A decommissioned Sea Harrier fighter plane and a Lynx helicopter are being transferred to the usurped Argentine islands in the South Atlantic, to be part of an exhibition dedicated “to the men and women who liberated the Malvinas from Argentine rule in 1982.” This is what the Royal Navy itself says in information uploaded today on its website.
The existing museum in the islands' main city has a gallery that tells the story of the conflict, but is expanding it and adding a new room for larger exhibits, including the two veteran aircraft.
Neither can fly to the Malvinas or be transported by air. By sea is the only option. And military experts are working on its transfer.
"We went to the Malvinas to prepare for the move and it's clear how passionate the islanders are and how much the Sea Harrier means to them - it's a symbol of their freedom, so they are very keen to have one on display." said Stewart Wright , a petty officer who is supervising the ships' journey.
"The Harrier has enormous historical importance for the islands and I am proud that it arrives there for all to see," he said.
In any case, of the two aircraft selected for the museum, only the Lynx entered service in the 1982 campaign; Since the Sea Harrier, ZH801 , was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm after the war and served until 2004, it has since acted as a 'hangar keeper' on display at RAF Cottesmore (the Navy's Harrier force moved there when it was merged with the Air Force) and more recently at Yeovilton.
For its part, the Lynx XZ725 saw action in the Malvinas and served with distinction until the end of its active life. Operating from the frigate HMS Brilliant , she attacked and crippled the Argentine submarine Santa Fe off South Georgia during the first moves of Britain's efforts to liberate its South Atlantic territories.
The helicopter was constantly improved and overhauled, evolving into a Lynx Mk8 which last flew from the deck of the frigate HMS Iron Duke before being transferred to HMS Sultan at Gosport to serve as a training aid for aerial engineers.
From Boscombe Down, both aircraft were transferred to the military port of Marchwood on Southampton Water, for loading onto a Malvinas-bound supply ship due to set sail next week.
They are due to arrive in the Malvinas in time for the Liberation Day events on June 14 and will remain in storage while the new exhibition hall is completed. It is planned to open to the public in spring 2025.
