If necessary you would likely even see a hot transfer of a Wasp and AV-8B+ if not a Nimitz given time. Loosing the Falklands would see the conservatives in opposition for over a decade as It would have done for Thatchers had Argentina waited for invincible to be transferred to Australia and Hermes to be retired.
I don't think we'd need even that to wrap up the Argentinian forces - the airbase itself is so confusingly laid out, their Ninja Spec force infiltrators would be wandering around baggage claim for a week looking for the Tiffy hangars
If we were up sh1t creek, I think we're on better political terms if support were needed - whereas Reagan was bound by some sense of diplomatic need to keep the south Americans happy, I'm sure these days, "right, these blokes have been with us in every bloody shooting match we've thrown for nigh on twenty years, what do they need".. would be the cry.
A pair of Burkes to stiffen the air defence, throw an umbrella over the airbase, then ship in paras by air bridge plus marines from the sea, I think you could do it at a pinch without a carrier (given the worn down state of their forces)
That plus TLAM into every hangar on the mainland, and sinking anything painted grey with an Argy flag and you'd be done. Unless Venezuela loans 'em some Flankers, we're sorted.
It's all very Tom Clancy to be honest - their Navy has less combined days at sea programmed in for their fleet than one of our frigates, their Mirages haven't flown since 2006 and they've muffed every offer to upgrade what they do have in terms of A4's etc Their land forces would look very under-equipped compared to a post Afghan equipped Brit force as well. Here's hoping they concentrate on fixing their economy and we get to trading and commerce - it'd suit both sides far better and we have more in common with Argentina socially and culturally than you'd think.
I've seen all sorts of hairy proposals for a possible invasion but none of them get past the "WTF" test. Taking the air field would be a must and that's very well secured, and I suspect it'll be first in line for an upgraded air defence component when land CAMM is on tap. I'd like to see some Tiffy down there with an anti shipping missile, even Brimstone but as I understand it, I think they're Tranche 1a ?
Maybe do a few exercises to demonstrate and test readiness to reinforce the islands just to show willing, stick a few hundred air expeditionary and paras onto a transport, have 'em bomb burst out the back yelling "dacka dacka" and generally making the point we have some of that global reach stuff still going on.
I'm thinking "discourage" rather than "retake".
