Sanctions on Russia possibly biting hard now? Putin is getting severely pxxxed off with the stranglehold on Russian finances with the concurrent plummeting of oil/gas prices. He has probably decided to create further problems for the UK in us deciding whether to spend vast amounts of defence cash on the Falklands. He is, of course pushing the US/Europe on all fronts at present.
Where is the Islamic State buying it's weaponry from? - From states funnelling Russian weapons DIRECTLY from Russia....
Putin isn't stupid. The aircraft he is selling to Argentina are not fitted with state of the art avionics & without using well trained Russian aircrew able to use modern weapons, the platforms are worthless.
Sadly, Britain cannot defend the Falklands anymore than it can defend the UK mainland anymore, without the use of our submarine launched nuclear deterrent. We have no anti-submarine defences except from short range (fleet range) helicopters & ASW vessels. Etc. Etc.
The military pratts that oversee our defences have let this country down badly. I remember undertaking TLP at Florrenes, Belgium in 1991 during the Florrenes Taceval, when the Belgian Air Force actually had to airlift & "Borrow" Air to Air missiles from Holland for their F16's to pass the Taceval!
Lets hear what the experts on here would suggest that are capable to defend the Falklands?
Let me suggest our best effort given our pathetic assets:
2 AWACS to give 24/7 coverage (5 x Crews).
2 MPA anti-submarine a/c equipped with nuclear depth charges (5 x Crews)
A full Squadron (14 a/c ) of typhoons
A full squadron of medium/long range Surface to Air missiles - which the UK does not have since getting rid of Bloodhound Mk II.
My personal view is that as reported today, Russia can mobilise over 150,000 (conscripted) troops within 72 hours yet the West can do bugger all is showing that Western Governments don't seem to worry about the Russian threat.
The USA & EU have pushed Russia to the limit with financial sanctions & sooner rather than later Russia will push across the Western European Plain with an armoured push.