Aérospatiale AM.39 Exocet[9][5] - The Exocet is probably the most famous weapon of the war, sinking two British ships and damaging a third. Operated by both sides the missile was used by the
Argentine Navy either air launched from
Dassault Super Étendard jets and from an improvised land launcher.
BAe Sea Skua (
Lynx)[14] - A light anti-ship missile, fired from
Lynx helicopters, its warhead is only 20 kg compared with the Exocet's 165 kg. However, hits from three Sea Skua missiles badly damaged the Argentine tug
ARA Alferez Sobral.
Nord AS.12 (
Wasp,
Wessex) - A French light anti-ship missile, fired from
Westland Wasp helicopters. Like the Sea Skua, its small 28 kg warhead meant that it could not destroy ships outright; however, it could disable smaller vessels. On 25 April 1982 it contributed towards damaging and disabling the Argentine
Submarine the
ARA Santa Fe. A total of nine missiles were fired at the submarine trapped on the surface by anti-submarine torpedoes circling just under the hull. Of the missiles fired four hit, four missed and one failed to launch. Two of the missiles that hit the target failed to detonate on impact, instead punching a hole through the slender conning tower and exploding on the far side.
Sea Dart - British naval medium-range
surface-to-air missile. It proved unable to engage low-altitude targets, such as Argentine
A4 Skyhawk aircraft and Exocet missiles. However, it did achieve several long-range kills.
Roland - Argentine forces deployed a single launcher to defend Stanley airport; it succeeded in shooting down one Sea Harrier (XZ456) on 1 June 1982 above 10,000 feet (3000 m). The presence of the launcher forced British aircraft to operate above its envelope – typically at 18,000 feet (5,500 m) which severely reduced the accuracy of bombs dropped on the airport. The single Roland unit was later shipped back to Britain for analysis and testing.
Tiger Cat- Argentine land forces had a total of 7 Tigercat missile launchers (Ex RAF); there were several near misses, and possibly one
Sea Harrier had its engine damaged by shrapnel from one of the missiles.
United Kingdom
Naval surface-to-air missiles
Sea Dart[97] - British naval medium-range
surface-to-air missile. It proved unable to engage low-altitude targets, such as Argentine
A4 Skyhawk aircraft and Exocet missiles. However, it did achieve several long-range kills.
Sea Wolf[97] - British naval short-range low-altitude surface-to-air missile, used to complement the longer-range Sea Dart. It proved capable of engaging low-flying aircraft.
Sea Slug - Long range, high altitude anti-aircraft missile system of the 1950s, was not used against aircraft but for bombardment of positions near Port Stanley by the Royal Navy ships equipped with it.
Land-based surface-to-air missiles
Rapier[98][99] - British surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army to replace their towed
Bofors 40/L70 anti-aircraft guns. Its presence acted as a deterrent, especially after the deployment of Blind Fire systems around Port San Carlos.
Aérospatiale AM.39 Exocet[9][5] - The Exocet is probably the most famous weapon of the war, sinking two British ships and damaging a third. Operated by both sides the missile was used by the
Argentine Navy either air launched from
Dassault Super Étendard jets and from an improvised land launcher.
BAe Sea Skua (
Lynx)[14] - A light anti-ship missile, fired from
Lynx helicopters, its warhead is only 20 kg compared with the Exocet's 165 kg. However, hits from three Sea Skua missiles badly damaged the Argentine tug
ARA Alferez Sobral.
Nord AS.12 (
Wasp,
Wessex) - A French light anti-ship missile, fired from
Westland Wasp helicopters. Like the Sea Skua, its small 28 kg warhead meant that it could not destroy ships outright; however, it could disable smaller vessels. On 25 April 1982 it contributed towards damaging and disabling the Argentine
Submarine the
ARA Santa Fe. A total of nine missiles were fired at the submarine trapped on the surface by anti-submarine torpedoes circling just under the hull. Of the missiles fired four hit, four missed and one failed to launch. Two of the missiles that hit the target failed to detonate on impact, instead punching a hole through the slender conning tower and exploding on the far side.
Sea Dart - British naval medium-range
surface-to-air missile. It proved unable to engage low-altitude targets, such as Argentine
A4 Skyhawk aircraft and Exocet missiles. However, it did achieve several long-range kills.
Roland - Argentine forces deployed a single launcher to defend Stanley airport; it succeeded in shooting down one Sea Harrier (XZ456) on 1 June 1982 above 10,000 feet (3000 m). The presence of the launcher forced British aircraft to operate above its envelope – typically at 18,000 feet (5,500 m) which severely reduced the accuracy of bombs dropped on the airport. The single Roland unit was later shipped back to Britain for analysis and testing.
Tiger Cat- Argentine land forces had a total of 7 Tigercat missile launchers (Ex RAF); there were several near misses, and possibly one
Sea Harrier had its engine damaged by shrapnel from one of the missiles.
United Kingdom
Naval surface-to-air missiles
Sea Dart[97] - British naval medium-range
surface-to-air missile. It proved unable to engage low-altitude targets, such as Argentine
A4 Skyhawk aircraft and Exocet missiles. However, it did achieve several long-range kills.
Sea Wolf[97] - British naval short-range low-altitude surface-to-air missile, used to complement the longer-range Sea Dart. It proved capable of engaging low-flying aircraft.
Sea Slug - Long range, high altitude anti-aircraft missile system of the 1950s, was not used against aircraft but for bombardment of positions near Port Stanley by the Royal Navy ships equipped with it.
Land-based surface-to-air missiles
Rapier[98][99] - British surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army to replace their towed
Bofors 40/L70 anti-aircraft guns. Its presence acted as a deterrent, especially after the deployment of Blind Fire systems around Port San Carlos.