How capable was the Argentine aircraft carrier in 1982?

[uk 75]

I have always assumed from the various books that I have read that the Argentine 25 DeMayo carrier would have had difficulty launching and recovering fully loaded A4 Skyhawks let alone the bigger and beavier Etendard.
Even though the RN did not sink the carrier its SSN barrier ensured that she never sortied again.
Had the 25 DeMayo been at sea and able to manouvre how many A4s could she have sortied?

 

[EwenS]

25 De Mayo embarked 8 A-4Q Skyhawks in April 1982. Their plan to attack the RN with 6. Number 7 was to carry a buddy refuelling pod and number 8 was a spare. Each was to carry 4x500lb Mk.82 bombs.

The expectation was that of the 6 strikers launched, 4 would penetrate the RN missile screen (2 shot down) and would score 4 hits including at least one of the carriers. Another 2 aircraft would be lost on the exit, leaving 2 to return to the carrier.

Unseasonably calm weather meant that the bomb loads had to be reduced from 4 to 3 to 2 bombs per aircraft. By that stage the risk v reward of the strike balance became unfavourable and it was cancelled.

More importantly this strike was to cause confusion in the Task Force, enabling 3 Exocet carrying corvettes, with their smaller Radar signatures, to penetrate to within 20 miles of the Task Force, launch their SSM and hopefully escape. And of course the Belgrano Group was also approaching from the south to further exploit the situation.

The plan also went awry when the 25de Mayo Group was discovered by a Sea Harrier recce and by a discovery by one of the Argentinian Trackers that the Task Force had moved east beyond the range of the A-4Qs.

IIRC the remainder of 25 de Mayo’s air group consisted of 4 S-2E Trackers and 2 SH-3 helicopters. Away from my library at present to confirm that.

The best reference I have is “A Carrier at Risk”

A Carrier at Risk: Argentinean Aircraft Carrier and Anti-Submarine Operations against Royal Navy’s Attack Submarines during the Falklands/Malvinas War, 1982 (Latin America@War): Amazon.co.uk: Sciaroni, Mariano: 9781911628705: Books

Buy A Carrier at Risk: Argentinean Aircraft Carrier and Anti-Submarine Operations against Royal Navy’s Attack Submarines during the Falklands/Malvinas War, 1982 (Latin America@War) by Sciaroni, Mariano (ISBN: 9781911628705) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on...

www.amazon.co.uk

Just received this about the Super Etendards and have still to read it to understand their relationship with 25 de Mayo.

Handbrake!: Dassault Super Etendard Fighter-Bombers in the Falklands/Malvinas War, 1982 (Latin America@War): Amazon.co.uk: Sciaroni, Mariano, Amendolara, Alejandro: 9781915070722: Books

Buy Handbrake!: Dassault Super Etendard Fighter-Bombers in the Falklands/Malvinas War, 1982 (Latin America@War) by Sciaroni, Mariano, Amendolara, Alejandro (ISBN: 9781915070722) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Archibald]

The S.E was much more modern than the Skyhawk, had a lethal weapon in the shape of the Exocet but also was at the limit of old 25 de Mayo capabilities... S.Es would have been land based most of the time.
Not sure if an Exocet laden S.E would be able to launch off the carrier ?