02-apr-82    to    17-jun-82

Operation Corporate

02-apr-82    to    17-jun-82


South Atlantic



Operation Corporate was the UK name given to the conflict between it and Argentina to retake the Falkand Islands (Islas Malvinas) and associated South Atlantic territories following their seizure by military invasion in early April 1982. The UK despatched a large naval task force and associated air and land forces, often using the Ascension Island as a mid point mounting base. Most of the UKs helicopter squadrons and/or their personnel found themselves involved in this operation sooner or later. Many of the helicopter types involved were upgraded to improve their capabilities or survivability. This conflict also marked the first combat use of the newly delivered RAF Chinook HC Mk1, and where several were lost, along with many other reinforcement helicopters, following the Exocet sinking of the Atlantic Conveyor.
The operation highlighted the drawbacks of relying on a non-organic maritime reconnaissance capability, following the HM Treasury-led retirement of the Gannet AEW.3 force and the inflexibility in the deployment of Shackleton AEW.2 and Nimrod MR.2 shore-based assets to support the Fleet in a timely fashion. On the plus side, it led to the development of the Sea King AEW.2 and its successors plus the adoption of more robust anti-missile defence systems and a re-learning of lessons about the use of low combustibility materials for the surface fleet.
indeed it was not the lack of maritime recce capability that was exposed, as the Nimrod MR2 (not the Mk 1 was indicated above) was fitted with in-flight refuelling probes specifically to operate in the combat zone, and the organic Sea Kings and Sea Harriers were employed for these duties too. The fundamental deficiency was organic airborne early warning (AEW) as the only available UK aircraft, the Shackleton AEW Mk2 had insufficient endurance to operate in the South Atlantic.



  Units


Dates UnitModels
    UK 18 Squadron Royal Air Force CH-47C Chinook
    UK 202 Squadron Royal Air Force Wessex
Sea King
    UK 810 NAS Fleet Air Arm
    UK 815 NAS Fleet Air Arm Lynx
    UK 820 NAS Fleet Air Arm Sea King
    UK 829 NAS Fleet Air Arm Wasp
Wessex
    UK 845 NAS Fleet Air Arm Wessex
    UK 846 NAS Fleet Air Arm Sea King HC.4
    03apr82 to 15jul82 UK 3 CBAS Royal Marines SA341B Gazelle AH.1
Lynx
Scout
    04apr82 to 17sep82 UK 824 NAS Fleet Air Arm Sea King
Sea King
Sea King
    17apr82 to 16oct82 UK 848 NAS Fleet Air Arm Wessex
    21apr82 to 02aug82 UK 656 Squadron Army Air Corps SA341B Gazelle AH.1
    03may82 to 31jul82 UK 825 NAS Fleet Air Arm Sea King
    07may82 to 26sep82 UK 847NAS Royal Marines Wessex
Not all models shown may have taken part in the Operation
Some of the units could be operating fixed wing aircraft at the time, check every unit for details




helicopter   Individual helicopters


Model IDs
Boeing-Vertol CH-47C Chinook ZA705     ZA706 w/o     ZA707     ZA713     ZA715     ZA716 w/o     ZA717     ZA718     ZA719 w/o    
Westland Wasp XS562     XT427     XT432     XT779     XV624    
Westland Sea King HC.4 ZA290     ZA311    
Westland Lynx HAS2 XZ233     XZ247     XZ249     XZ251 w/o     XZ696     XZ698     XZ700     XZ720     XZ722     XZ723     XZ736    
Westland Sea King HAS.2 XZ579     XZ580    
Westland Sea King HAS.1 XV649     XV654     XV656     XV659     XV663     XV696     XV700     XV714    
Westland Wessex HU.5 XS479     XS480 w/o     XS483     XS486     XS488     XS495     XS499     XS506     XS507     XS512     XS514     XS515     XS516     XS518     XT450     XT451     XT459     XT460     XT464     XT466     XT468     XT469     XT471     XT472     XT473     XT475     XT476     XT480     XT483     XT484     XT486     XT755     XT756     XT757     XT759     XT765     XT766     XT771     XT773    
Westland Scout AH.1 XP902     XR627     XR628     XT629     XT637     XT649     XV140     XW615     XW616    
Aerospatiale SA341B Gazelle AH.1 XX376     XX380     XX402     XX411     XX412     XX413     XZ326     ZA730     ZA776    


  Ships


ClassesShips
Aircraft Carrier   Improved Centaur class Royal Navy R12 HMS Hermes,
Aircraft Carrier V STOL   Invincible class Royal Navy R05 HMS Invincible,
Helicopter Carrier   Engadine class Royal Fleet Auxiliary K08 RFA Engadine,
Helicopter Carrier   Argus class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A135 RFA Argus,
Guided-Missile Destroyer   County class Royal Navy D18 HMS Antrim, Royal Navy D19 HMS Glamorgan,
Guided-Missile Destroyer   Type 82 Bristol class Royal Navy D23 HMS Bristol,
Guided-Missile Destroyer   Type 42 (Batch 1 and 2) class Royal Navy D108 HMS Cardiff, Royal Navy D118 HMS Coventry, Royal Navy D80 HMS Sheffield, Royal Navy D88 HMS Glasgow, Royal Navy D89 HMS Exeter,
Frigate   Type 12 Rothesay class Royal Navy F101 HMS Yarmouth, Royal Navy F126 HMS Plymouth,
Frigate   Type 21 Amazon class Royal Navy F170 HMS Antelope, Royal Navy F171 HMS Active, Royal Navy F172 HMS Ambuscade, Royal Navy F173 HMS Arrow, Royal Navy F174 HMS Alacrity, Royal Navy F184 HMS Ardent, Royal Navy F185 HMS Avenger,
Frigate   Type 22 (Batch 1) Broadsword class Royal Navy F88 HMS Broadsword, Royal Navy F90 HMS Brilliant,
Frigate   Exocet Leander class Royal Navy F127 HMS Penelope, Royal Navy F45 HMS Minerva,
Frigate   Seawolf Leander class Royal Navy F57 HMS Andromeda,
Frigate   Towed Array Exocet Leander class Royal Navy F56 HMS Argonaut,
Corvette   Castle class patrol vessel Royal Navy P258 HMS Leeds Castle,
Landing Ship/Platform Dock   Fearless class Royal Navy L10 HMS Fearless, Royal Navy L11 HMS Intrepid,
Landing Ship/Platform Dock   Round Table class Royal Fleet Auxiliary L3004 RFA Sir Bedivere, Royal Fleet Auxiliary L3005 RFA Sir Galahad, Royal Fleet Auxiliary L3027 RFA Sir Geraint, Royal Fleet Auxiliary L3029 RFA Sir Lancelot, Royal Fleet Auxiliary L3036 RFA Sir Percivale, Royal Fleet Auxiliary L3505 RFA Sir Tristram,
Support Ship   Ness class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A344 RFA Stromness,
Support Ship   Improved Tide class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A75 RFA Tidespring,
Support Ship   OL class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A123 RFA Olna, Royal Fleet Auxiliary A124 RFA Olmeda,
Support Ship   Hecla class Royal Navy A133 HMS Hecla, Royal Navy A138 HMS Herald, Royal Navy A144 HMS Hydra,
Support Ship   Endurance (1967) Royal Navy A171 HMS Endurance,
Support Ship   Rover class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A270 RFA Blue Rover,
Support Ship   Regent class Royal Fleet Auxiliary A480 RFA Resource, Royal Fleet Auxiliary A486 RFA Regent,
Support Ship   Fort I class (1978) Royal Fleet Auxiliary A385 RFA Fort Grange, Royal Fleet Auxiliary A386 RFA Fort Austin,





Helicopters for sale
Accidents
Acronyms
Airshows
Future helicopters
Flying a helicopter
Helicopter stories
TV and movies

Helicopter books
Helicopter patches
Helicopter model kits


az