Falklands War order of battle: Argentine naval forces

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This article describes the composition and actions of the Argentine naval forces in the Falklands War. For a list of naval forces from the United Kingdom, see Falklands War order of battle: British naval forces.

Background

The Argentine Navy (ARA), particularly its commander-in-chief and Junta member, Admiral Jorge Anaya, was the main architect and supporter of a military solution to resolve the long-standing claim of sovereignty over the islands. By 1982 the country was already in the midst of a devastating economic crisis and large-scale civil unrest against the repressive government and Anaya, now a member of the ruling Junta, ordered Operation Rosario to be brought forward to 2 April, after a group of Argentina military infiltrated a group of Argentine scrap metal merchants and raised the Argentine flag at South Georgia 19 March.

General Galtieri, acting president, agreed in his intention to mount a quick, symbolic occupation, followed rapidly by a withdrawal, leaving only a small garrison to support the new military governor and force the UK to begin talks on the long-delayed sovereignty claim. On 2 April an amphibious landing was made at Stanley and on 3 April Argentine marines used helicopters to take over the Georgias. Whilst the military junta was redeploying the assault units back to their home bases they found the British responded with a large-scale mobilisation to organise a naval task force and ground forces to retake the islands by force.

The war could not have happened at a worse time for the Argentines. They were expecting new destroyers, frigates and submarines being built in West Germany and their shipment of French Super Étendards and Exocets were not yet complete.

Argentine Navy

Operation Rosario (2 April)

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Vice Admiral Juan José Lombardo

Task Group 20

Commander José Sarcona (covering force)

Task Group 40

Rear Admiral Jorge Allara (amphibious force)

South Georgia (3 April)

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Falklands Theatre of Operations [Teatro de Operaciones Malvinas] (2 April–14 June)

  • Template:Ship – a Sotoyomo-class patrol vessel heavily damaged on 3 May by Sea Skua missiles fired by Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3 helicopters from Template:HMS and Template:HMS. She managed to reach Puerto Deseado on 5 May. (†8)
  • Template:Ship, a Sotoyomo-class patrol vessel. During the war the British claimed to have sunk Comodoro Somellera with a Sea Skua. This claim was subsequently dropped when the British evaluated wartime reports after the campaign. The ship continued to serve in the Argentine navy until 1998 when she sank in the port of Ushuaia during a storm following a collision with ARA Suboficial Castillo.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • ARA Isla de los Estados – transport ship sunk by Template:HMS in Falkland Sound. (†22)
  • Template:Ship – a transport ship, Bahía Buen Suceso transported Constantino Davidoff's party to South Georgia precipitating the Falklands War. She was ordered to move from Stanley to the Falklands Sound on 29 April. During the journey back, on 7 May, the ship spotted the ketch Penelope, property of the FIC, which was taken over by an Argentine prize crew the following day.<ref>Comisión de Análisis de Acciones de Combate (1983) Conclusiones - Fase IV: Componente Naval. Armada Argentina, p. 97 (In Spanish)</ref> While at anchor at Fox Bay, the transport ran aground in a storm and was later damaged by 30 mm ADEN cannon fire from BAe Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1s. The British eventually captured the hull after the war and sank her in high seas.

South Atlantic Theatre of Operations [Teatro de Operaciones del Atlántico Sur] (15 April–14 June)

Direct control from Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, Buenos Aires Province.
Vice Admiral Juan Lombardo

Task Group 79.1

Rear Admiral Jorge Allara
  • ARA Veinticinco de Mayo – The threat of submarine attacks kept the carrier confined to port after 3 May.
  • ARA Hércules – Type 42 destroyer.
  • ARA Santísima Trinidad – Type 42 destroyer.
  • Template:Ship – a fleet tanker.

Task Group 79.3

Captain Héctor Bonzo

Task Group 79.4

Captain Juan Calmon
  • ARA Drummond – corvette
  • ARA Guerrico – corvette
  • ARA Granville – corvette

Submarine force

Template:Ship sister ship, ARA Salta, here docked at her base in Mar del Plata, was not operational at the time of the war.

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> defective torpedoes prevented the submarine from hitting any valuable target.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Others

Argentine Coast Guard

Stationed at the Falklands Naval Station.

Argentine Merchant Navy

Blockade runners

Template:See also

  • Formosa – A 12,762-ton ELMA cargo ship, attacked by Argentine Douglas A-4 Skyhawks of Grupo 5 by mistake. She was hit by an unexploded 1,000 lb bomb and strafed while bound for Rio Gallegos. Survived the conflict.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Río Carcarañá – An ELMA cargo ship, 8,500 tons, damaged by Sea Harriers in Port King. Subsequently attacked by both sides, until finally sunk by Sea Skua missiles fired from a Westland Lynx helicopter on 23 May 1982.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
  • Río de la Plata II – An ELMA cargo vessel of 10,409 tons. Spotted by British off Ascension Island and warned off on 24 April 1982. The most successful Argentine spy ship; she collected valuable intelligence about the type of warships, logistic craft and merchantmen deployed by the British to the south.<ref>Mayorga, page 169</ref>
  • Yehuín – A requisitioned oil tender, 494 tons, from the Geomater company. Captured 15 June 1982 and renamed Falkland Sound. Sold to a British owner from London in 1991, then transferred to several Panamanian companies. Returned to Argentine control as Audax II when bought by Cintra company in 2008, and under Uruguayan registry since 2011<ref>DDG Hansa Template:In lang</ref>
  • Río Cincel – An ELMA cargo ship. Unloaded supplies in Port Stanley from 7 to 9 April. Survived the conflict.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Mar del Norte – A cargo ship from La Naviera company. Survived the conflict.
  • Lago Argentino – An ELMA cargo ship. Survived the conflict.
  • Puerto Rosales – A commercial tanker from YPF. Survived the conflict.

Trawlers

  • Template:Ship – Owned by Compañía Sudamericana de Pesca y Exportación from Bahía Blanca. Based at Ingeniero White. A 1,300-ton stern fishing freezer trawler. On patrol northwest of the exclusion zone since 26 April. Under the command of Lt. Cdr. Juan Carlos González Llanos. The civilian skipper was Captain Nestor Leonardo Fabiano. She made a number of visual contacts with British aircraft and warships, including a submarine, according to the Argentine version.<ref>Mayorga, page 300</ref> Damaged on 9 May 1982 by an unexploded 1,000 lb. bomb and 30 mm ADEN cannon fire from two BAe Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1s of 800 Naval Air Squadron, Template:HMS. A member of the crew, sailor Omar Alberto Rupp, was killed. She was later captured by Royal Marines. Narwal eventually sank in a storm at Template:Coord on 10 May 1982. (†1)
  • María Alejandra – Owned by Inda hnos. from Mar del Plata.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> On patrol northwest of the exclusion zone from 26 April to 4 May. She piloted the disabled ARA Alférez Sobral into Puerto Deseado.<ref name=huella/> Maria Alejandra also acted as a radio link between the ill-fated Narwal and the mainland.<ref name=":8">Muñoz, Jorge (2000) Misión Cumplida. Editorial Epopeya Template:In lang. Editorial Epopeya, p. 148</ref>Template:Rp

  • Constanza – Owned by Arpemar from Mar del Plata. On patrol northwest of the exclusion zone from 26 April to 4 May.<ref name=may/>
  • Invierno – Owned by Arpemar from Mar del Plata. On patrol northwest of the exclusion zone from 5 to 9 May.<ref name=huella>Los pesqueros argentinos en la Gesta de Malvinas Template:Webarchive Template:In lang</ref>
  • Capitán Canepa – Based at Mar del Plata. From the government fishery agency SEIM.<ref name=gamb/>
  • María Luisa – Based at Mar del Plata. Spotted a British warship on 26 April, shortly after being overflown by a fighter jet. This revealed to the Argentine intelligence the path of the British battle group. Part of a three-trawler flotilla that intercepted supply vessel Template:RFAux on 29 April at the position Template:Coord.<ref name=":8"/>Template:Rp On 30 April she returned to Mar del Plata due to mechanical problems.<ref name=may/>
  • Usurbil – Based at Ingeniero White.. Under the command of Lt. Cdr. Fernando Pedro Amorena. The civilian skipper was Captain Adolfo Antonio Arbelo from Mar del Plata. Fifty per cent of her crew was Spanish. Part of a three-trawler flotilla that intercepted supply vessel RFA Fort Grange on 29 April at the position Template:Coord.<ref name=":8" /> She made radar contact with six ships sailing in convoy on 8 May. Warned off by a warship and a helicopter, she returned to Buenos Aires.<ref name=may/>
  • Mar Azul – Based at Mar del Plata. Part of a three-trawler flotilla that intercepted supply vessel RFA Fort Grange on 29 April at the position Template:Coord.<ref name=":8" /> She tracked the 8 May convoy by radar along with Usurbil, but was ordered to return to Mar del Plata on 9 May before making visual contact.<ref name=may>Mayorga, pp. 170-171</ref><ref name=gamb>Gambini, Hugo: Crónica documental de las Malvinas. V.2, page 1080. Editorial Redacción, 1982. Template:In lang</ref><ref>Scheina, Robert L.: Latin America: a naval history, 1810–1987. Naval Institute Press, 1987, page 244. Template:ISBN</ref>

Operation Relámpago

Operation Relámpago (Thunderbolt)<ref>Comisión de Análisis de Acciones de Combate (1983) Conclusiones - Fase IV: Componente Naval. Armada Argentina, p. 226 (In Spanish)</ref> was a planned resupply mission to be carried out by the Argentine Navy between May and June using four requisitioned trawlers crewed with naval personnel. Some of the ships had been previously involved in surveillance and rescue operations, but crewed by their civilian complements. The trawlers were moored with their cargoes in different inlets at Isla de los Estados, awaiting for an opportunity to cross to the Falklands, but the Argentine Navy dropped the plans just before the final British assault on Stanley.<ref name=":0" />

  • María Alejandra (ut supra)
  • Margot – Owned by Esdipa s.a. from Mar del Plata.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • María Eugenia
  • Capitán Cánepa (ut supra)<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Vessels seized by the Argentine Navy

Falkland Islands ships seized by the Argentine Navy

Template:See also

Falkland Islands Government ship

  • ARA Forrest – armed coaster: She fought off a Sea Lynx helicopter that had put the patrol craft Islas Malvinas out of action near Kidney Island on 1 May. The aircraft came back to HMS Alacrity with serious damage from small arms fire, while Forrest was repeatedly struck by machine gun fire, without casualties.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Mayorga, pp. 144-145</ref> While at anchor in Port Howard in the night of 10 May, the ship received a stress signal from ARA Isla de los Estados when the transport was shelled and sunk by Alacrity. Forrest sailed off, but was ordered to steam back to port after being illuminated by two star shells.<ref>Comisión de Análisis de Acciones de Combate (1983) Conclusiones - Fase IV: Componente Naval. Armada Argentina, p. 101 (In Spanish)</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following day she rescued two survivors of the crew of the lost ship. Later in the war, Forrest towed ARA Monsunen to Darwin, after this ship faced the attack of two British frigates and a helicopter. She uploaded ARA MonsunenTemplate:'s cargo and completed the supply mission to Stanley on 25 May. The vessel was involved in harbour duties until the end of the war.

Falklands Islands Company ships

Coaster Monsunen (detail)
  • ARA Monsunen – armed coaster: She survived the attack of two British frigates and a helicopter west of Lively island, successfully avoiding them by running aground at Seal Cove, while defending herself with machine gun fire. Her supply mission was eventually carried out by ARA Forrest, which towed her to Darwin. Recovered by British forces on 29 May, after the battle of Goose Green.
  • ARA Penelope – ketch: Spotted by ARA Bahía Buen Suceso at Speedwell Island and seized by an Argentine prize crew on 7 May.<ref>Mayorga, page 313</ref> She accomplished a logistic mission from Fox Bay to Stanley. While uploading her cargo, the ketch endured a naval bombardment by Template:HMS on Fox Bay's fuel depots during the first hours of 26 May. Penelope eventually reached Stanley with a cargo of fuel drums on 2 June.<ref>Herrscher, pp. 91-93, 104-105, 112-113</ref>

Minor vessels at Stanley harbour

  • James Caird – a captured whaleboat belonging to HMS Endurance, left behind at port pending repairs, which were completed by Argentine technicians. The motor boat was prepared for a mission of sabotage with limpet mines in the Falklands Sound the first week of May, but it was aborted when the vessel had made barely Template:Convert from Port Stanley. Aside from harbour duties, the whaler also laid a telephone cable connecting the port and Cortley Ridge on 4 June.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Lively – a captured docking tug<ref name=":1" />
  • F-852 – a captured fuel barge<ref name=":1" />
  • Lancha n° 9 – an LCVP originally part of the Argentine landing force, used for harbour duties and captured by the British after the Argentine capitulation.<ref name=":1" />
  • Lancha n° 23 – an LCVP originally part of the Argentine landing force, used for harbour duties and captured by the British after the Argentine capitulation.<ref name=":1" />

See also

Notes

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References

Template:Falklands War

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