Falklands War

[Nick]

The Argentine junta decided to reclaim 'Las Islas Malvinas' because they thought Britain, who had just decided to end South Atlantic patrols, would not fight. This was down to the RN concentrating on the North Atlantic and Med where they would contain and help defeat the Soviet fleet in the expected event of WW3 breaking out. There was also the question of distance.

If the RN is significantly stronger with more capable carriers and the extra escorts to go with that, would the Argentines still risk going to war?

Nick B)  

[Supertom]

Personally, I don't think so.  I've always thought that the junta's justification for taking the islands was because they felt that the RN had no way of touching Argentina with what they had at the moment.  

Though history has shown that there have always been crazy rulers who thought they had a cunning plan...

[retro_seventies]

Would the Argies start a fight if we had a "real" set of carriers and escorts?

I don't think so, and i think I'd put cash on it Nick - with a couple of REAL carriers, with sea tornados, decent AEW and ASW capability, and capable escorts, including marine assualt ships (hermes and illustrious, with sea harriers, lynxes, and seacobras) they wouldn't have stood a chance.

with sea tornado ADV(what's the correct meteorological term for a sea tornado?) CAP, skyhawks and etendards would never have hit our fleet to the extent that they did, and dug in positions wouldn't have lasted long against sea tornado IDS strikes.

no matter HOW nuts they might have been, they would have seen the error of their ways and not invaded the falklands.

that being said, this IS what-if, so i'd rather like to assume that they WOULD attack, and that we then get the opportunity to build some really great models!




 

[F-32]

How about the scenario of us not having any fast attack subs to threaten their carrier and then it becomes a carrier battle.

Skyhawks and Etendards flying missions against the UK forces on the islands and on the UK Fleet while we try to defend our one hope (the carrier) as well as strike back.

With their carrier at sea every Herc, Victor and Nimrod would need an escort of fighters.  The carrier would need a constant CAP with 2 jets on alert 5 as well as fighters to escort strike missions and CAP the islands.

The radar in the Victor was used for maritime mapping so we wouldn't have any problem finding their carrier - sinking it would be a bit harder.

[Geoff_B]

The radar in the Victor was used for maritime mapping so we wouldn't have any problem finding their carrier - sinking it would be a bit harder.

Stick a few Harpoon or Martels on the wings and that should do the trick.

As to the war it all depends where our carriers would be, if we pulled beck to the North Atlantic, Med & Gulf then perhaps they might. I think it was the concept of us pulling back Endurance that tempted them, plus the Invasion occured just before winter down there to deter any British Armed response. A conventional carrier or two would still have had problems operating down there, but at least we could have hit some of their bases if pushed.

Cheers
Thor  B)

Thinking how a 583 would look in allover EDSG with Skyflash and late model winders ? !!!!

[F-32]

Some have suggested the Hunters and Canberra spares were to say thank you for letting us base our Canberra PR.9s there to fly recce missions during the Falklands.

Although its only hear say, I'm sure her Majesty's Government would never do anything like that..................  

[Nick]

And of course it's nothing to do with certain special ops missions entering or leaving Argentina via Chile or that SeaKing that crashlanded in Chile 'by accident' with no passengers on board.....

I was impressed by the recent story of how MI5/MI6 blocked Argentina from getting more Exocets during the conflict by outbidding all their offers, even the secret negotiations.

Nick B)  

[P1127]

And of course it's nothing to do with certain special ops missions entering or leaving Argentina via Chile or that SeaKing that crashlanded in Chile 'by accident' with no passengers on board.....

I was impressed by the recent story of how MI5/MI6 blocked Argentina from getting more Exocets during the conflict by outbidding all their offers, even the secret negotiations.

Nick B)

So you've never seen the photo of the RAF Herc with painted out (but still very clear) 'Fuerza Area Chile' markings?  

[elmayerle]

And of course it's nothing to do with certain special ops missions entering or leaving Argentina via Chile or that SeaKing that crashlanded in Chile 'by accident' with no passengers on board.....

I was impressed by the recent story of how MI5/MI6 blocked Argentina from getting more Exocets during the conflict by outbidding all their offers, even the secret negotiations.

Nick B)

So you've never seen the photo of the RAF Herc with painted out (but still very clear) 'Fuerza Area Chile' markings?

Which of course leads to thoughts of TSR.2's in FACh markings.  *Evil Grin*

[nev]

A journalist in Chile also reported seeing an all black "comet" during the war......