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)
|
|