Article 17 February 2023

High-flying news for Falklands

High-flying news for Falkland Islands, work has begun to extend the lifespan of the runway at RAF Mount Pleasant Complex through a £7m Defence Infrastructure Organisation project.

Some of the fantastic work completed comprises of repainting runway markings in reflective paint to meet compliance standards, replacing airfield signage and adding lights, and coating the runway asphalt with a layer of bitumen. This work will be an investment in the lifespan of the runway and ensure the smooth operations of the RAF Mount Pleasant Complex.

In June 2022, Mitie was awarded this £6.96m project, which will be completed by sub-contractor Gatwick Construction.

Work will be closely aligned with RAF Colleagues to make sure there is no impact on airfield operations. This is particularly important given that Mount Pleasant Complex is used for the airbridge flights to and from the UK, for LATAM flights connecting the Falkland Islands to South America, as well as by the Falkland Island Government Air Service (FIGAS) which connects MPC with the outlying islands of the Falklands.

The refurbishment is expected to be completed in 3 months time.

DIO Project Manager Robert Handford said:

“It’s exciting to begin this important work at Mount Pleasant Complex. Infrastructure projects in the Falkland Islands are complicated by the need to transport the necessary equipment by air or container ship, adding complexity to the preparations and requiring meticulous planning. It’s a testament to great teamwork between DIO, Mitie, Gatwick Construction and MPC personnel that everything is going according to plan.”

Brian Talbot, Managing Director, Central Government & Defence, Mitie, said:

“As proud supporters of the British armed forces, we are delighted to build on our long-standing relationship with DIO through the refurbishment of the Falkland Islands runway at the Mount Pleasant Complex. As a critical piece of infrastructure on the estate, our work on this project will help protect and extend the lifespan of the runway for years to come.”