Military History | How To Make War | Wars Around the World Rules of Use How to Behave on an Internet Forum
Naval Air Discussion Board
   Return to Topic Page
Subject: What if the Vientecinco de Mayo was operational during the falklands war.
jessmo_24    2/24/2007 4:19:50 AM
What if the argies sortied there only carrier along with the belagrano, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cc/USS_Phoenix_US_Navy_cropped.jpg/300px-USS_Phoenix_US_Navy_cropped.jpg And others small surface combatants as pickets. would the war have played out any differnt?
 
Quote    Reply

Show Only Poster Name and Title     Newest to Oldest
Pages: 1 2
reefdiver       2/24/2007 2:09:47 PM
I've always wondered what would have happened if the runway at Stanley had been long enough or extended fast enough for good fighter and other substantial aircraft to land.  The de Mayo could have quickly offloaded its aircraft and scooted back to port, and perhaps others could have flown in - all before the Brits arrived.  It would seem the UK would have had a tough time getting near the island and only UK subs could have worked on A's supply lines. 
 
 
Quote    Reply

Yimmy       2/24/2007 5:41:49 PM
As it is C130's and Puccaras could use the runway (and their other COIN type I forget).

What strikes me, is why we didn't try using laser guided munitions to knock out the runway.  If we could fly a Vulcan over the runway, and drop 21, 1000lb bombs on it (one was a partial hit), surely we could have had an SAS team watching the runway with a laser designator, and have the Vulcan drop 21, 750lb laser guided bombs smack down into the middle of the runway - digging a substantial crater.

Laser guided bombs were I believe first used in combat in the early 70's, on Americanm B57 Canberras.  Surely by 1982 they could have quickly given Vulcan the capability, just as they quickly gave them SHRIKE.
 
Quote    Reply

BadNews       2/25/2007 12:07:11 AM


Laser guided bombs were I believe first used in combat in the early 70's, on Americanm B57 Canberras.  Surely by 1982 they could have quickly given Vulcan the capability, just as they quickly gave them SHRIKE.


SHRIEK was an anti-radition missle which was used to take out SAM Radar - However, yes Laser Guided Muntitions technology was available at the time.

 
Quote    Reply

Softwar       2/25/2007 4:04:29 PM
As I recall it would have made no difference to extend the runway at Stanley - the weather was so bad it grounded the aircraft and limited any landing from mainland flights.  Even after the war - after engineers extended and improved the runway - the RAF had a hard time flying out because of icing conditions.
 
Quote    Reply

smitty237       2/26/2007 12:21:25 PM

Had she kept at sea, and somehow amazingly evaded being sunk, she would have been a very real threat.  Not because of air-air fighters, but because her strike aircraft would be able to reach our carriers - which tended to hide down in the South East, out of range of Argentinian aircraft from the mainland.



I have to agree with Yimmy on this one.  One of my reference books states that 25 de Mayo was out of service because her catapult was being overhauled in Scotland (!), which would only make one further question the Argies' timing.  With an operational catapult the 25 de Mayo would have been capable of launching Super Etendards, but only four of the French attack aircraft had been delivered by the time of the conflict.  Still, those Etendards, carrying Exocet missiles, were able to do a lot of damage.  A fully operational aircraft, carrying a large complement of Etendards and A-4s, patrolling the seas north of the Falklands could have dealt the Royal Navy fits........that is until the Brits sank her, which I am certain they eventually would have.  I don't think the Argentinians could bear the thought of that happening, and I feel that is a big reason why they kept her in port and didn't make her part of the operational plans. 
 
Quote    Reply
1 2



 Latest
 News 		  Most
 Read 		  Most
 Commented		  Hot
 Topics