This is the story about the action of argentinian aviation during the Falkland conflict that led to the sinking of HMS "Sheffield". Full story is taken from the book AIR WARFARE: The Fourth Generation by Christofer Campbell.


SINKING OF HMS SHEFFIELD


Two days after sinking ship General Belgrano
, on Sunday 2nd May 1982. British fighting group heading south was found in north of the Falkland islands, on the edge of the striking range of argentinian aviation on mainland. About 20 miles ahead of commanding ship HMS Hermes
 was HMS Sheffield
 type 42, 3500t destroyer armed with sea-air missiles Sea Dart
. Besides the duty of antiaircraft protection of the fleet Sheffield
 was doing radar observation with his type 966 radar.

Just before noon on 4th May destroyer Sheffield
 was on yellow alert, giving the crew a bit of relaxation from inconveniances of the red alert state. Radar was temporarely turned off not to interfere with signal flow to command centre via satelite link. In the meantime HMS Hermes
 was providing radar picture via tactical data link.

The information from the operative room of destoryer Sheffield
 came that three planes were identified leaving. It was supposed that they were Mirages III
 which observed defence of the fleet and decided not to attack.

The presumption was all wrong. Electronic devices for danger warning suddenly began to flash, meaning that ship was scanned by radar. Even this time crew wasn't sure if it's an enemy because computer was programmed only to recognize soviet missiles as dangerous. When first officer realized what was really going on he only had time to warn crew to take cover...

Missile AM-39 Exocet
 launched from Super Etendard
 aircraft hit the right side of the ship on the height of the 2nd deck. Warhead did not explode but fuel that was not burned and heat caused by hit initiated the fire which spreaded on main fuel tanks and cable instalations. All attempts to put out the fire were unsuccesfull, and afert five hours, when parts of armour were in white heat, command to abandone the ship was issued.

What really happened?


British intelligence did know that argentinian navy aviation (Aviacion Naval Argentina
) got eight Super Etendard
 aircrafts armed with AM-39 Exocet
 missiles and that they had pilotes and mechanics trained to use them. Considering that Agentina had only eight such planes and maybe five missiles, it was hard to believe that they would use them. Altgough the sea around Falklands was full of targets, argentinian fleet was surrounded with british nuclear submarines and old carrier Veinticinco de Mayo
 couldn't even sail out.

Ultimate plan was, obviously, to carry out air strike with two Super Etendartds
 which would take off from airport in Port Stanley. After operation Black Buck
 (airstrike of 1st May with Vulcans
), much more efficient attacks with Harriers
 and bomardments with ship artillery, base on the island was much to vulnerable. Considering that it couldn't use close operative bases, 2nd escadrille (2. Escuadrilla da Ataque
) was forced to plan the task on the edge of tactical radius, from Rio Gallegos base on the very south of the land. Attack radius of Super Etendard
 with AM-39
 and maximal fuel supply is 650km. So, to succesfully carry out the task in-flight-fueling was needed.
On Monday 3rd May, three pilots were choosen to go on a mission. Fault on electronic circuits for intiation of fire engagement was founded and repaired, and complex electronic connections were built in. On 4th May around 10:45 three Super Etendards
 took off from Rio Gallegos, some 470 miles (750km) from Falkland islands.

Continues on next article...