HMS Sheffield After Exocet Missile Hits
Slide 27 of 44
The Argentinian air force was 1st rate and had advanced weapons such as the Exocet antiship missile. HMS Sheffield was the first casualty of the Exocet. It was attacked on 4 May and eventually sunk on 10 May. More details and pictures here. It was the first British warship lost since the Second World War. There were many 'firsts' during the Falklands war. The Argentinian cruiser Belgrano was the first ship sunk by submarine since WWII. It carried Exocets and threatened the fleet so it was ordered to be attacked. The nuclear submarine Conqueror fired two Mark 8 torpedoes into it on 2 May. It was the first time a nuclear sub had ever fired a shot in anger. It is interesting to note that the Belgrano was originally the USS Phoenix which survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The British also retook the South Georgians with a force of SBS and Marine commandos this was the first time a helicopter had ever attacked a submarine which was found on the surface in the Harbor.
Le 2 mai le sous-marin Anglais "Conqueror" a coule le croiseur Argentin "General Belgrano". Le 4 mai les Argentins ont rendu la pareille au destroyer "HMS Sheffield" avec un missile de type Exocet.
