MILITARY HISTORY: ARGENTINE SUBMARINE OPERATIONS DURING THE FALKLANDS WAR... For most nations the diesel powered submarine provides a cost effective way of denying the sea from an enemy by undersea craft... Though the very large and expensive nuclear powered submarines provide powerful nations with high performance, unlimited endurance and firepower, diesel submarines are cheaper and have the significant advantage of being extremely quiet and when operating in silent running state are virtually undetectable... Thus the lesser powerful nations can use such vessels to effect a considerable influence even on peacetime, on maritime areas of interest... In times of conflict it can be used for defensive and offensive operations and create a real threat to opposing forces... This was proven during the 1982 Falklands War, when the Argentine made use of their submarines against the British... A single German designed Type 209 diesel submarine the SAN LUIS, harassed the much larger and better equipped British Naval Task Force... The Argentine submarine made three unsuccessful attacks with wire-guided ASW and anti-ship torpedoes and caused the British to be deterred at a certain degree, maintaining intensive ASW defensive tactics and airborne patrols ... SAN LUIS presence tied considerable Royal Navy warship and aircraft resources just trying to find her... Another Argentine diesel submarine, the modified American made World War 2 submarine (Guppy II) the SANTA FE was used as a Special Forces swimmer transport during the invasion of the Falkland Islands... On another transport mission the SANTA FE was damaged, beached and captured after being attacked by Royal Navy helicopters during the recapture of the South Georgia islands southeast of the Falklands... Theres very little doubt on the value of diesel submarines to a countrys maritime security and military capability, as shown by most Asian nations possessing such vessels...
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:33:17 +0000
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