The waters around South Georgia are some of the most protected in the world, and with over one million square miles of seas to protect, it raises the question – how can they be monitored?

Operation Cold Stare forms part of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands mission to help regulate and protect against illegal fishing in the waters around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The A400M flight performs these reconnaissance checks around the area regularly and follows up on intelligence picked up by satellites.