Posted on 11/27/2007 7:01:17 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Underwater and undercover: how nuclear subs were first line of Falklands defence
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
Five Royal Navy submarines lined up, submerged, on the edge of Argentina’s 12-mile territorial limit to provide early warning of bombing raids on the British task force during the Falklands conflict, according to a new account of the secret role played by the nuclear-powered vessels.
Trailing wire aerials behind them, the submarines were able to pick up launchings of Skyhawks and other aircraft from the main base at Rio Grande, pinpointing their type and number, and giving the task force 45 minutes’ notice in which to react.
The details of the 1982 mission, which was never discovered by the Argentinians, have been revealed by the former second-in-command of one of the boats, HMS Conqueror.
Writing in a special publication, Royal Navy, A Global Force, Vice-Admiral Sir Tim McClement, now retired, says that 25 years after the Falklands campaign it is important to recall the “vital contribution” of the submarines to victory.
The threat from Argentina’s Sky-hawk bombers, armed with 1,500lb and 2,000lb bombs, and its Super Étendards, fitted with sea-skimming Exocet antiship missiles, posed the gravest danger to the task force, mainly because the Royal Navy lacked any proper early-warning system.
Although the two Royal Navy aircraft carriers, HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes,were out of range of the Argentine bombers, located well to the east of the Falklands, the warships on point duty closer to the Argentine mainland, and the troops landing on the islands, were highly vulnerable.
The well-documented secret plan to attack one of the main Argentine air-bases and destroy the Skyhawks, using the SAS, was aborted after a dry run went wrong and a number of SAS soldiers had to seek sanctuary in neighbouring Chile.
The presence of five nuclear-powered submarines – HMS Conqueror, HMS Splendid, HMS Spartan, HMS Courageousand HMS Valiant,and one conventional diesel-electric submarine, HMS Onyx – provided the solution. In the early part of the conflict, most of the submarines were engaged in other, priority missions. HMS Conqueror was trailing the Argentine cruiser, General Belgrano, and on May 2 fired two Mark 8 torpedoes, sinking the ship, with the loss of 323 sailors. HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan were involved in the search for the Argentine aircraft carrier 25 de Mayo, which was suspected of lurking in the mist north of the Falklands, preparing for a pincer movement together with the Belgranoagainst the task force. HMS Onyx was engaged in top-secret special forces operations.
However, eventually the five nuclear-powered submarines took up positions on the Argentine 12-mile limit to act as early-warning platforms. There were several dramatic incidents.
Admiral McClement reveals that in transit to the 12-mile limit HMS Conqueror got her floating wire aerial wrapped around her propeller. “This made a distinctive noise. She knew Argentine submarines were in her area and so had to get rid of the wire,” he writes. All the divers on board the submarine volunteered for the dangerous task of untangling the wire. The former deputy commander of the submarine recalls: “It was very rough, far too rough for peacetime rules to put people on to the deck, let alone put a diver into the water.”
HMS Conqueror surfaced and eight volunteers successfully removed the wire “knowing that if an Argentine aircraft, ship or submarine was detected, the captain [Commander Christoper Wreford-Brown] would have to shut the hatch, dive the submarine and leave them to their fate. Thankfully, they all came home to tell the tale,” Admiral McClement says.
With the 45-minutes warning from the submarines, Sea Harriers on combat patrol were alerted and several Argentine bombers were destroyed, forcing others to return to base. But there were uncomfortable consequences for the submariners. “These [returning] planes jettisoned their bombs before landing, and they did so around the 12-mile limit. All the boats employed in this task experienced some random bombing, luckily without damage,” Admiral McClement writes.
HMS Conqueror arrived back at Faslane, its home base on the Clyde, after 90 days continuously at sea.
“Although she played a significant part in the conflict, her crew never actually saw the Falkland Islands,” Admiral McClement says.
“Although she played a significant part in the conflict, her crew never actually saw the Falkland Islands,”
The LRRPs sure did.
Interesting, thanks.
Why were the Brits observing territorial limits? They were at war with Argentina. The Argentines certainly didn't care about any 12-mile limit when they invaded the Falklands.
Since the “conflict” however most if not all of the Five Royal Navy submarines are lined up at the pier.
Too bad we’re in the Silent Service. US submariners could definitely beat the Brits in “Can You Top This?”.
That’s correct. They are being replaced by the super quiet Astute class, IIRC,
The folks who thought up the idea of aluminum hulled destroyers should be the ones lined up on the pier.
My understanding is that the problem was not the hulls, it was the aluminum superstructure. With today’s weapons aluminum is as flammable as wood and harder to put out.
The air defence officer of HMS Sheffield was absent from his post for about 20 minutes before and during the critical attack. That was the real weakness IMO.
In contrast HMS Gloucester came under repeated exocet attacks and combed each one, thanks to its impressive maneuverability - in part due to the aluminium hull - and the fact that the crew were all at their posts.
Hard to believe it's been 25 years.
That should tell me to review all subsequent posts.
But a great read deserves it anyway.
Best....
One of the interesting techniques the Argies used to attack the British ships was to use a Super Entendard - Phantom jet combination.
The Entendard hugged the surface of the sea and periodically sent the Phantom up high enough to get a radar fix on the target, which vectored the Entendard towards it, then drop back down - something like an avionic periscope.
The radar guys on the target ships would only see a blip on the screen that would disappear on the next sweep - “background noise”.
When they got close enough, the Entendards would fire their Exocets and haul back to Argentina.
If you are referring to the F-4 Phantom,I don’t think Argentina operated that type.
one play flying low and another flying higher above... not an F-4 Phantom...
***HMS Conqueror was trailing the Argentine cruiser, General Belgrano, and on May 2 fired two Mark 8 torpedoes, sinking the ship,***
The former US ship USS Phoenix that survived Pearl Harbor.
http://www.bobhenneman.info/belgrano.htm
excellent post
Not that it will make you any more popular with the semi informed types, but you got that right. 8^)
I no longer put England into the “World Power” category though.
Thought I read this in a book on the Falklands War. Mebbe it was the A-4. The interesting part, to me, was how they used an obsolete aircraft in conjuction with a modern one. Humans can be ingenious.
Good post - thank you!
I thought aluminum had to be mixed with iron, or have iron in close proximity, before it would burn.
I’ve cut steel with acetylene torch when aluminum is in proximity, and oh boy! When the flame and the sparks hit the aluminum, it takes off like it was magnesium. But as soon as the sparks from the steel are gone, the aluminum quits burning.
My understanding is that burning aluminum is similar to magnesium in that it can draw oxygen out of water to sustain combustion, but beyond that I really don’t know much about aluminum fires.
I remember reading shortly after the war the story that the British has SAS members in the area surrounding the airbase to provide early warning of Argentine aircraft launch. Misinformation?
“The folks who thought up the idea of aluminum hulled destroyers should be the ones lined up on the pier.”
I’m not aware of any aluminium hulled destroyers. Type 42s like The Coventry and Sheffield certainly weren’t.
“In contrast HMS Gloucester came under repeated exocet attacks and combed each one, thanks to its impressive maneuverability - in part due to the aluminium hull - and the fact that the crew were all at their posts.”
What a load of bollocks!The British type 42 Destroyers (and the Argie type 42s for that matter) were not aluminium hulled. Nor was any of the superstructure made from aluminium. Urban myth I’m afraid.
The HMS Amazon and the USS Belknap certainly had aluminum superstructures.
Argentina operated the A-4.Well,the Super Etendard was not exactly modern compared to the A-4.
“The HMS Amazon and the USS Belknap certainly had aluminum superstructures.”
Huh? Considering the HMS Amazon was (and still is) a frigate and the USS Belknapp a cruiser, you might as well add my fishing boat to the list! I made it pretty clear I was talking about destroyers.
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