( CNN ) -- Prince William has arrived in the Falkland Islands for a routine deployment as part of a four-man search and rescue crew , Britain 's Ministry of Defence said Thursday . The prince will begin his Royal Air Force search and rescue duties after undergoing briefings and a familiarization flight , the ministry said in a statement . A six-week deployment to the Falklands is conventional for search and rescue pilots at this stage of their career , it said . `` Flight Lieutenant Wales will be deploying purely in an RAF role and will not be completing any ceremonial roles as the Duke of Cambridge , '' the ministry said . However , the deployment has not been without controversy . This week , Argentina 's foreign ministry criticized Britain over the matter . `` Prince William is coming ... as a member of the armed forces of his country , '' the ministry said in a statement . `` The Argentinian people regret that the royal heir is coming to the soil of the homeland with the uniform of the conqueror and not with the wisdom of a statesman who works in the service of peace and dialogue between nations . '' Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982 , prompting a war in which more than 600 Argentinian and 255 British troops died . After the war , the United Kingdom retained control of the islands , which are off Argentina 's coast in the South Atlantic . News of British plans to deploy the destroyer HMS Dauntless to the region did nothing to dampen the rhetoric from politicians in both countries . While British officials have said the ship 's deployment is routine , according to Britain 's ITN news network , some Argentinians see it as a provocation . British Prime Minister David Cameron has criticized Argentinian officials for their renewed claims to the island . `` We support the Falklands ' right to self-determination , and what the Argentinians have been saying recently , I would argue , is actually far more than colonialism , because these people want to remain British , and the Argentinians want them to do something else , '' he told lawmakers last month . Demonstrators marching outside the British Embassy in Buenos Aires last month burned British flags and urged Argentina to sever ties with London . Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has said the British `` are preying on our natural resources , our oil , our fish '' in the Falklands , known as the Malvinas in Argentina . Fernandez 's campaign has won some supporters . In December , members of the Mercosur trade bloc -- which includes Argentina , Brazil , Uruguay and Paraguay -- said they would stop ships bearing the Falkland Islands flag from entering their ports . The move angered some British officials . About 2,500 residents live on the islands , in addition to 1,700 people stationed at the British military 's Mount Pleasant Complex there , according to the website of the islands ' government .
British prince deployed as part of search and rescue operations . A six - month deployment is conventional for such operations . He will not complete any ceremonial duties , Ministry of Defence says . Deployment faced criticism in India .