RAF Mount Pleasant 280728 222472810 2008-06-29T14:59:23Z Pmsyyz 83813 /* See also */ remove one unclosely related {{Infobox Airport |name = RAF Mount Pleasant Airport |nativename = |nativename-a = |nativename-r = |image = |image-width = |caption = |IATA = MPN |ICAO = EGYP |type = Public / Military |owner = [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] |operator = [[Royal Air Force]] |city-served = |location = [[East Falkland]], [[Falkland Islands]] |elevation-f = 243 |elevation-m = 74 |coordinates = {{coord|51|49|22|S|058|26|50|W|type:airport}} |website = |metric-elev = |metric-rwy = |r1-number = 10/28 |r1-length-f = 8,497 |r1-length-m = 2,590 |r1-surface = Asphalt |r2-number = 5/23 |r2-length-f = 5,003 |r2-length-m = 1,525 |r2-surface = Asphalt |stat-year = |stat1-header = |stat1-data = |stat2-header = |stat2-data = |footnotes = }} '''RAF Mount Pleasant''' {{Airport codes|MPN|EGYP}} (also known as '''Mount Pleasant Airport''', '''Mount Pleasant Complex''' or '''MPA''')<ref>[http://www.falklands.info/background/acro.html Falkland Islands Information Portal]</ref> is a military base for the [[Royal Air Force]] in the [[British Overseas Territory]] of the [[Falkland Islands]]. The facility is part of the [[Military of the Falkland Islands|British Forces South Atlantic Islands]] (BFSAI). The station, home to between 1,000 and 2,000 British military personnel, is located about thirty miles southwest of [[Stanley, Falkland Islands|Stanley]], the capital of the Falklands, on the island of [[East Falkland]]. The world's longest corridor, a half-mile long, links barracks, messes and recreational and welfare areas of the base.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2006/07/22/db2202.xml Obituary of former commander, British Forces, Falkland Islands, Brig. David Nicholls.]</ref> The base is occasionally referred to by its residents as the [[Death Star]] because of its sometimes confusing layout. ==History== [[Image: Mount-Pleasant-Mare-Harbour.PNG|thumb|300px|<small>Location of RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands</small>]] RAF Mount Pleasant is the most recent purpose-built airfield in the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>[http://www.raf.mod.uk/stations/os_base.html Royal Air Force]</ref> The RAF previously had a small base at [[Stanley, Falkland Islands|Stanley]] airfield after the end of the hostilities in 1982. During the [[Falklands War]] when the islands were occupied by [[Argentina|Argentine]] military forces, [[United Kingdom|British]] aircraft were sent to disable the runway with RAF [[Strike Command]] [[Avro Vulcan|Vulcan bomber]]s ([[Operation Black Buck]]) and [[Royal Navy]] [[BAE Sea Harrier|Sea Harrier]]s. The raids were moderately successful, and on the first Black Buck mission one 1,000 lb bomb hit the runway in the middle, disabling it. However, temporary repairs by the Argentines did allow [[C-130 Hercules|Hercules]] [[Hercules C130|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 [[Argentina|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 (R12)|HMS ''Hermes'']] was the first to take guard duty, whilst [[HMS Invincible (R05)|HMS ''Invincible'']] went north to change (at sea) a gearbox that had broken while departing the mainland UK. The Argentines claimed the aircraft carrier was hit on [[May 30]], and needed repairs. ''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 (R06)|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 several RAF [[F-4 Phantom|Phantom FGR.2]]. 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, Duke of York|Prince Andrew]] in 1985, and became fully operational in 1986.<ref>[http://www.falklands.gov.fk/3.htm Falkland Islands Government]</ref>. ==Current equipment== [[Image: Mount-Pleasant.JPG|thumb|270px|<small>RAF Mount Pleasant</small>]] 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 [[Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes|NAAFI]] shops, hairdressers, a medical centre, and a 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 Holdings|Falkland Islands Company]].<ref>[http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/ServiceCommunity/Hive/Overseas/FalklandIslandsHive.htm Falkland Islands HIVE]</ref> Currently based at Mount Pleasant are [[No. 1435 Flight RAF|No. 1435 Flight]] with 4 [[Panavia Tornado|Tornado]] [[RAF Tornado F3|F3]]s, [[No. 1312 Flight RAF|No. 1312 Flight]], with a single [[Vickers VC-10|VC-10]] tanker and one [[C-130 Hercules|Hercules]] [[Hercules C130|C130]], as well as No. [[No. 1564 Flight RAF|No.1564 Flight]] (since November 2007) with 2 [[Westland Sea King|Sea King]] helicopters maintained by [[SKIOS]] (Sea King Integrated Operational Support), an aeronautical engineering confrontation between [[Augusta Westland]] and [[VT Aerospace]]. There are also 2 [[Sikorsky S61]] civilian Helicopters run by British International Helicopters Limited (Brintel). Ground units include No 7, 303, and 751 Signals Units and a [[Rapier missile|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 [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] and [[Royal Logistic Corps|RLC]] [[Bomb disposal|EOD]] teams. It is mainly based in [[Stanley, Falkland Islands|Stanley]] but there is also a detachment at Mount Pleasant. The group destroys munitions from the [[Falklands War]] that did not explode at the time and briefs troops, tourists and citizens on the areas which are safe and the minefield marking that has been put in place.<ref>[http://www.army.mod.uk/royalengineers/org/33regt/falklands.htm Royal Engineers]</ref> There is also a Joint Communications Unit (JCU) providing the [[electronic warfare]] and command and control systems for the [[Royal Navy]], [[British Army|Army]] and [[Royal Air Force|Air Force]].<ref>[http://www.army.mod.uk/royalsignals/jcufi/ Royal Corps of Signals]</ref> ==Passenger flights== 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 six times each month. Since autumn 2007 these flights have been operated by a civilian airline, [[Omni Air International]], on behalf of the Royal Air Force. 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 [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]] 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, Chile|Punta Arenas]] in southern [[Chile]], stopping at [[Río Gallegos]], [[Argentina]] once a month. ==Airlines and Destinations== *{{flagicon|USA}} '''[[Omni Air International]]''' **[[Ascension Island]] ([[RAF Ascension Island]]) ASI **[[Brize Norton]] ([[RAF Brize Norton]]) BZZ *{{flagicon|Chile}} '''[[LAN Airlines]]''' **[[Punta Arenas]] ([[Carlos Ibanez Del Campo International Airport]]) PUQ **[[Río Gallegos]] ([[Piloto Civil N. Fernández International Airport]]) RGL *{{flagicon|UK}} '''[[FIGAS]] **[[Stanley]] and other settlements on the Falklands ==See also== {{commons|Falkland Islands}} {{commonscat|Royal Air Force}} *[[RAF station]] *[[List of RAF stations]] *[[List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons]] *[[Mare Harbour]] ==Sources== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=FK00004 World Aero Data] - RAF Mount Pleasant {{Template group |list = {{Falkland Islands topics}} {{Royal Air Force}} }} [[Category:Airports in the Falkland Islands|Mount Pleasant]] [[Category:Military of the Falkland Islands]] [[Category:Royal Air Force stations|Mount Pleasant]] [[Category:East Falkland]] [[Category:Overseas military bases]] [[ja:マウント・プレザント空軍基地]] [[sv:Mount Pleasant, Falklandsöarna]]