Ascension Island as "aircraft carrier"

1.   The small landing strip on Ascension would normally see only one or two flights per week. Suddenly it became of immense strategic importance when Britain set out to recover the Falkland Islands from the invading Argentinians.

A Harrier jet is taking off in the foreground, while behind several transports and a Victor refueling plane can be seen. Until the runway on Falklands was lengthened for the large long distance planes, every plane from Britain to the Falklands had to land here.

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