RAF Mount Pleasant (IATA: MPN, ICAO: EGYP) (also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, Mount Pleasant Complex or MPA) is a military base for the Royal Air Force in the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The facility is part of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI). The station, home to between 1,000 and 2,000 British military personnel, is located about 30 miles (48 km) miles southwest of Stanley—the capital of the Falklands—on the island of East Falkland. One of the world's longest corridors, half a mile (800 m) long, links the barracks, messes and recreational and welfare areas of the base.

The base is occasionally referred to by its residents as the Death Star because of its sometimes confusing layout. When paired up with Wasu, Papua New Guinea, the two cities are the farthest, in terms of number of flights, in the worldwide air transportation network.

History

Location of RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

RAF Mount Pleasant is the most recent purpose-built permanent airfield in the Royal Air Force. The RAF previously had a small base at Stanley airfield after the end of the hostilities in 1982. During the Falklands War when the islands were occupied by Argentine military forces, British aircraft were sent to disable the runway with RAF Strike Command Vulcan bombers (Operation Black Buck) and Royal Navy Sea Harriers. The raids were moderately successful, and on the first Black Buck mission one 1,000-pound (450 kg) bomb hit the runway in the middle, disabling it. However, temporary repairs by the Argentines did allow Hercules C130 transport aircraft to bring in supplies and take out casualties until the end of the conflict. After the end of hostilities the runway was fully repaired by British military engineers.

After the surrender of the Argentine ground forces on the islands, the British still faced the problem of potential Argentine air attacks from the Argentine homeland, so an aircraft carrier had to remain on station to guard the islands with its squadron of Sea Harriers until the local airfield was prepared for jet aircraft. HMS Hermes was the first to take guard duty, whilst HMS Invincible went north to change (at sea) a main engine. Invincible then returned to relieve Hermes which urgently needed to return to the UK for boiler cleaning. Invincible returned until she was relieved by the newly built HMS Illustrious, which was quickly rushed south and commissioned during the journey. Once the Port Stanley runway was available for jets, Illustrious was relieved by 4x RAF Phantom FGR.2 (named ‘Faith’. ‘Hope’, Charity’ and ‘Desperation’ by the crews).

The British government felt that Stanley airfield was not the best option for a large, permanent base and decided to construct a new RAF station and make it the centrepiece of the Islands' considerably strengthened defences. This was intended to deter any future Argentine attempts to take the islands by force. Mount Pleasant, to the west of Stanley, was chosen as the site for the new station. The airfield was opened by Prince Andrew in 1985 (Prince Andrew served in the Falklands War), and became fully operational in 1986.

Current equipment

RAF Mount Pleasant

RAF Mount Pleasant has a wide range of social and sporting facilities including a gym, swimming pool, golf course, diving centre, karting, laserquest, library, cinema, bowling, climbing wall and indoor and outdoor sports pitches. There are two NAAFI shops, hairdressers, a medical centre, and an education centre on the base. There is also a complex that includes a café and a small shop (RONOKEs), which are both owned and run by the Falkland Islands Company.

Currently based at Mount Pleasant are No. 1435 Flight with 4 Eurofighter Typhoons, No. 1312 Flight, with a single VC-10 tanker and one Hercules C130, as well as No.1564 Flight (since November 2007) with 2 Sea King helicopters maintained by SKIOS (Sea King Integrated Operational Support), an aeronautical engineering collaboration between AgustaWestland and VT Aerospace. There are also 2 Sikorsky S-61 civilian Helicopters run by British International Helicopters Limited (Brintel). Ground units include No 7, 303, and 751 Signals Units and a Rapier detachment from the Royal Artillery. This was previously handled by the RAF Regiment but the RA now have sole responsibility for operating the Rapier.

33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) provides constant support and is part of the Joint Service Falkland Islands Detachment which consists of RAF and RLC EOD teams. It is mainly based in Stanley but there is also a detachment at Mount Pleasant. The group's role is to destroy unexploded munitions from the Falklands War; to brief troops, tourists and citizens on which areas are safe; and to mark uncleared minefields.

There is also a Joint Communications Unit (JCU) providing the electronic warfare and command and control systems for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

Operational units

• No. 1435 Flight
• No. 1312 Flight
• No.1564 Flight
• SKIOS
• Royal Artillery Detachment
• 33 Engineer Regiment
• Joint Communications Unit

Airlines and destinations

Using the IATA airport code MPN, RAF Mount Pleasant also acts as the Falkland Islands' only international airport, along with its military role. Flights open to civilian passengers are operated twice each week. Starting in autumn 2008 these flights were operated by a civilian airline, Flyglobespan, on behalf of the Royal Air Force; after Flyglobespan went bankrupt in 2009, the flights have been temporarily operated by Air Tahiti Nui, Titan Airways and Air Seychelles. They fly to and from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, with a refuelling stop at RAF Ascension Island in the south-central Atlantic Ocean. These flights currently use Boeing 767 aircraft although occasionally an RAF Lockheed Tristar freight aircraft or an Antonov An-225 bring in large items of freight.

Additionally, every Saturday LAN Airlines operates a scheduled commercial flight to the city of Punta Arenas in southern Chile, stopping at Río Gallegos, Argentina once a month.

Scheduled

Unscheduled

The content above was published at Airports-Worldwide.com in 2010.
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