bobdina
11-10-2010, 01:38 PM
Amphibious forces learn lessons from Falkland Islands War
11/10/2010 By Cpl. Jason Hernandez , Marine Corps Air Station New River
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. — The ability of Western powers to deploy forces rapidly has not come with out a price.
Today, U.S. Marines can conduct amphibious warfare operations with near scientific precision, but this was not the case some 30 years ago.
The modern amphibious ready groups and rapid reaction forces seen operating today were forged from many of the lessons learned in places like the Falklands, Rhodesia, Spain and the Sinai Peninsula. Although World War I and II were major learning points for the U.S. military of the past, it is the post-war era conflicts in which the sciences of modern warfare were honed.
A little known conflict that probably goes unmentioned would be the Falkland Islands War, or La Guerra De Las Malvinas, as it is commonly referred to in Argentina. It was a war fought at Argentina’s doorstep and across the world from its opponents in Britain.
This conflict was a strange blend of new and old fighting tactics. It was the first conflict where a nuclear submarine sank an enemy vessel in combat. The Falkland Islands war was fought by two similarly equipped sides with very different training and motivation levels.
As early as the 1960s, the centuries old question regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands was brought up. Argentina began to make moves courting the Falkland Island’s residents, nearly all of whom held English passports.
Finally, on April 2, 1982, Argentine naval commandos slipped onto the island. Argentine naval vessels began moving into positions near landing beaches. The commandos managed to get up to the Moody Brook Barracks, the home to the 81-man strong British Royal Marine detachment on the island, Naval Party 8901.
After a short assault, the commandos found the barracks empty, and reports came in the British Royal Marine Commandos were fighting in and around the island’s capital, Stanley.
The shooting stopped after a night of fighting and the British laid down their arms. Argentine troops then captured footage of the Royal Marines being stripped of their weapons and gear, being patted down and otherwise embarrassing the men of the Falklands garrison.
“This is British territory,” said the island’s governor, Sir Rex Hunt, after Argentine troops seized Port Stanley. “You’re not invited. We don’t want you here. I want you to go now and take all your men with you.”
As one of the British Marines was led to the aircraft that would take him to freedom, he turned to one of his Argentine guards and said simply, “Don’t make yourselves too comfy, Mate. We’ll be back.”
In the U.S., a successful recapture of the Falkland Islands by Britain was considered militarily impossible. The distance of the Falklands from Britain was staggering. Any attack would have to come from forces stationed in at the other end of the Atlantic in England.
The English response came one month later with Black Buck One, a high altitude conventional bombing run against the only paved airfield on the Falklands.
The British aircraft had to fly a total of 9,200 miles to and from their bases on the mid-Atlantic island of Ascension. Four more Black Buck missions would be flown against the airfield at Stanley and two nearby radar installations.
Sea Harrier FRS1 aircraft began to battle with Argentine aircraft of French origin, Mirage III jets and Israeli Dagger attack aircraft. Although slower than the fixed wing, land based Argentine aircraft, the Harrier pilots soon began using their new aircraft’s low speed to their advantage, dodging the enemy for as long as possible until they broke off to refuel, at which time they would commence their own attack.
On May 2, 1982, history was made when the HMS Conqueror, a British nuclear submarine, sank the Argentine light cruiser, ARA General Belgrano. More than 320 Argentine sailors were killed in the attack. It would be the first time ever killed in the attack. It was the first time ever a nuclear submarine sunk an enemy vessel in combat.
On May 21, British ground forces disembarked from their landing craft on the coast of Ajax Bay, despite bombing attacks by Argentine aircraft. The bay was chosen for its size and shape, allowing vessels to take shelter in the bay and giving Argentine aircraft only a few moments to identify their targets and attack, all while under fire.
English troops and sailors attempted to fend off the attacking jets. Crew members even reported men were firing medium machineguns and service rifles at the lower flying A-4 Skyhawks and FMA IA-58 Pucara jets, among others.
It was the first time in history a modern naval fleet, complete with friendly air support and surface-to-air missiles, defended itself from full-scale enemy air strikes.
Its distance from Port Stanley meant rapid reaction by Argentine ground forces in the capital would be ineffective. Low-flying Argentine pilots dropped their unguided bombs too low, not giving their payload fuses enough time to arm before impact.
Despite the well thought out placement of the landing site, one destroyer was sunk along with two frigates. Eight other ships were damaged, four helicopters were shot down and 49 British troops were killed. The Argentines would lose 22 aircraft and 11 pilots to the anti-aircraft missiles and small arms fire thrown up by the fleet.
The first land battle was for the town of Goose Green. At around 2:30 a.m., May 28, elements of the 2 Parachute Regiment began their attack with plans to have the town under their control “before breakfast.” They brought along artillery support and received naval gunfire support and Harrier cover repeatedly.
Facing the British was the 12th Infantry Regiment with a company from the 25th Infantry Regiment in support. Although the Argentines had mainly employed conscripts in the formation of their units, the men of the 25th Infantry Regiment were under the command of Mohamed Ali Seineldin, a former instructor for Argentine commandos.
During their time on the island before the battle, Seineldin put his conscripted troops through a condensed version of the commando course and unofficially changed the name of his unit to the 25th “Special” Infantry Regiment.
Numerous acts of gallantry were reported on both sides of the ensuring battle. Argentine Cpl. Osvaldo Olmos refused to leave his foxhole as his unit retreated. He continued to fight on until he was eventually overrun and killed.
The day saw heavy fighting, with troops using anti-aircraft cannons for ground support as well as anti-tank missiles. There was even a bayonet charge at the small airstrip near the town. Pvt. Graham Carter rallied his platoon into the attack, eventually overrunning and eliminating the defenders.
Later that night, the remaining 1,000 Argentine troops in the town surrendered and their commander, Lt. Col. Italo Piaggi, was later forced out of the army in disgrace.
The momentum of the operation turned to moving in on the capital of the island and neutralizing any potential threats on the hills leading up to the town proper.
For all of the technology both sides brought forth, and the large disparity in the quality of training on both sides, oddities became the norm across the battlefield. A British Harrier was shot down by small arms fire alone over Mount Kent. British and Argentine troops both carried weapons based on the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle, although the Argentine version was capable of fully automatic fire.
Despite the night vision entering conventional military use in more advanced militaries, like that of Britain, night fighting still came down to games of cat and mouse. British troops used simple tactics to tell friend from foe.
While fighting on Mount Tumbledown, British troops would yell “Hey, Johnny,” a common greeting in Britain at the time, if they spotted movement. The thick Argentine accents prevented enemy troops from posing as friendlies when responding.
Blowpipe man portable anti-aircraft missiles proved ineffective against aircraft flying at unpredictable angles. Of the 95 Blowpipes fired during the war, only nine met their mark, and even then they only managed to shoot down slower flying planes and helicopters.
Although the conflict brought about many military firsts, the liberation of Stanley was conducted by simply picking up the phone, calling a residence in the town and asking if the Argentines were present in force. The teenage girl who answered the phone replied “no,” and Stanley was liberated. The next day, June 14, the Argentines requested a cease fire. Later on that day they would officially surrender.
As the war ended, its effects continued. In Argentina, the military junta was overthrown by Argentines fed up with a humiliating military failure, and the government’s inability to restore faith in the economy.
The war had gone on for 74 days, during which 907 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from both sides were killed. Argentina lost 649 troopers while Britain lost 258.
For the watching world, lessons were taken. Man portable anti-aircraft systems had too limited targeting capability. What should have been a simple victory for the English became a protracted, though still relatively short, conflict. With the Cold War in full swing, second tier countries like Argentina, Chile and others, gained access to weapons systems usually reserved for the world’s most advanced military.
Despite having similar weapons, from service rifles to anti-shipping missiles, the disparities between both sides were obvious in training and motivation. Conscripted Argentine troops were no match for well trained professional British soldiers.
In the end, the war did not end the collapse of what little remained of the British Empire, but instead provided the world a glimpse of what war in the computer age would have in store.
http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcasnewriver/Pages/AmphibiousforceslearnlessonsfromFalklandIslandsWar .aspx
11/10/2010 By Cpl. Jason Hernandez , Marine Corps Air Station New River
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. — The ability of Western powers to deploy forces rapidly has not come with out a price.
Today, U.S. Marines can conduct amphibious warfare operations with near scientific precision, but this was not the case some 30 years ago.
The modern amphibious ready groups and rapid reaction forces seen operating today were forged from many of the lessons learned in places like the Falklands, Rhodesia, Spain and the Sinai Peninsula. Although World War I and II were major learning points for the U.S. military of the past, it is the post-war era conflicts in which the sciences of modern warfare were honed.
A little known conflict that probably goes unmentioned would be the Falkland Islands War, or La Guerra De Las Malvinas, as it is commonly referred to in Argentina. It was a war fought at Argentina’s doorstep and across the world from its opponents in Britain.
This conflict was a strange blend of new and old fighting tactics. It was the first conflict where a nuclear submarine sank an enemy vessel in combat. The Falkland Islands war was fought by two similarly equipped sides with very different training and motivation levels.
As early as the 1960s, the centuries old question regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands was brought up. Argentina began to make moves courting the Falkland Island’s residents, nearly all of whom held English passports.
Finally, on April 2, 1982, Argentine naval commandos slipped onto the island. Argentine naval vessels began moving into positions near landing beaches. The commandos managed to get up to the Moody Brook Barracks, the home to the 81-man strong British Royal Marine detachment on the island, Naval Party 8901.
After a short assault, the commandos found the barracks empty, and reports came in the British Royal Marine Commandos were fighting in and around the island’s capital, Stanley.
The shooting stopped after a night of fighting and the British laid down their arms. Argentine troops then captured footage of the Royal Marines being stripped of their weapons and gear, being patted down and otherwise embarrassing the men of the Falklands garrison.
“This is British territory,” said the island’s governor, Sir Rex Hunt, after Argentine troops seized Port Stanley. “You’re not invited. We don’t want you here. I want you to go now and take all your men with you.”
As one of the British Marines was led to the aircraft that would take him to freedom, he turned to one of his Argentine guards and said simply, “Don’t make yourselves too comfy, Mate. We’ll be back.”
In the U.S., a successful recapture of the Falkland Islands by Britain was considered militarily impossible. The distance of the Falklands from Britain was staggering. Any attack would have to come from forces stationed in at the other end of the Atlantic in England.
The English response came one month later with Black Buck One, a high altitude conventional bombing run against the only paved airfield on the Falklands.
The British aircraft had to fly a total of 9,200 miles to and from their bases on the mid-Atlantic island of Ascension. Four more Black Buck missions would be flown against the airfield at Stanley and two nearby radar installations.
Sea Harrier FRS1 aircraft began to battle with Argentine aircraft of French origin, Mirage III jets and Israeli Dagger attack aircraft. Although slower than the fixed wing, land based Argentine aircraft, the Harrier pilots soon began using their new aircraft’s low speed to their advantage, dodging the enemy for as long as possible until they broke off to refuel, at which time they would commence their own attack.
On May 2, 1982, history was made when the HMS Conqueror, a British nuclear submarine, sank the Argentine light cruiser, ARA General Belgrano. More than 320 Argentine sailors were killed in the attack. It would be the first time ever killed in the attack. It was the first time ever a nuclear submarine sunk an enemy vessel in combat.
On May 21, British ground forces disembarked from their landing craft on the coast of Ajax Bay, despite bombing attacks by Argentine aircraft. The bay was chosen for its size and shape, allowing vessels to take shelter in the bay and giving Argentine aircraft only a few moments to identify their targets and attack, all while under fire.
English troops and sailors attempted to fend off the attacking jets. Crew members even reported men were firing medium machineguns and service rifles at the lower flying A-4 Skyhawks and FMA IA-58 Pucara jets, among others.
It was the first time in history a modern naval fleet, complete with friendly air support and surface-to-air missiles, defended itself from full-scale enemy air strikes.
Its distance from Port Stanley meant rapid reaction by Argentine ground forces in the capital would be ineffective. Low-flying Argentine pilots dropped their unguided bombs too low, not giving their payload fuses enough time to arm before impact.
Despite the well thought out placement of the landing site, one destroyer was sunk along with two frigates. Eight other ships were damaged, four helicopters were shot down and 49 British troops were killed. The Argentines would lose 22 aircraft and 11 pilots to the anti-aircraft missiles and small arms fire thrown up by the fleet.
The first land battle was for the town of Goose Green. At around 2:30 a.m., May 28, elements of the 2 Parachute Regiment began their attack with plans to have the town under their control “before breakfast.” They brought along artillery support and received naval gunfire support and Harrier cover repeatedly.
Facing the British was the 12th Infantry Regiment with a company from the 25th Infantry Regiment in support. Although the Argentines had mainly employed conscripts in the formation of their units, the men of the 25th Infantry Regiment were under the command of Mohamed Ali Seineldin, a former instructor for Argentine commandos.
During their time on the island before the battle, Seineldin put his conscripted troops through a condensed version of the commando course and unofficially changed the name of his unit to the 25th “Special” Infantry Regiment.
Numerous acts of gallantry were reported on both sides of the ensuring battle. Argentine Cpl. Osvaldo Olmos refused to leave his foxhole as his unit retreated. He continued to fight on until he was eventually overrun and killed.
The day saw heavy fighting, with troops using anti-aircraft cannons for ground support as well as anti-tank missiles. There was even a bayonet charge at the small airstrip near the town. Pvt. Graham Carter rallied his platoon into the attack, eventually overrunning and eliminating the defenders.
Later that night, the remaining 1,000 Argentine troops in the town surrendered and their commander, Lt. Col. Italo Piaggi, was later forced out of the army in disgrace.
The momentum of the operation turned to moving in on the capital of the island and neutralizing any potential threats on the hills leading up to the town proper.
For all of the technology both sides brought forth, and the large disparity in the quality of training on both sides, oddities became the norm across the battlefield. A British Harrier was shot down by small arms fire alone over Mount Kent. British and Argentine troops both carried weapons based on the Belgian FN FAL battle rifle, although the Argentine version was capable of fully automatic fire.
Despite the night vision entering conventional military use in more advanced militaries, like that of Britain, night fighting still came down to games of cat and mouse. British troops used simple tactics to tell friend from foe.
While fighting on Mount Tumbledown, British troops would yell “Hey, Johnny,” a common greeting in Britain at the time, if they spotted movement. The thick Argentine accents prevented enemy troops from posing as friendlies when responding.
Blowpipe man portable anti-aircraft missiles proved ineffective against aircraft flying at unpredictable angles. Of the 95 Blowpipes fired during the war, only nine met their mark, and even then they only managed to shoot down slower flying planes and helicopters.
Although the conflict brought about many military firsts, the liberation of Stanley was conducted by simply picking up the phone, calling a residence in the town and asking if the Argentines were present in force. The teenage girl who answered the phone replied “no,” and Stanley was liberated. The next day, June 14, the Argentines requested a cease fire. Later on that day they would officially surrender.
As the war ended, its effects continued. In Argentina, the military junta was overthrown by Argentines fed up with a humiliating military failure, and the government’s inability to restore faith in the economy.
The war had gone on for 74 days, during which 907 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from both sides were killed. Argentina lost 649 troopers while Britain lost 258.
For the watching world, lessons were taken. Man portable anti-aircraft systems had too limited targeting capability. What should have been a simple victory for the English became a protracted, though still relatively short, conflict. With the Cold War in full swing, second tier countries like Argentina, Chile and others, gained access to weapons systems usually reserved for the world’s most advanced military.
Despite having similar weapons, from service rifles to anti-shipping missiles, the disparities between both sides were obvious in training and motivation. Conscripted Argentine troops were no match for well trained professional British soldiers.
In the end, the war did not end the collapse of what little remained of the British Empire, but instead provided the world a glimpse of what war in the computer age would have in store.
http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcasnewriver/Pages/AmphibiousforceslearnlessonsfromFalklandIslandsWar .aspx