What was planned as a stealthy trip of three fighter planes Eurofighter Thypoon The British fleet from Scotland to the Malvinas, with a stopover at the Spanish Air and Space Force base in Gando (Gran Canaria), ended in a diplomatic incident between Argentina and Brazil, due to the forced landing of an entire fleet at the Galeao military airport in Rio de Janeiro.
It all began on November 5, when three Eurofighter Thypoon fighter planes of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) took off from Scotland's main military airport, the RAF Lossiemouth base , on their way to the Malvina Islands.
These three fighter-bombers, registered ZJ920, ZJ928 and ZJ942 , were supported during the journey by an Airbus A330 MRTT and an Airbus Voyager KC3 , registered ZZ334 , to facilitate in-flight refueling; they were also joined by an A400M, or Atlas C1 , registered as ZM417 .
After flying over Europe from north to south, that same day they arrived at the Gando air base , the main installation of the Spanish Air and Space Force in the Canary Islands; where they refueled and spent the night.
On Thursday morning, the Eurofighters flew to the British air base on Ascension Island , and early on Friday morning, the 8th, they left with the intention of completing their last leg of the flight to the Malvinas military base at Monte Agradable .
But something went wrong, because that same afternoon before reaching their destination, they landed at the Galeão air base , in the military area of Rio de Janeiro's international airport.
The three aircraft landed simultaneously in Galeao
It was reported that the landing of the Eurofighters took place due to an emergency request, alleging a lack of fuel in one of them. This issue, if true, could have been due - as it transpired - to the fact that one of them could not carry out its aerial refueling in flight, after having left Ascension.
Whatever the reason, the military operation, which apparently wanted to remain secret, was made public; the following day, Saturday the 9th, the RAF planes took off for the Malvinas.
On Monday 11th, the Argentine Foreign Ministry, headed by the recently appointed Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein , expressed Argentina's "concern" over the "recent landings of British military aircraft in neighbouring countries." It recalled Argentina's sovereign rights over the Malvinas Islands, and its commitment to seek a peaceful solution with the United Kingdom.
It was announced from London that these RAF aircraft were being transferred to the Malvina Islands with the aim of reinforcing the security of the skies over the archipelago for the visit made last weekend by the British Secretary of State for Defence, Luke Polland , to the Argentine archipelago usurped since 1833.
Sources:
Aeroin.net
InfoDefensa
