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Battle Atlas of the Falklands War 1982

BRITISH AND ARGENTINE UNITS TAKING PART (Parts 7-16)

Part 16. ARGENTINE DEFENCES ON FALKLANDS

Argentine defences eventually eventually included ground-launched Exocet missiles

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Although not based on the Falklands, the few Super-Etendards with their Exocet missiles were a major threat to the British Task Force investing the Falklands

By the time Britain was ready to land, Argentine forces were well established on the islands. In spite of the numerous Sea Harrier attacks and naval bombardments and the Pebble Island raid, they were superior in numbers of men, artillery, attack aircraft and had a good helicopter lift. However on the ground, they were about to depend on well prepared defensive positions rather than aggressive counter-attack.

Following is a summary of the main ground forces and their supporting aircraft. On the eve of the landings most of the latter were based at Stanley although some of the FAA Pucaras and helicopters were at Goose Green. Pebble Island was by then out of action. A total of 20 attack aircraft and 23 helicopters from the four services remained available after losses to 20th May, the day before the landings at San Carlos Bay:


FALKLAND ISLANDS
- commanded
by Major General Menendez.

GROUND FORCES included:

  • 3rd Mechanised Inf Brigade (Major General Omar Parada with 4th, 5th, 8th and 12th Regts),
  • 10th Motorised Inf Brigade (Major General Oscar Joffre with 3rd, 6th and 7th Regts),
  • Independent 25th Regt and 5th Marine Inf Btn.

 Stanley & Approaches - Commander, General Joffre, 10th Bde reinforced to c8000 men from:

  • 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 25th Regts, each of c1000 men. All Motorised Inf except for 4th Inf,
  • 5th Marine Btn, c800 men,
  • 3rd Artillery Btn with 30x105mm and 3x155mm guns,
  • Armoured Car Sqdn with 12 Panhards,
  • 181st Military Police and Intelligence Coy,
  • 601st Anti-Aircraft Btn.

Goose Green and West Falkland under command of General Parada, 3rd Bde but based in Stanley:

  • GOOSE GREEN - c1000 men from 12th Inf Regt, elements 601st AA Btn, FAA elements, (later - half-bty of 3x105mm guns)
  • PORT HOWARD - c800 men from 5th Inf Regt and elements 9th Engineer Coy,
  • FOX BAY - c900 men from 8th Motorised Inf Regt and elements 9th Engineer Coy.

AIRCRAFT STRENGTH (losses to 20th May in brackets):

  • Navy - 5 MB.339's (1 MB.339 and 4 Mentors lost)
  • Coast Guard - 1 Puma (2 Skyvan)
  • Army - 2 Chinook, 4 Puma, 3 Agusta, 9 Iroquois (1 Puma)
  • Air Force - 15 Pucara, 2 Bell, 2 Chinook (9 Pucara)
 
 
 

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revised 31/5/13