Argentine Aircraft in the Falklands
During the Falklands campaign, the primary threat to the Royal Navy task force was the Argentine Air Forces' and Navy's attack aircraft. Some of which were based on the Falklands, others on the Argentine mainland. The premier threat coming from the Super Etendard with its ability to carry and launch the Exocet Anti-Ship missile.
Dassault Mirage III
McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
IAI Dagger
BAC Canberra
FMA IA 58 Pucara
Aermacchi M.B.339
Learjet 35A-L
Dassault Super Etendard
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
Dassault Mirage III
French
designed strike aircraft
Type |
High altitude, all-weather interceptor |
Powerplant |
One 13,668lb thrust SNECMA Alar9C turbojet |
Speed (kmh) |
2350 at 12,000m |
Range (km) |
685km on a low level mission with maximum external fuel |
Service Ceiling (m) |
17,000 |
Wingspan ((m) |
8.22 |
Wing Area (m2) |
35.0 |
Length (m) |
15.03 |
Guns |
Two DEFA 552A 30mm cannon each with 125 rounds |
Bombs etc |
8,818lb on five external hard points, can include tactical nuclear weapons and a variety of ordnance |
Crew |
1 |
McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
Type |
Carrier borne attack fighter bombers |
Powerplant |
One 9,300lb dry thrust Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8A turbojet |
Speed (kmh) |
954 at 34,000ft with a 4,000lb bomb load |
Range (km) |
3,307 unrefuelled |
Service Ceiling (m) |
14,935 clean |
Wingspan ((m) |
8.38 |
Wing Area (m2) |
24.15 |
Length (m) |
12.27 excluding refuelling probe |
Guns |
Two 20mm Mk 12 cannon with 200 rounds per gun internally |
Bombs etc |
5,000lb or ordnance, including missiles, cluster bombs and drop tanks carried on five external hard points |
Crew |
1 |
IAI Nesher/Dagger
Israeli
designed derivative of the French Mirage III. Locally known as the 'Dagger'
Type |
Multi-role fighter |
Powerplant |
One SNECMA Atar 9C turbojet |
Speed (kmh) |
March 2.3+ |
Range (km) |
1186 with 4700 litre's of auxiliary fuel in drop tanks plus 2 Air to Air missiles and 2600lb of bombs |
Service Ceiling (m) |
17,680 |
Wingspan ((m) |
8.22 |
Wing Area (m2) |
34.8 |
Length (m) |
15.65 |
Guns |
Two 30mm IAI/DEFA 552 cannon in the fuselage, with 140 rounds each |
Bombs etc |
12,730lb of ordnance |
Crew |
1 |
BAC Canberra
British
designed bomber, which has fulfilled many role from electronic warfare,
to bomber and reconnaissance.
Type |
Bomber |
Powerplant |
Two Rolls-Royce Avon 206 turbojets of 11,250lb st |
Speed (kmh) |
917 at 12192m |
Range (km) |
4274 |
Service Ceiling (m) |
14630 |
Wingspan ((m) |
19.49 |
Wing Area (m2) |
9708 |
Length (m) |
19.96 |
Guns |
None |
Bombs etc |
6000lb |
Crew |
3 |
FMA IA 58 Pucara
Type |
Strike aircraft |
Powerplant |
Two 978shp Turbomeca Astazou XVIG turboprops |
Speed (kmh) |
500 |
Range (km) |
350 radius of action with full weapon load on hi-lo-hi mission |
Service Ceiling (m) |
10,000 |
Wingspan ((m) |
14.5 |
Wing Area (m2) |
30.3 |
Length (m) |
14.253 |
Guns |
Four 7.62mm machine guns and two 20mm cannon, with 900 and 270 rounds per gun respectively. |
Bombs etc |
3307lb of ordnance |
Crew |
2 |
Aermacchi M.B.339
Italian
built close support aircraft.
Type |
Trainer and Close support aircraft |
Powerplant |
One 400lb dry thrust Piaggio (Rolls-Royce) Viper 632-43 turbojet |
Speed (kmh) |
925 |
Range (km) |
Combat Radius 593km on a hi-lo-hi mission with maximum war load. Ferry range 2110 km with external fuel |
Service Ceiling (m) |
14630m |
Wingspan ((m) |
10.85 over tip tanks |
Wing Area (m2) |
19.3 |
Length (m) |
10.97 |
Guns |
None internally |
Bombs etc |
400lb of ordnance on six underwing pylons. Two inboard pylons can carry cannon or Minigun pods, and two center pylons are equipped for carriage of drop tanks |
Crew |
2 |
Learjet 35A-L
The Learjet was used by the Argentines in the Falklands as a Reconnaissance and close support aircraft.
Type |
Varied |
Powerplant |
Two 3500lb thrust Gareett TFE731-2-2B turbofans |
Speed (kmh) |
872 |
Range (km) |
4,240 |
Service Ceiling (m) |
13,715 |
Wingspan ((m) |
12.04 |
Wing Area (m2) |
|
Length (m) |
14.83 |
Guns |
None |
Bombs etc |
None |
Crew |
2 crew and 8 passengers |
Dassault Super Etendard
French
designed multi-role fighter.
Type |
Carrier borne strike-attack and interceptor fighter |
Powerplant |
one 11,023lb dry thrust SNECMA Atar 8K-50 turbojet |
Speed (kmh) |
1180 at low level |
Range (km) |
850 on a hi-lo-hi mission with one Exocet and two external tanks |
Service Ceiling (m) |
13700 |
Wingspan ((m) |
9.6 |
Wing Area (m2) |
28.4 |
Length (m) |
14.31 |
Guns |
Two 30mm DEFA 553 cannon with 125 rounds per gun mounted internally |
Bombs etc |
4,630 lb of ordnance carried on five external pylons, including Exocet missiles and refuelling pods |
Crew |
1 |
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Used
in the Falklands by the Argentine air force as a makeshift bomber and reconnaissance
aircraft as well as a transport.
Powerplant: |
4 Allison T56-A-7 turboprops, 4050 hp each |
Speed (Kmph): |
603 at 6100m |
Range (Km): |
5470 |
Service Ceiling (m): |
9145 |
Wingspan (m): |
40.41 |
Wing Area(m2): |
162.11 |
Length (m): |
29.79 |
Guns: |
None |
Payload etc: |
92 passengers or 35700lb freight |
Crew: |
5 |
Beechcraft T-34A & C Mentor
Light trainer used by US Navy and Both the Argentine Air Force and Navy
Type |
Basic Training and Light Attack Aircraft |
Powerplant |
One 715hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25 Turboprop, with 492 litres of fuel |
Speed (kmh) |
387 |
Combat Radius with auxiliary fuel and weapons (km) |
555 |
Service Ceiling (m) |
9,145 |
Wingspan ((m) |
10.16 |
Length (m) |
8.75 |
Bombs etc |
1,200lb of weapons on four underwing pylons. These can include flares, practice bombs, incendiary bombs, antitank missiles, rocket or gun pods |
Crew |
2 in tandem |
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