The Brits have retired the Harrier from service. The carrier Illustrious has been converted from STOL aircraft to helicopters. The Brits won’t have an airplane carrier until the two new “Queen Elizabeth” class “super” carriers are in service deploying the STOL version of the F-35 if they don’t go broke first.
They have 4 Eurofighter Typhoons presently stationed at RAF Mt. Pleasant, assorted helicopters, a tanker, and a C-130 Hercules.
I agree that the Brits are better trained than the Argentines. If things quickly got serious there is the distinct possibility that attrition would take a significant toll before reinforcements could arrive. It’s a LONG way from the UK to the Falklands.
It is questionable if the Brits could have prevailed in the first Falklands war without being expeditiously re-supplied with high-tech munitions by the USA during the time of Ronaldus Magnus and Lady Thatcher. There are no such leaders in either country at this time. Of course, the Argentines have no decent leadership either.
No doubt USA will assist Britain “as needed.” As we did during the recent Libyan crisis by supplying Tomahawks to them. Then again, Obi may be playing golf when Britain makes the call...
The converse is also true: the Argentines likely would have prevailed, had not somewhere around two out of three of the aerialbombs carried by their Pucara and ex-US Skyhawk strike-attack aircraft not been defective.
The Argentines learned a lot about their military shortcomings from the Malvinas excercise. Including that of aircraft ordnance storage and stowage.