After the 2 April 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands the British government assembled a taskforce to retake the territory. This included many merchant ships taken up from trade (STUFT) as well as Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) and Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service vessels. "Europic Ferry" was one of the first vessels to be identified by the Ministry of Defence as required for the campaign; it was earmarked for use as a stores transport ship in early April. She was officially requisitioned on 19 April and spent the next three days at Vosper &amp; Company, Southampton, being modified for military service. She was fitted with replenishment-at-sea equipment, freshwater generators, satellite navigation and satellite communications systems. Additional crew and troop accommodation was also installed. The vessel was also fitted with pintle-mounted Bren light machine guns as a rudimentary defence against low-level air attack.