Just one ship is guarding the Falkland Islands amid warnings Argentina is looking to bolster its military.
HMS Forth, a river-class offshore patrol vessel, now stands as the sole naval protection for the British territory.
The ship carries limited armament: a single 30mm cannon, two mini-guns and four machine guns.
When delivered to the Royal Navy in 2018, the vessel arrived with over 100 defects.
Analysts now warn that President Javier Milei's efforts to lift weapons embargoes could soon create a genuine threat.
Britain is reportedly in talks with Buenos Aires about easing arms restrictions, though the Government has vehemently denied this.
Mr Milei has indicated he favours a diplomatic approach to his dispute over the so-called "Islas Malvinas".
Simon Weston, a Falklands War veteran who suffered severe burns when RFA Sir Galahad was bombed, has called to bolster the South Atlantic.
"We need to ramp up military capabilities protecting Argentina now," he said. "We need to stop having this namby-pamby attitude that an invasion will never happen.
PICTURED: HMS Forth off the coast of South Georgia. The ship now stands as the sole naval protection for the Falkland Islands
|ROYAL NAVY
"They said that about Hitler and look what happened. They said that about Putin and look what happened - over a million men have died in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Unless we have a capability to prove we are strong, mighty and we can defend ourselves, we are going to be in real hot water."
Mr Weston urged Britain to "send a better warship" to defend the islands.
Defence analyst Francis Tusa warned that Argentina has been "brazenly rearming" for several years and may soon pose a serious threat to the Falklands.
Buenos Aires has acquired 24 American-made F-16 fighter jets capable of overwhelming the three RAF Typhoons stationed on the islands.
READ MORE ON THE FALKLAND ISLANDS:
Javier Milei is said to have been 'brazenly rearming' for several years and may soon pose a serious threat to the Falklands
| GETTYArgentina has also purchased four naval corvettes from France.
"There has been a very dangerous blind spot… we have been very blind to the fact that the Argentinians are building up their military," Mr Tusa said.
The country is additionally seeking to rebuild its submarine fleet and negotiating with neighbours to purchase landing ships.
"They have bought the Exocet [missile system]. Exocet meets River-class patrol ship - there is only one winner here," he added.
Washington has emerged as a key driver behind Mr Milei's military moves.
The Trump administration's new national security strategy prioritises American dominance over the western hemisphere.
Mr Milei, described as a "buddy" of Donald Trump, is seen as a crucial regional ally against Chinese influence in the South Atlantic and Antarctica.
Mr Milei, described as a 'buddy' of Donald Trump, is seen as a crucial regional ally against Chinese influence
|GETTY
And writing for GB News, former Defence Select Committee chairman Tobias Ellwood warned that Beijing is already circling.
"Argentina is openly weighing the purchase of Chinese fast jets and other platforms," he said.
"When these deals are signed, an army of Chinese ground support moves in, providing infrastructure, training pipelines, and upgrade development – ensnaring the military into reliance on China for its defence."
The American F-16 jets arrived last Saturday, restoring supersonic fighter capability to Argentina's air force after decades of sanctions.
However, Lord West, the former head of the Royal Navy, said he was "quite comfortable with what we have protecting the Falklands", noting Argentina is making no military threats.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The Government's commitment to protecting the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is unshakeable."
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