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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 1447.PDF
if§®I#«ps MSKSMW$ An unspecified number of Nimrod MR.2s have been fitted with in-flight refuelling probes, and some are operating from Wideawake airfield on Ascension Refuelling key to use of Ascension SUPPORT of the Task Force, 4,000 miles south-west of Ascension Island, has required the addition of in-flight refuelling probes to Royal Air Force Nimrod MR.2 maritime patrol aircraft and Hercules transports. The modifi cations were accomplished in record time—three weeks from idea to operation in the case of Nimrod—to the great credit of UK industry and the much-maligned Ministry of De fence Procurement Executive. RAF involvement in the Falklands' conflict concentrates on Wideawake airfield on Ascension Island, on some days the second busiest airport in the world after Chicago, eyewitnesses re port. VOOs, Hercules, and chartered 707s fly in men and materials. Nim- rods provide anti-submarine cover where required in the South Atlantic. Hercules ferry urgent supplies direct to the Task Force. Vulcans carry out occasional strikes on Port Stanley air field. Holding the whole operation to gether are an unspecified number of Victor tankers, supporting Nimrods, Hercules, and Vulcans. Before the Vulcans could be used, the long-dor mant refuelling gear had to be checked and renewed where neces sary, and crews trained. Sufficient tankers are put up on each long-dis tance mission for an aircraft to miss one tanker and not run out of fuel before reaching another. To supplement the Victors, a num ber of Hercules may be fitted with a hose-reel unit deploying through the open rear loading ramp. If the RAF asks for US Air Force KC-135s, they will be to take over refuelling tasks in support of UK air defence, not at Ascension. Aircraft operating from Wideawake to the UK do not use the refuelling force, so as not to deplete the island's fuel store. It is too early to say whether re fuelling mods will stay in aircraft after the Falklands conflict is re solved. The relevance to Nato of ex tended patrol times for Nimrod MR.2s, and the upcoming AEW.S, has not gone unnoticed, although the Nim rod installation will require cleaning up if it is to stay. The Hercules will almost certainly be required to oper ate into the Falklands direct from Ascension in support of any garrison, and the refuelling probes will stay. Fleet air defence exacts toll AIR defence of the Task Force has been a mixed success. Direct air com bat has been limited and of sufficient effect to deter further attacks by Ar gentine aircraft operating at the edge of their range. Sea Harriers are equipped with late-model AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles and have the combat advantage of thrust vectoring. Attempts to break the blockade by Mirage-escorted Hercules transports have not apparently been pressed when faced with interception by Sea Harriers. Low-level attacks on Task Force ships have, however, been suc cessful and highlight the major gap in fleet air defence—early warning. Task Force air cover is based on Victor tankers based on Ascension Island are supporting Nimrod maritime-patrol aircraft, Hercules transports, and Vulcan long-range bombers in the South Atlantic defence in depth, with long-range, medium-range, and short-range weapons each able to exact a toll from attacking aircraft. Normally long-range warning would be pro vided by intelligence on enemy move ments and airborne early warning air craft able to detect the low flier. These are not available in the South Atlantic. Air cover begins with Sea Harriers on combat air patrol perhaps 140 n.m. from the centre of the Task Force. These aircraft are under control of a radar piquet ship perhaps 120 n.m from the fleet and able to detect medium-level targets out to 250 n.m. from the Task Force. The ship, prob ably a Type 42 destroyer, will provide its own air defence with Sea Dart missiles. Further in, attacking aircraft, hope fully disorganised by the depredations of Sea Harrier and Sea Dart, arc faced with further interceptors launched on Smin alert from the carriers, and Sea Darts and Sea Slugs launched from destroyers protecting the carrier, and from the carrier it self. The surviving aircraft then face close-in defences such as Seacat and Sea wolf. The latter can provide a measure of protection to accompany ing ships within 1,000m. That Argentina's attacks have so far succeeded in inflicting damage on Task Force ships can be traced directly to the lack of early warning. Exocet missiles launched from low- flying Super Etendards led to the destruction of HMS Sheffield, although at least one missile was decoyed away from its target. Range of ship radars against low-fly ing targets is limited by the horizon to 20 miles, the effective range of Exocet. The Super Etendard, acting on target information from an outside source, perhaps the trawler Narwal, appeared over the horizon only long enough to locate Sheffield and to pass its bearing to Exocet, which was then launched to find its own way to the target using active radar. In the second attack Skyhawks attacked RN ships bombarding Port Stanley Airport from positions close inland. One ship, a Type 22, was equipped with the largely automatic quick-reaction Seawolf missile. The Skyhawks, working on target informa- FLIGHT International, 29 May 1982 1373
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