Deployment of McDonnel Douglas Phantoms to the Falklands

Air Commodore Peter Gray

After the Argentinian surrender, the runway at RAF Stanley was lengthened to enable Phantoms to operate from the Falklands in the air defence role. Air Commodore Peter Gray was a navigator in the first Phantom to arrive on the Falklands in October 1982.

The Phantom was a far more capable air defence aircraft than the Harrier from which it took over the role. Here, Peter recalls the arrival and first sortie of the Phantom from RAF Stanley.