a tasking to resupply the Sky Blu facility of the British Antarctic Survey.

303 Signals Unit who moved into a purpose-built operations building at Mount Pleasant Complex to form the Control and Reporting Centre.

The Joint Communications Unit Falkland Islands (JCUFI) provides the electronic warfare and command and control systems for the Royal Navy, Army and RAF stationed there.