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I am on my way home from about 10 days on the Falkland Islands, having hiked the Great Yomp across the island, visited a bunch of the battlefields, and spent some time with the Falkland Islands Defense Force. So, it seems like a good time to do a Q&A about the place - both the 1982 war and the islands in general. What would you like to ask on that topic?

Comments

Jeff King

There are stories of British soldiers picking up argentine FALs because they were full auto, did that happen? (History channel/military channel story)

Alex Forsyth

Having walked the ground, how do you feel the war would play out today, with modern technology? Assuming the same failures of diplomacy, and assuming the British task force made it to the islands in a pretty similar manner and in similar numbers as they did.

James Mathieson

1)What was the Funniest Weapon that you came Across in Travels? 2) Which way did you Yomp, the North Route or South Route? 3) Did you get Ajax Bay or the Military Cemetery at San Carlos? 4) what is the Falklands of today like and was the Difference what you expected ?

Howard Thomas France

What, if anything, is the general American view of the Falklands War and its diplomatic fallout for US UK relations?

New Englander in Ole Anglia

Have the Islands any unique Kit, or unique considerations for the armed forced there if a new conflict ever arose. (Specificlaly things the rest of the UK armed forces don't typically do or have?)

Thomas M Dunne

Did they remove all the Mines that were planted by the Argentines ? Are there still Mined areas you can not walk ?

HMS Platypus

With the use of trenches and bayonets during the 1982 conflict and the return of trench fighting in places like Ukraine today, do you feel like the bayonet and bayonet fighting still has a place in the modern battlefield?

Guido Schriewer

what were the more common ranges in engagements back then? rather beyond the more common 200 and in? I understand it's a cold windswept place so winds sounds to be one issue on top.

Leon Peters-Malone

I'd be interested to know if there were any field modifications similar to the L1A1 Bitch as seen in Vietnam. Was any kit brought out just for operations, actions during Falklands. Secondly, in your opinion were the British vehicles deployed during at risk of serious damage? Could deliberate massed rifle fire disabled or destroyed those vehicles?

Tim Hirst

What is the weirdest/most out of place weapon you know to have been used in the war?

Oliver Gilkes

How do you think an army designed to stop the red steamroller adapted in its use of weapons to the very different context of the South Atlantic? Or was 3rd Commando Brig. sufficiently familiar with conditions from its raining for an intended role in Norway?

david weilbaecher jr

what is in place to deter this from happening again? the british navy and army are not what they used to be, post cold war.

Michael A Pickle

Could you arm a Cold War era army (up to HMG's) entire from nonaligned nations? No NATO or Warsaw Pact nation's firearms.

Michael Minnott

To what extent did the British experience of encountering the French Exocet anti-ship missile fired by Argentine jets push navies around the world to develop and adopt CIWS?

Tom DeGisi

Describe the way the ranges of various small arms interacted in the Falklands, with rifles, SAWs, and 40mm grenades on the short end, medium and heavy machine guns longer, 20, 30 and 40mm auto-cannon and anti-armor both short and longer range, and mortar the longest. (Of course ranges of all these vary alot. I'm trying to generalize, perhaps badly.)

Edmond Griffith-Jones

Have the penguins and sheep learned to avoid the mine fields? and is there active demining still happening?

z c

Having seen the terrain fought over in the Falklands, do you think having the full powered rifle cartridge of the FAL and L1A1 was worth it over an intermediate cartridge?

Alvin Plummer

I actually like the question! But sadly, I don't think it will fit on a firearms channel. But if Ian wants to take a crack at it anyways, I'll happily hear him out!

John Anderson

What rifle did the Argentinians use?

Charles Cannard

Given the prevalence of various wreckage of military equipment on the island, was there any that stood out to you, or any that had a particular interesting story attached to it?

AC C

What was the oldest small arms design in active service during the war?

Austin C

What do people do for fun on the Falklands?

Brad & Emily Mitchell

What's the local delicacy and adult beverage? Any favorites out of the food/drink you tried?

LiteraryAnarchist

Is there still a lot of animosity to the Argentinians on the from the locals on the island?

Mack Culverhouse

Would the British have faired better on the Great Yomp had they all had M16A1s like the SAS?

James Walton

My understanding is that "light" weapons (eg: FAL / SLR, MAG / GPMG and portable AT rockets) did OK, despite rough conditions and AA cannon in ground role were effective. But some bigger weapons like the British "Rapier" and "Blowpipe" anti aircraft missiles were less effective than hoped. Were lessons learned from this? Also, it seems that artillery and naval gunfire were devastating. The Royal Navy of course were the only navy providing naval support to land troops.

James Walton

I remember this conflict very well - I was an 8 year old boy in England and the war seemed very exciting at the time. However, I also remember the news footage of wrecked ships and horribly burnt soldiers and sailors coming home, often with hands covered by plastic bags. It seemed much less exciting then. The cultural and political impacts on both sides lingered long after the war. Years later, as an adult, I heard a lecture by a Welsh Guards vet called Simon Weston, who suffered very badly. He says he actually saw the bomb that crippled him coming through the side of the landing ship. Two films worth seeing, if you can find them - "Tumbledown" (British) and "Illuminated By Fire" (Argentine). They tell the stories of the veterans.

James Steed

The FAL was used on both sides, how did it perform in the war? And how heavy did it feel during those long matches across the island?

Troy Janda

Did the war have any influence on the SA80 project? It was well underway, but did the perception of needing an assault rifle bullpup get reinforced by how the FAL performed?

TJ

What is the most favorite of cold bewerage in the Falklands?

Chairman

Do you regret not doing it in full kit like Rob (British muzzleloaders) would have done?

Grumpy Conquistador

Is there any local sport shooting on the Falklands?