The Falklands War - Glossary

As the Falklands War series has now been going on for two years, I've put together a glossary, listing the ships, airplanes, weapons, and so on. I usually try to link to wiki when I introduce something new, but it's easy for me to forget that the last time I talked about something was 6 months ago. Hopefully this will close some of the gap. For those wanting to catch up on the series, the full list of posts is here.

• Ships
  • British Warships
  • British Auxiliaries
  • Argentinian Warships
  • Argentinian Auxiliaries
• Aircraft
  • British Aircraft
  • Argentinian Aircraft
• Weapons
  • British Weapons
  • Argentinian Weapons
• Other

Ships

I have only listed major weapons systems for the ships, primarily good surface-to-air missiles.¹ Almost all British ships had at least one 4.5" gun and a helicopter, but the presence of these should be obvious from context, and full lists are available in the relevant wiki articles. I've mentioned and linked to significant events regarding some ships, but only those that have come up in the narrative so far.

British Warships

• HMS Hermes: A carrier that was originally laid down during WWII, although it had been extensively modernized. The British flagship, loaded with Harriers and Sea King helicopters.
• HMS Invincible: The second British carrier, commissioned less than two years before. Besides its air group of Harriers and Sea Kings, it also was armed with Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles.
• HMS Sheffield: Type 42 air-defense destroyer, armed with Sea Dart missiles. Part of the first wave off the Falklands. Sunk by Exocet attack on May 4th.
• HMS Coventry: Type 42 air-defense destroyer, armed with Sea Dart missiles. Part of the first wave off the Falklands. Sunk by bombers on May 25th.
• HMS Glasgow: Type 42 air-defense destroyer, armed with Sea Dart missiles. Part of the first wave off the Falklands. Damaged by air attack on May 12th.
• HMS Exeter: Type 42 air-defense destroyer, armed with Sea Dart missiles. Arrived off the Falklands on May 22nd.
• HMS Cardiff: Type 42 air-defense destroyer, armed with Sea Dart missiles. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Bristol: Type 82 air-defense destroyer, armed with Sea Dart missiles. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Antrim: County class destroyer, armed with obsolescent Sea Slug missiles. Used mainly as a general-purpose escort. Part of the first wave off the Falklands. Hit by a bomb that failed to detonate on May 21st.
• HMS Glamorgan: County class destroyer, armed with obsolescent Sea Slug missiles. Used mainly as a general-purpose escort. Part of the first wave off the Falklands. Damaged by missile on June 12th.
• HMS Brilliant: Type 22 frigate, armed with Sea Wolf point-defense missiles. Part of the first wave off the Falklands.
• HMS Broadsword: Type 22 frigate, armed with Sea Wolf point-defense missiles. Part of the first wave off the Falklands.
• HMS Alacrity: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Part of the first wave off the Falklands.
• HMS Arrow: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Part of the first wave off the Falklands.
• HMS Antelope: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Escort for the Amphibious Group, arrived off the Falklands on May 20th. Sunk by Argentine bombs, May 23rd.
• HMS Ardent: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Escort for the Amphibious Group, arrived off the Falklands on May 20th. Sunk by Argentine bombs, May 21st.
• HMS Ambuscade: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Arrived off the Falklands on May 22nd.
• HMS Active: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Avenger: Type 21 general-purpose frigate. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Argonaut: Leander class general-purpose frigate. Escort for the Amphibious Group, arrived off the Falklands on May 20th. Badly damaged by Argentine bombs on May 21st.
• HMS Andromeda: Leander class frigate modernized with Sea Wolf point-defense missiles. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Minerva: Leander class general-purpose frigate. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Penelope: Leander class general-purpose frigate. Part of the Bristol group, which reached the Falklands on May 26th.
• HMS Yarmouth: Rothesay class general-purpose frigate. Part of the first wave off the Falklands.
• HMS Plymouth: Rothesay class general-purpose frigate. Part of the first wave off the Falklands.
• HMS Fearless: Fearless class amphibious transport dock. Carried four LCU and four LCVP, as well as troops and supplies. Flagship of the Amphibious Group, arrived off the Falklands on May 20th.
• HMS Intrepid: Fearless class amphibious transport dock. Carried four LCU and four LCVP, as well as troops and supplies. Part of the Amphibious Group, arrived off the Falklands on May 20th.
• HMS Endurance: Ice patrol vessel, usually stationed in the South Atlantic. The only British vessel on-station during the Argentine invasion.
• HMS Conqueror: Churchill class nuclear submarine dispatched to support the task force. Sunk Argentinian cruiser General Belgrano.
• HMS Courageous: Churchill class nuclear submarine dispatched to support the task force.
• HMS Valiant: Valiant class nuclear submarine dispatched to support the task force.
• HMS Spartan: Swiftsure class nuclear submarine dispatched to support the task force.
• HMS Splendid: Swiftsure class nuclear submarine dispatched to support the task force.
• HMS Onyx: Oberon class non-nuclear submarine sent to the South Atlantic for special operations.

British Auxiliaries

• RFA Sir Bedivere: Landing Ship Logistics. Carried supplies for the ground forces.
• RFA Sir Galahad: Landing Ship Logistics. Carried supplies for the ground forces. Bombed on May 24th in San Carlos, then repaired and sunk at Bluff Cove on June 8th.
• RFA Sir Geraint: Landing Ship Logistics. Carried supplies for the ground forces.
• RFA Sir Lancelot: Landing Ship Logistics. Carried supplies for the ground forces. Bombed on May 24th in San Carlos.
• RFA Sir Percivale: Landing Ship Logistics. Carried supplies for the ground forces.
• RFA Sir Tristam: Landing Ship Logistics. Carried supplies for the ground forces. Badly damaged by bombing at Bluff Cove on June 8th
• RFA Olna: Tanker.
• RFA Olmeda: Tanker.
• RFA Tidespring: Tanker.
• RFA Tidepool: Tanker.
• RFA Blue Rover: Tanker.
• RFA Appleleaf: Tanker.
• RFA Brambleleaf: Tanker.
• RFA Bayleaf: Tanker.
• RFA Plumleaf: Tanker.
• RFA Pearleaf: Tanker.
• RFA Fort Austin: Supply ship, also served as a backup helicopter carrier. Very busy during the beginning of the campaign.
• RFA Regent: Supply ship.
• RFA Resource: Supply ship.
• RFA Fort Grange: Supply ship.
• RFA Stromness: Supply ship.
• RFA Engadine: Helicopter support ship.
• SS Canberra: Requisitioned ocean liner, carried most of the troops for the initial landing south. Known as the "Great White Whale" on account of her size and color.
• Queen Elizabeth 2: Requisitioned ocean liner, carried the second wave of troops.
• SS Uganda: Requisitioned ocean liner, used as a hospital ship.
• MS Elk: Requisitioned ferry, used to carry supplies and helicopters for the first wave. Dubbed Elk Royal in recognition of the latter role.
• MS Europic Ferry: Requisitioned ferry, used to carry supplies and helicopters for the first wave.
• MV Norland: Requisitioned ferry, used to carry supplies and helicopters for the first wave.
• MS Baltic Ferry: Requisitioned ferry, used to carry follow-up supplies and helicopters.
• MS Nordic Ferry: Requisitioned ferry, used to carry follow-up supplies.
• SS Atlantic Conveyor: Requisitioned container ship. Used to carry Harriers, helicopters and supplies for the amphibious group. Sunk by Exocet attack on May 25th.
• SS Atlantic Causeway: Requisitioned container ship. Used to carry follow-up helicopters and supplies.

Argentinian Warships

• ARA Veinticinco de Mayo: Ex-British aircraft carrier, with a wing of A-4 Skyhawks, S-2 Trackers, and Sea Kings. Confined to port due to submarine threat after her initial sortie, air group operated from land bases.
• ARA General Belgrano: Ex-American light cruiser, armed with 6" guns and Exocet missiles. Sunk by HMS Conqueror on May 2nd.
• ARA Hercules: Type 42 air-defense destroyer purchased from Britain, armed with Sea Dart missiles.
• ARA Santisima Trinidad: Type 42 air-defense destroyer purchased from Britain, armed with Sea Dart missiles.
• ARA Hipolito Bouchard: Ex-American Allen M. Sumner class destroyer, armed with Exocet missiles.
• ARA Piedrabuena: Ex-American Allen M. Sumner class destroyer, armed with Exocet missiles.
• ARA Drummond: French-built corvette, armed with Exocet missiles.
• ARA Guerrico: French-built corvette, armed with Exocet missiles. Served in the invasion of South Georgia.
• ARA Granville: French-built corvette, armed with Exocet missiles.
• ARA Santa Fe: Ex-American WWII-era submarine, modernized. Sunk by the British off South Georgia.
• ARA San Luis: German-built conventional submarine.

Argentinian Auxiliaries

• ARA Isla de los Estados: Supply ship sunk by HMS Alacrity on May 10th.
• ARA Bahia Buen Suceso: Cargo ship, carried the initial invasion force for South Georgia.
• Rio Carcarana: Cargo ship, bombed in Falkland Sound, then attacked repeatedly by both sides.
• ARA Narwal: Spy trawler, captured and sunk by the British.

Aircraft

British Aircraft

• Sea Harrier: Carrier-based short takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fighter. Usually referred to with generic "Harrier". Capable of carrying rockets, bombs, and Sidewinder missiles, as well as 30mm cannon.
• Harrier GR3: Royal Air Force STOVL attack aircraft, not normally carrier-based. 10 hastily modified for carrier operations and sent to the South Atlantic. Used primarily for recon and ground attack. Armed with rockets, bombs and 30mm cannon.
• Sea King: Ship-based heavy antisubmarine and utility helicopter.
• Wessex: Medium helicopter family including both ship-based anti-submarine versions and both ship and land-based utility/cargo aircraft.
• Lynx: Advanced medium anti-submarine helicopter, armed with torpedoes, machine guns, and Sea Skua missiles.
• Wasp: Light anti-submarine helicopter, with minimal avionics. Armed with torpedoes and AS.12 missiles.
• Vulcan: 1950s bomber, used in epic long-range bombing missions against the Falklands.
• Victor: Tanker converted from 1950s bomber, used to support long-range missions from Ascension.
• Nimrod: Maritime patrol/reconnaissance aircraft used for distant support of the Task Force.
• Hercules: Tactical transport, used with extensive refueling for urgent drops of supplies to the Task Force.
• Scout: Light land-based helicopter, used for reconnaissance and transport.
• Gazelle: Light land-based helicopter, used for reconnaissance and transport.

Argentinian Aircraft

• A-4 Skyhawk: American-built attack aircraft, used in slightly different variants by the Argentine Air Force and Navy. Armed with cannon and bombs.
• Dagger: Israeli-built fighter/attack aircraft used by the Air Force. Armed with cannon and bombs.
• Super Etendard: French-built attack aircraft planned for use on Veinticinco de Mayo, but instead deployed with Exocet missiles from land bases.
• Mirage III: French-built fighter and backbone of Argentina's air defenses, armed with missiles. Withdrawn from service over the Falklands after heavy losses the first day.
• Pucara: Argentinian light attack aircraft. Propeller-driven and designed primarily for use against insurgents, it still proved useful in the Falklands.
• Boeing 707: American airliner used by Argentina as a long-range patrol aircraft.
• Canberra: British-built light bomber, used for attacks on the Falklands and the Task Force.
• KC-130 Hercules: American-built tactical transport, with several aerial tanker variants used to give extra range to Argentine air strikes.
• SP-2H Neptune: American-built maritime patrol aircraft, used to provide targeting for Exocet strikes. All out of service by May 15th.
• MB-339: Italian-built jet trainer, based in the Falklands and used for light attack.
• T-34 TurboMentor: American-built turboprop trainer. Several based in the Falklands and used for recon and light attack.
• Learjet: American-built business jet, used for navigation and decoy duties by the Argentinians during the war.

Weapons

British Weapons

• Sea Slug: 1960s naval SAM. Intended for shooting down bombers, obsolescent by the time of the Falklands War.
• Sea Cat: 1960s naval point-defense SAM. Widely used, although manual control and subsonic missiles meant that it was obsolescent and largely ineffective during the war.
• Sea Dart: Long-range naval SAM. Very effective at high altitude, although prone to software glitches. Used by both sides.
• Sea Wolf: Naval point-defense SAM. Intended for shooting down missiles, but also very effective against aircraft. Only limited numbers available.
• Exocet: French surface-launched² anti-ship missile.
• Ikara: Australian long-range antisubmarine missile.
• Sidewinder: American infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile.
• Sea Skua: Helicoper-launched light anti-ship missile. Not cleared for service at the start of the war, but rushed into service.
• AS.12: Helicopter-launched anti-tank missile.

Argentinian Weapons

• Exocet: French anti-ship missile used by Argentina in both air-launched and surface-launched versions.
• Sea Dart: Long-range naval SAM. Very effective at high altitude, although prone to software glitches. Used by both sides.
• Sidewinder: American infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile.
• R530: French semi-active radar-homing short-range air-to-air missile.
• R550 Magic: French infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile.
• Retarded bomb: Bombs fitted with special devices to slow them down and allow the launching aircraft to escape before the bomb went off. These didn't always work, and many bombs that did hit their targets were duds.

Other

• Sandy Woodward: The Admiral in charge of the British Carrier Task Force.
• VYCA-2: Argentinian air-control unit at Stanley. Made excellent use of radar data to keep Argentine aircraft clear of the British, or guide them in, as desired.