List of forms of government
108-552: ARA General Belgrano (C-4) was an Argentine Navy light cruiser in service from 1951 until 1982. Originally commissioned by the U.S. Navy as USS Phoenix , she saw action in the Pacific theatre of World War II before being sold to Argentina . The vessel was the second to have been named after the Argentine founding father Manuel Belgrano (1770–1820). The first vessel was a 7,069-ton armoured cruiser completed in 1896. She
216-554: A Chinese fishing boat that was reported to have been fishing illegally in Argentine waters. Partially to address this, a project for the re-focus of two Espora-class corvettes on patrol duties was reportedly under development. One of the corvettes subsequently selected for conversion to the offshore patrol role was ARA Parker . Subsequently in June 2024, the chief of the Argentine Navy, Vice Admiral Carlos María Allievi, suggested that
324-558: A Joint Maritime Command was established under the Joint Chiefs of Staff to defend Argentina's maritime sovereignty. Puerto Belgrano Naval Base ( Spanish : Base Naval Puerto Belgrano , abbreviated BNPB ) is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca , about 700 km (435 mi) south of Buenos Aires. Most of the fleet is based there. The Submarine Force Command ( Spanish : Comando de la Fuerza de Submarinos , abbreviated COFS )
432-603: A chronic problem for the submarine service. After the San Juan disaster, the submarine service no longer maintained any active vessels. In 2019, the governments of Brazil and Argentina were working on a transfer deal of the four Tupi IKL209/1400 submarines currently operated by the Brazilian Navy. Two of the Brazilian submarines are currently non operational pending repairs, the other two are still active pending their replacement by
540-552: A desire to acquire a Landing Platform Dock (LPD) as well as two naval transport vessels to increase logistical capacity, including in relation to the country's claims and presence in the Antarctic. In March 2023, an agreement was signed by Defence Minister Jorge Taiana for the Tandanor and Río Santiago shipyards to develop a multipurpose landing ship for the Argentine Navy. A polar ship and floating dock were also planned. As of early 2024,
648-435: A junta publicly ends its obviously military features but continues its dominance. For example, the junta may terminate the martial law , forgo military uniforms in favor of civilian attire, "colonize" government with former military officers, and make use of political parties or mass organizations. "Indirect rule" involves the junta's exertion of concealed, behind-the-scenes control over a civilian puppet . Indirect rule by
756-534: A military strongman is ruled by a single dictator. The study found that (1) "strongmen and military regimes are more likely to commit human rights abuses and become embroiled in civil wars than are civilian dictatorships"; (2) "military strongmen start more international wars than either military regimes or civilian dictators, perhaps because they have more reason to fear postouster exile, prison, or assassination" and (3) military regimes and civilian dictatorships are more likely to end in democratization , in contrast to
864-768: A modified cargo vessel, the ARA ; Bahía San Blas . This situation was expected to improve in 2006 with the delivery by France of the first of the LPD Ouragan -class landing platform docks but the whole operation was placed on hold by the Argentine Government due to asbestos concerns. In 2010 France offered the Foudre (L9011) instead. France also transferred the Durance (A629) , now ARA Patagonia (B-1) , multi-product replenishment ship ( AOR ). In 1988
972-596: A real act of war took place, and that had happened on 1 May. Admiral Sandy Woodward , who commanded the British task force during the war, wrote in his 1997 book One Hundred Days that HMS Conqueror received a signal changing the rules of engagement and that "The change said quite clearly he may now attack the Belgrano, outside the TEZ". Some details of the action were leaked to a British Member of Parliament, Tam Dalyell , in 1985 by
1080-437: A result of a coup d'état . The junta may either formally take power as the nation's governing body, with the power to rule by decree , or may wield power by exercising binding (but informal) control over a nominally civilian government. These two forms of junta rule are sometimes called open rule and disguised rule . Disguised rule may take the form of either civilianization or indirect rule . Civilianization occurs when
1188-499: A result, only 15 of its 42 vessels are in a condition to sail. The 2013 defence budget allowed for the 15 operational vessels to each spend less than 11 days at sea, while the submarines averaged just over 6 hours submerged in the whole of 2012. ARA Espora spent 73 days in late 2012 stranded in South Africa for lack of spares . The Almirante Brown -class destroyers are short of spares and their ordnance has expired, while
SECTION 10
#17330848874501296-587: A short course in the Naval Academy after getting a civilian degree, except for the Paymasters who instead attend the Naval College). Military junta A military junta ( / ˈ h ʊ n t ə , ˈ dʒ ʌ n t ə / ) is a system of government led by a committee of military leaders. The term junta means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the national and local junta organized by
1404-733: A statement that the process had not in fact been abandoned. In early 2024, it was reported that the Navy was still working to restore at least two of the aircraft to flying condition. The Naval Infantry Command ( Comando de Infantería de Marina ) is the Argentine Navy's marine branch. Naval infantry have the same rank, insignia, and titles as the rest of the Navy, and are deployed abroad on UN peacekeeping missions . The Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service ( Spanish : Servicio de Hidrografía Naval , abbreviated SHN ) provides national hydrographics services. The Joint Maritime Command (CCM, in Spanish)
1512-519: A successful resupply mission, was attacked and disabled off South Georgia , where her crew then surrendered along with the Argentine detachment at Grytviken . She was later scuttled by the British. The core of the fleet was reformed with the retirement of all the World War II-era Fletcher and Gearing -class destroyers and their replacement with the MEKO 360 and 140 classes designed by
1620-443: A thousand officers. The fleet included two First World War -era (but modernized) American-built Rivadavia -class battleships , three modern cruisers, a dozen British-built destroyers, and three submarines, plus minelayers, minesweepers, coastal defence ships, and gunboats. A naval air force was also in operation. In the postwar period, Naval Aviation and Marine units were put under direct Navy command. With Brazil, Argentina
1728-551: Is one of two South American countries to have operated two aircraft carriers : the ARA Independencia and ARA Veinticinco de Mayo . The Argentine Navy has been traditionally heavily involved in fishery protection , helping the Coast Guard : most notably in 1966 a destroyer fired on and holed a Soviet trawler that had refused to be escorted to Mar del Plata , in the 1970s there were four more incidents with Soviet and Bulgarian ships followed by other incidents such as
1836-678: The ARA San Juan (S-42) stopped communicating during a routine transit to port following a military exercise. A search was launched by ISMERLO , however after 15 days of searching the Argentine Navy declared the end of the rescue operation, and solely focused on the recovery of the submarine—not the crew. 44 personnel were on the submarine when it disappeared. The final report made by Argentine congressmen stated that president Mauricio Macri and his defence minister had political responsibilities about what happened to ARA San Juan. Lack of funding for maintenance and personnel training had been identified as
1944-638: The Beagle Conflict with Chile and the Falkland Islands ( Spanish : Islas Malvinas ) with the United Kingdom. During the 1982 Falklands War the main Argentine naval fleet consisted of modernised World War II era ships (one GUPPY -type submarine, one British-built Colossus -class carrier, a cruiser, and four destroyers), and newer vessels: two Type 42 destroyers, three French-built corvettes, and one German-built Type 209 submarine . This fleet
2052-593: The Brazilian Navy aircraft carrier São Paulo or United States Navy carriers when they are in transit in the south Atlantic during Gringo-Gaucho manoeuvers. Argentina was the only Latin American country to participate in the 1991 Gulf War , sending a destroyer and a corvette in a first deployment and a supply ship and another corvette later to participate in the United Nations blockade and sea control effort in
2160-673: The War with Brazil and the Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata . In the 1870s the Argentine Navy began modernizing itself. At the close of the century, the force included: The most powerful ships at this time included the Italian-built Garibaldi and her sister ships: General Belgrano , Pueyrredón , and San Martín , each at over 6,000 tons. Three older ironclads, Almirante Brown , Independencia , and Libertad dated from
2268-587: The sinking of the Chian-der 3 . The Navy also took part in all military coups in Argentina through the 20th century. During the 1976 to 1983 dictatorship , Navy personnel were involved in the Dirty War in which thousands of people were kidnapped, tortured and killed by the forces of the military junta, similar to practices which are now known as enforced disappearance . The Navy School of Mechanics, known as ESMA ,
SECTION 20
#17330848874502376-473: The tanker YPF Puerto Rosales , joined General Belgrano to form Task Group 79.3. By 29 April, the ships were patrolling the Burdwood Bank , south of the islands. On 30 April, General Belgrano was detected by the British nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine Conqueror . The submarine approached over the following day. On 1 May 1982, Admiral Juan Lombardo ordered all Argentine naval units to seek out
2484-486: The "Gotcha" headline was widely publicised. In August 1994, an official Argentine Defence Ministry report written by armed forces auditor Eugenio Miari was released which described the sinking of General Belgrano as "a legal act of war", explaining that "acts of war can be carried out in all of the enemy's territory" and "they can also take place in those areas over which no state can claim sovereignty, in international waters". Argentinian veterans were said to be dismayed at
2592-563: The 1880s and early 1890s. The navy's ships were built primarily in Italy, Britain, France, and Spain, and were operated by over 600 officers and 7,760 seamen . These were supported by a battalion of marines and an artillery battery. A naval arms race between Argentina, Brazil and Chile, the most powerful and wealthy countries in South America, began when the Brazilian government ordered three dreadnoughts, battleships. The first, Minas Geraes ,
2700-638: The 1990s, Chile. The exercises are routinely held to develop a common operational doctrine. Every year the Argentine and Chilean Navies participate in the Patrulla Antártica Naval Combinada (English: Joint Antarctic Naval Patrol ) to guarantee safety to all tourist and scientific ships in transit within the Antarctic Peninsula , where the Navy is also directly responsible for maintaining the Argentine bases there. On 15 November 2017,
2808-418: The 200-mile (370 km) exclusion zone as the limit of its military action. The message read: In announcing the establishment of a Maritime Exclusion Zone around the Falkland Islands, Her Majesty's Government made it clear that this measure was without prejudice to the right of the United Kingdom to take whatever additional measures may be needed in the exercise of its right of self-defence under Article 51 of
2916-585: The 4 Scorpene type submarines currently under construction. However, in the early 2000s they had been upgraded with new combat systems by Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors. This gave the submarines the ability to carry and fire the MK 48 MOD 6AT ADCAP Torpedo. Although there are some reservations about the deal, the defense ministers and admirals of the Argentine Navy were enthusiastic about moving forward with it. The submarines were to be repaired and serviced in
3024-723: The A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were withdrawn, leaving the Super Étendard as the only fighter jets in the navy inventory. The already-paid-for A-4Hs bought in Israel as their replacement could not be delivered due to the embargo imposed by the United States after the war. Instead IAI used the money to refurbish the S-2E Trackers to the S-2T Turbo Tracker variant currently in service. In the 1990s,
3132-474: The Antarctic patrol ship ARA Almirante Irizar had been under repair for 10 years because of a fire. On 23 January 2013 the Type 42 destroyer ARA Santísima Trinidad sank at her moorings after having been mothballed for ten years. The Argentine Navy participates in joint exercises with other friendly navies including Brazil, United States, Spain, France, Canada, South Africa, Italy, Uruguay, and, since
3240-580: The Argentine Navy in the 1990s, saying that General Belgrano was part of an operation that posed a real threat to the British task force, but was holding off for tactical reasons. Molina Pico added that "To leave the exclusion zone was not to leave the combat zone to enter a protected area". Molina Pico explicitly stated that the sinking was not a war crime, but a combat action. General Belgrano ' s captain, Héctor Bonzo, died on 22 April 2009, aged 76. He had spent his last years working for an association called Amigos del Crucero General Belgrano (Friends of
3348-464: The Argentine surface fleet did not venture from a 12-mile (22.2 km) coastal limit imposed by the British. The Argentine Navy's contribution to the war was principally the initial amphibious assaults on 2 and 3 April; naval aviation Super Étendards armed with Exocet missiles, which sank Sheffield and the Atlantic Conveyor ; Skyhawks , which sank HMS Ardent (F184) ; and
ARA General Belgrano - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-509: The Brazilian Navy's Tupi -class boats. However, it still remained unclear whether Argentina had either the financial resources or the political will to pursue any submarine replacement. In 2019, Argentina was also pursuing the procurement of four P-3C Orion aircraft from US Navy surplus stocks since Argentina's fleet of P-3B's were no longer operational since 2019. The package deal was approved in September 2019. The US State Department has cleared
3564-601: The British Government clarified in a message that was passed via the Swiss Embassy in Buenos Aires to the Argentine government that any Argentine ship or aircraft that was considered to pose a threat to British forces would be attacked. On 30 April this was upgraded to the total exclusion zone , within which any sea vessel or aircraft from any country entering the zone might be fired upon without further warning. The zone
3672-500: The British fleet for the strike aircraft and British submarines for the anti-submarine Sea King helicopters, while their Lockheed L-188 Electra and Fokker F-28 Fellowship transports reinforced the Port Stanley garrison and evacuated the wounded. The ARA San Luis submarine also played a strategic role, nearly sinking the frigate HMS Arrow on 10 May, although she scored no hits. The submarine ARA Santa Fe , after
3780-472: The British task force around the Falklands and launch a "massive attack" the following day. General Belgrano , which was outside and to the south-west of the exclusion zone, was ordered south-east. Lombardo's signal was intercepted by British Intelligence. As a result, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her War Cabinet, meeting at Chequers the following day, agreed to a request from Admiral Terence Lewin ,
3888-831: The Chief of the Defence Staff, to alter the rules of engagement and allow an attack on General Belgrano outside the exclusion zone. Although the group was outside the British-declared total exclusion zone of 370 km (200 nautical miles) radius from the islands, the British decided that it was a threat. After consultation at Cabinet level, Thatcher agreed that Commander Chris Wreford-Brown should attack General Belgrano . At 14:57 ( Falkland Islands Time ) on 2 May, Conqueror fired three 21-inch Mk 8 mod 4 torpedoes (conventional, non-guided, torpedoes in service from 1927), each with an 805-pound (363 kg) Torpex warhead. While Conqueror
3996-496: The Cruiser General Belgrano) whose purpose was to help those affected by the sinking. Bonzo also wrote his memories about the sinking in the book 1093 Tripulantes del Crucero ARA General Belgrano , published in 1992. In this book he wrote that it is "improper to accept that (...) the attack by HMS Conqueror was a betrayal". During an interview in 2003 he had stated that General Belgrano was only temporarily sailing to
4104-587: The Falkland's War, Argentine naval aviation employed the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard fighter and its Exocet air-to-surface missiles being responsible for the destruction of both HMS Sheffield as well as the merchant vessel Atlantic Conveyor . Efforts to upgrade and retain the Super Etendard in service were initially reported to have been abandoned in 2023 due to a combination of U.K. sanctions impacting
4212-423: The Falklands indicated that Argentine naval officers understood that the intent of the message was to indicate that any ships operating near the exclusion zone could be attacked. Argentine Rear Admiral Allara, who was in charge of the task force of which General Belgrano was part, said: "After that message of 23 April, the entire South Atlantic was an operational theatre for both sides. We, as professionals, said it
4320-621: The German shipyard Blohm + Voss . Also, the submarine force greatly reinforced its assets with the introduction of the Thyssen-Nordseewerke ( TR-1700 ) class. Although the original programme called for six units with the last four to be built in Argentina, only the two built in Germany were delivered. The amphibious force was drastically affected with the retirement of their only LST landing ship ARA Cabo San Antonio and replacement by
4428-872: The Indian frigate INS Khukri , which was sunk by the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangor during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War ). The warship was built as USS Phoenix , the sixth ship of the Brooklyn -class cruiser design, in Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation starting in 1935, and launched in March 1938. She survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 undamaged, and went on to earn nine battle stars for World War II service. At
ARA General Belgrano - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-537: The Marines, with the 5th Marine Corps Battalion defending Mount Tumbledown . In addition, the Type 42 destroyer ARA Santísima Trinidad , operated off Isla de los Estados (en: Staten Island). A land-based Exocet battery outside Port Stanley scored a direct hit on HMS Glamorgan on 11 June; and a Marine Tigercat SAM put a Royal Air Force Harrier (XW 919) out of action on 12 June. Naval aviation also carried out intensive maritime patrols , searching to locate
4644-512: The Navy now apparently considering completing the refurbishment of its older P-3B fleet pending the outcome of further discussions around the P-3C acquisition. As of early 2021, it was planned that, after upgrades, the P-3B would be returned to service starting in 2022. In December 2022, it was reported that the refurbishment of the P-3B was proceeding slower than anticipated and while a revised delivery date of
4752-774: The Persian Gulf. Operación Alfil ("English: Operation [Chess] Bishop "), as it was known, carried out more than 700 interceptions and sailed 25,000 miles in the operations theatre. From 1990 to 1992, the Baradero -class patrol boats were deployed under UN mandate ONUCA to the Gulf of Fonseca in Central America. In 1994, the three Drummond -class corvettes participated in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. In 2003, for
4860-571: The Spanish fleet during the war of Independence . The Argentine Navy was created in the aftermath of the May Revolution of May 25, 1810, which started the war for independence from Spain . The navy was first created to support Manuel Belgrano in the Paraguay campaign , but those ships were sunk by ships from Montevideo, and did not take part in that conflict. Renewed conflicts with Montevideo led to
4968-442: The Spanish resistance to Napoleon's invasion of Spain in 1808. The term is now used to refer to an authoritarian form of government characterized by oligarchic military dictatorship , as distinguished from other categories of authoritarian rule, specifically strongman (autocratic military dictatorships); machine (oligarchic party dictatorships); and bossism (autocratic party dictatorships). A junta often comes to power as
5076-601: The Tandanor drydock facility. If the deal moves forward it would allow Argentina to restore its submarine capability which is currently defunct. As an alternative, in 2021 a Russian delegation visited the TANDANOR shipyard and other defence facilities, reportedly also making an offer to supply either the Improved Kilo-class submarine or the export variant of the Lada-class submarine to the Argentine Navy. In July 2022, in
5184-595: The UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled unanimously that the ship had immunity as a military vessel, and ordered that "Ghana should forthwith and unconditionally release the frigate ARA Libertad " Four days later Libertad was released from Tema and arrived to the port of Mar del Plata on 9 January 2013. The Argentine Navy is under-funded and struggling to meet maintenance and training requirements; as
5292-486: The United Kingdom nor Argentina declared war during the conflict. Combat was confined to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and surrounding area. General Belgrano was sunk outside the 200-nautical-mile (370 km) total exclusion zone around the Falklands, delimited by the UK. Through a message passed via the Swiss Embassy in Buenos Aires to the Argentine government on 23 April, the UK had made clear that it no longer considered
5400-781: The United Nations Charter. In this connection Her Majesty's Government now wishes to make clear that any approach on the part of Argentine warships, including submarines, naval auxiliaries or military aircraft, which could amount to a threat to interfere with the mission of British Forces in the South Atlantic will encounter the appropriate response. All Argentine aircraft, including civil aircraft engaged in surveillance of these British forces, will be regarded as hostile and are liable to be dealt with accordingly. Interviews conducted by Martin Middlebrook for his book Argentine Fight for
5508-420: The ability to obtain spare parts for the Martin Baker Mk. 6 ejection seats and due France's inability to provide other spare parts for the aging aircraft. Five refurbished aircraft had been delivered from France in 2019. However, these aircraft have not been brought into service due to the spare parts problem. Subsequent to the report that that aircraft would not be brought into service, the Argentine Navy issued
SECTION 50
#17330848874505616-402: The already-built L'Adroit , which in 2016 visited the region on a marketing trip, as well as three new-build vessels. Following their construction in France, all four ships had been delivered to Argentina by 2022. In October 2012 the Navy's sail training ship ARA Libertad was seized under court order in Ghana by creditors of Argentina's debt default in 2002. On 15 December 2012
5724-418: The attack took place outside the exclusion zone. It was an attempt to pressure the Argentine government to lodge an action against the UK in the International Court of Justice , but was ruled inadmissible by the Court of Human Rights on the grounds that it had been submitted too late. La Nación in 2005 published a reader's letter from admiral Enrique Molina Pico [ es ] , who had been head of
5832-429: The campaign led to a considerable loss of credibility and influence within the Junta. The legality of the sinking of General Belgrano has been disputed due to disagreement on the exact nature of the Maritime Exclusion Zone (MEZ) and whether General Belgrano had been returning to port at the time of the sinking. Through a message passed via the Swiss Embassy in Buenos Aires to the Argentine government nine days before
5940-431: The characteristic loop of the top stripe (in the manner of British Royal Navy officers). Combat uniforms may include metal pin-on or embroidered collar rank insignia. Rank insignia is worn on the chest when in shipboard or flying coveralls. Officers are commissioned in either the Command (line) Corps (those who attend the Escuela Naval Militar- Military Naval College) or the Staff Corps (Professional Officers who only attend
6048-419: The conclusion about General Belgrano , and the President of the Federation of Argentine War Veterans Luis Ibáñez hoped to produce more witnesses to show that the sinking was a war crime . In 1999 Sir Michael Boyce , First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, visited the Puerto Belgrano naval base and paid tribute to those who died. In 2003 a search team aboard Seacor Lenga , crewed by Argentine and British veterans,
6156-448: The context of Argentina's desire to replace its submarine fleet, defence minister Jorge Taiana paid a visit to the Naval Group shipyard in Cherbourg to examine the construction process for the Scorpène-class submarine . Minister Taiana also visited Germany for a meeting with his ministerial counterpart, in order to explore the possibility of acquiring German-built submarines, either independently or in tandem with an interim acquisition of
6264-420: The creation of a second fleet, which participated in the capture of the city. As Buenos Aires had little maritime history, most men in the navy were from other nations, such as the Irish-born admiral William Brown , who directed the operation. As the cost of maintaining a navy was too high, most of the Argentine naval forces were composed of privateers . Brown led the Argentine navy in further naval conflicts at
6372-403: The deal include Logistic Services International, Lockheed Martin, Rockwell Collins and Eagle Systems. These newer Orions will be up to the latest Orion standard, and provide Argentina with a much needed boost in anti-submarine and maritime surveillance missions. However, in the aftermath of the inauguration of Alberto Fernández as president in December 2019, the deal appeared to be in limbo with
6480-424: The electrical power failure. In addition, although the ship should have been "at action stations ", she was sailing with the water-tight doors open. The ship began to list to port and to sink towards the bow. Twenty minutes after the attack, at 16:24, Captain Bonzo ordered the crew to abandon ship. Inflatable life rafts were deployed, and the evacuation began without panic. The two escort ships were unaware of what
6588-472: The embargo was lifted and the Lockheed L-188 Electras (civilian aircraft converted for maritime patrol ) were finally retired and replaced with similar P-3B Orions and civilian Beechcraft King Air Model 200 were locally converted to the MP variant. In 2000 the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was decommissioned without replacement, although the navy maintains the air group of Super Étendard jets and S-2 Trackers that routinely operated from
SECTION 60
#17330848874506696-575: The end of 2022, the mooted submarine deal with Brazil had not yet been finalised and the process of refurbishment not yet begun. In 2021, one analyst noted that over the past thirty years the Argentine navy has lost many core capabilities, including its aircraft carrier (along with most of its fixed-wing combat aviation), submarines and area air defence vessels. Most of these seemed unlikely to be reconstituted. The Argentine navy has four main commands: High Seas Fleet, Submarine Force, Naval Aviation, and Naval Infantry (Marines). Additionally, on January 1 2022,
6804-446: The end of the war, she was placed in reserve at Philadelphia on 28 February 1946, decommissioned on 3 July that year and remained laid up at Philadelphia. Phoenix was sold to Argentina in October 1951 and renamed 17 de Octubre after the " Loyalty day ", an important symbolic date for the political party of president Juan Perón . Sold with her was another of her class, the USS Boise , renamed ARA Nueve de Julio , which
6912-566: The exclusion zone. Captain Bonzo stated that any suggestion that HMS Conqueror 's actions were a "betrayal" was utterly wrong; rather, the submarine carried out its duties according to the accepted rules of war. In an interview two years before his death in 2009, he further stated that: "It was absolutely not a war crime. It was an act of war, lamentably legal." The sinking became a cause célèbre for British anti-war campaigners such as Labour MP Tam Dalyell . Early reports suggested that more than 1,000 Argentine sailors might have been killed in
7020-424: The explosion. The second torpedo struck about three-quarters of the way along the ship, just outside the rear limit of the side armour plating. The torpedo punched through the side of the ship before exploding in the aft machine room. The explosion tore upward through two messes and a relaxation area called "the Soda Fountain" before finally ripping a 20-metre-long (66 ft) hole in the main deck. Later reports put
7128-416: The first time, the Argentine Navy (classified as major non-NATO ally ) interoperated with a United States Navy battle group when the destroyer ARA Sarandí (D-13) joined the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group and Destroyer Squadron 18 as a part of Exercise Solid Step during their tour in the Mediterranean Sea . In 2010 the construction of four 1,800 ton offshore patrol ships
7236-457: The first upgraded P-3B had been projected for September 2023, that schedule might now face delays. In February 2023 it was reported that Argentina was negotiating with Norway to purchase three or four of its surplus P-3Cs. The agreement to purchase four aircraft was signed in October 2023. It had been hoped that the aircraft would be delivered in late 2023. However, by years end the aircraft had not been delivered due to an Argentine failure to make
7344-457: The head of the national police or other key bodies. Political scientist Samuel Finer , writing in 1988, noted that juntas in Latin America tended to be smaller than juntas elsewhere; the median junta had 11 members, while Latin American juntas typically had three or four. "Corporate" military coups have been distinguished from "factional" military coups. The former are carried out by the armed forces as an institution, led by senior commanders at
7452-405: The idea of converting any additional Espora-class vessels to the offshore patrol role had been abandoned. It remained to be determined how the several envisaged new-acquisition projects would be funded. For instance, the proposed submarine acquisition from Brazil would require extensive refurbishment of the vessels prior to being ready for renewed operational service with the Argentine Navy. As of
7560-464: The interview: "I think it could only be in Britain that a prime minister was accused of sinking an enemy ship that was a danger to our navy, when my main motive was to protect the boys in our navy." According to the British historian Sir Lawrence Freedman , neither Thatcher nor the Cabinet was aware of General Belgrano 's change of course before the cruiser was attacked. In his book One Hundred Days , Admiral Woodward claims that General Belgrano
7668-469: The islands. Two Task Groups designated 79.1, which included the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo plus two Type 42 destroyers , and 79.2, which included three Exocet missile -armed Drummond -class corvettes , sailed to the north. General Belgrano had left Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego on 26 April. Two destroyers , ARA Piedra Buena and ARA Hipólito Bouchard (also ex-USN vessels) were detached from Task Group 79.2 and together with
7776-521: The military can include either broad control over the government or control over a narrower set of policy areas, such as military or national security matters. Throughout the 20th century, military juntas were frequently seen in Latin America , typically in the form of an "institutionalized, highly corporate/professional junta" headed by the commanding officers of the different military branches ( army , navy , and air force ), and sometimes joined by
7884-399: The number of deaths in the area around the explosion at 275 men. After the explosion, the ship rapidly filled with smoke. The explosion also damaged General Belgrano 's electrical power system, preventing her from putting out a radio distress call. Though the forward bulkheads held, water was rushing in through the hole created by the second torpedo and could not be pumped out because of
7992-599: The plan but the UK indicated its acceptance on 5 May. The news was subsequently dominated by military action and the British continued to offer ceasefire terms until 1 June that were rejected by the Junta. On 3 May 1982, Argentina's Chancellery released a statement in the name of the Argentinian government that read: The Government of Argentina, broadening what was reported by the Joint Staff in its statement No. 15, states: Neither
8100-497: The president of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner , referred to the sinking of General Belgrano as a "war crime". However, the Argentine Navy has held the view that the sinking was a legitimate act of war, a position that was asserted by the Argentine Navy before various courts in 1995, and by the vessel's captain Hector Bonzo in 2003. [REDACTED] Works related to Margaret Thatcher's letter to George Foulkes Esq, MP on
8208-490: The prospective projects remained under evaluation. Foreign overfishing is a serious concern and, in 2020, the Argentine Navy captured at least two foreign ships allegedly illegally fishing in the South Atlantic. Foreign, mostly Chinese, illegal fishing in Argentine territorial waters has been estimated to cost Argentina between US$ 1 billion and $ 2.6 billion per year. In 2016, the Argentine Coast Guard chased and sank
8316-450: The required payment. In March 2024, it was reported that initial payments had been made. Delivery of the first aircraft took place in September 2024, with the remaining aircraft to follow in 2025. In 2020, the Argentine national government created an interministerial committee with the objective of reassuring national oceans' sovereignty. In 2020, the Ministry of Defence informed Congress of
8424-406: The rest of the conflict. British nuclear submarines continued to operate in the sea areas between Argentina and the Falkland Islands, gathering intelligence, providing early warning of air raids and effectively imposing sea denial . With the withdrawal of the aircraft carrier, all Argentine aircraft had to operate from land bases at the limit of their range. The minimal role of the Navy in the rest of
8532-459: The reverse was the case. After early editions went to press, further reports suggested a major loss of life, and Mackenzie toned down the headline to read "Did 1,200 Argies drown?" in later editions. Few readers in the UK saw the headline at first hand as it was only used on copies of the first northern editions, while southern editions and later editions in the North carried the toned-down headline, but
8640-463: The senior civil servant Clive Ponting , resulting in the unsuccessful prosecution of the latter under the Official Secrets Act 1911 . According to the documents General Belgrano was sailing away from the exclusion zone when she was attacked and sunk. In May 1983, Thatcher appeared on Nationwide , a live television programme on BBC1 , where a teacher, Diana Gould , questioned her about
8748-459: The sinking of General Belgrano . Kelvin MacKenzie , the newspaper's editor, was reported to have used an impromptu exclamation by The Sun 's features editor, Wendy Henry , as the inspiration for the headline. The accompanying text reported that General Belgrano had only been hit and damaged and not sunk, while a "gunboat" (actually the armed tug ARA Alférez Sobral ) had sunk, when in fact
8856-688: The sinking of the Belgrano at Wikisource Argentine Navy The Argentine Navy ( ARA ; Spanish : Armada de la República Argentina ) is the navy of Argentina . It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic , together with the Army and the Air Force . The Argentine Navy day is celebrated on May 17, anniversary of the victory in 1814 at the Battle of Montevideo over
8964-453: The sinking, saying that the ship was already west of the Falklands and heading towards the Argentine mainland to the west. Gould also said that the Peruvian peace proposal must have reached London in the 14 hours between its publication and the sinking of General Belgrano , and the escalation of the war could have thus been prevented. In the emotional exchange that followed, Thatcher answered that
9072-435: The sinking, the UK made clear that it no longer considered the 200 mile exclusion zone as the limit of its military action. On 1 May 1982, Admiral Juan Lombardo ordered all Argentine naval units to seek out the British task force around the Falklands and launch a "massive attack" the following day. In 2003, the ship's captain Hector Bonzo confirmed that General Belgrano had actually been manoeuvering, not "sailing away" from
9180-461: The sinking; it was around a third of that number. The sinking occurred 14 hours after President of Peru Fernando Belaúnde proposed a comprehensive peace plan and called for regional unity, although Margaret Thatcher and diplomats in London did not see this document until after the sinking of General Belgrano . Diplomatic efforts to that point had failed completely. After the sinking, Argentina rejected
9288-495: The time available to ascertain whether any vessel in the zone was hostile or not. Regardless of the uncertainty of the zone's legal status, it was widely respected by the shipping of neutral nations. The Argentine military junta began to reinforce the islands in late April when it was realised that the British Task Force was heading south. As part of these movements, Argentine naval units were ordered to take positions around
9396-446: The time the ships realised that something had happened to General Belgrano , it was already dark and the weather had worsened, scattering the life rafts. Argentine and Chilean ships rescued 772 men from 3 to 5 May. In total, 323 were killed in the attack: 321 members of the crew and two civilians who were on board at the time. Following the loss of General Belgrano , the Argentine fleet returned to its bases and played no major role in
9504-466: The top of the military hierarchy, while the latter are carried out by a segment of the armed forces and are often led by mid-ranking officers. A 2014 study published in the Annual Review of Political Science journal found that military regimes behaved differently from both civilian dictatorships and autocratic military strongmen. A military regime is ruled by a group of high-ranking officers, whereas
9612-408: The torpedoes struck 10 to 15 metres (33 to 49 ft) aft of the bow, outside the area protected by either the ship's side armour or the internal anti-torpedo bulge . This blew off the ship's bow, but the internal torpedo bulkheads held and the forward powder magazine for the 40 mm gun did not detonate. It is believed that none of the ship's company were in that part of the ship at the time of
9720-480: The transaction of $ 78.03m to be carried out as part of a foreign military sale. It includes the delivery of related equipment and services. Argentina will receive four turboprop engines for the aircraft and an additional four turboprop engines. It will also receive communications and radar equipment, Infrared/Electro-optic equipment, and aviation life support systems. The US will provide spares plus repairs, aircraft depot maintenance, and logistical support. Contractors for
9828-535: The vessel was a threat to British ships and lives and denied that the peace proposal had reached her. She added that "One day, all of the facts, in about 30 years time, will be published", apparently a reference to a classified report prepared by intelligence officer Major David Thorp for Thatcher after the incident. After the programme, Thatcher's husband Denis lashed out at its producer in the entertainment suite, saying that his wife had been "stitched up by bloody BBC poofs and Trots ". Thatcher herself commented during
9936-463: The west at the time of the attack, and his orders were to attack any British ships that came within range. In late 2011, major David Thorp, a former British military intelligence officer who led the signals interception team aboard HMS Intrepid , released the book The Silent Listener detailing the role of intelligence in the Falklands War. In the book he said that, although General Belgrano
10044-483: Was a notorious centre for torture. Among their more well-known victims were the Swedish teenager Dagmar Hagelin , and French nuns Alice Domon and Léonie Duquet (In October 2007 the Argentine Navy formally handed possession of the school to human rights groups to turn it into a memorial museum). During this regime, the Navy was also the main supporter of a military solution for the country's two longest-standing disputes:
10152-460: Was also equipped with the newer Mark 24 Tigerfish homing torpedo , there were doubts about its reliability. Initial reports from Argentina claimed that Conqueror fired two Tigerfish torpedoes on General Belgrano . Two of the three torpedoes hit General Belgrano . According to the Argentine government, General Belgrano 's position was 55°24′S 61°32′W / 55.400°S 61.533°W / -55.400; -61.533 . One of
10260-485: Was announced, but never started. Instead, Argentina ultimately opted to acquire four Gowind-class offshore patrol vessels from France. The decision was motivated by the meeting between Argentine President Mauricio Macri and French President Emmanuel Macron at the annual World Economic Forum summit in Davos , Switzerland in 2018. In November 2018, Argentina confirmed the purchase of the patrol vessels. The purchase included
10368-680: Was commissioned into the Brazilian navy in 1910. For most of both world wars, Argentina was neutral , only declaring war on the Axis in March 1945 . In 1940 Argentina's navy was ranked the eighth most powerful in the world (after the European powers, Japan, and the United States) and the largest in Latin America. A ten-year building programme costing $ 60 million had produced a force of 14,500 sailors and over
10476-471: Was created when the Navy first started using submarines in 1927. The Tactical Divers Group is under the submarine force command structure. However, as of 2020 there were no operational submarines in service. The Naval Aviation Command ( Spanish : Comando de Aviación Naval , abbreviated COAN ) is the naval aviation branch. Argentina is one of two South American countries to have operated two aircraft carriers. However, neither remain in service. During
10584-451: Was established on January 1, 2022 and brings together Argentine Army , Navy and Air Force assets to combat maritime crime and to control ocean and river areas under its jurisdiction. Its principal maritime assets are the navy's patrol vessels, including its Gowind-class offshore patrol vessels. Rank insignia consists of a variable number of gold-braid stripes worn on the sleeve cuffs or on shoulder-boards. Officers may be distinguished by
10692-406: Was happening to General Belgrano , as they were out of touch with her in the gloom and had not seen the distress rockets or lamp signals. Adding to the confusion, the crew of Bouchard felt an impact that was possibly the third torpedo striking at the end of its run (an examination of the ship later showed an impact mark consistent with a torpedo). The two ships continued on their course westward. By
10800-513: Was just too bad that we lost the Belgrano ". Captain Bonzo also told Middlebrook that he was not angry about the attack on his ship and that The limit [exclusion zone] did not exclude danger or risks; it was all the same in or out. I would like to be quite precise that, as far as I was concerned, the 200-mile limit was valid until 1 May, that is while diplomatic negotiations were taking place and/or until
10908-484: Was observed by Conqueror to be sailing away from the Falklands at the time of the attack, she had actually been ordered to proceed to a rendezvous point within the exclusion zone. A report prepared by Thorp for Thatcher several months after the incident stated the destination of the vessel was not to her home port as the Argentine junta stated; the report was not released because the prime minister did not want to compromise British signals intelligence capabilities. In 2012
11016-521: Was outfitted with the Sea Cat anti-aircraft missile system between 1967 and 1968. Operation Corporate On 12 April 1982, following the 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands , the United Kingdom declared a 200-nautical-mile (370 km) Maritime Exclusion Zone (MEZ) around the Falkland Islands within which any Argentine warship or naval auxiliary entering the MEZ might be attacked by British forces. On 23 April,
11124-403: Was part of the southern part of a pincer movement aimed at the task force, and had to be sunk quickly. He wrote: The speed and direction of an enemy ship can be irrelevant, because both can change quickly. What counts is his position, his capability and what I believe to be his intention. On 4 May, the British tabloid newspaper The Sun ran the controversial headline "Gotcha" in reference to
11232-466: Was sponsored by National Geographic to find the sunken cruiser but failed to locate it. The area where General Belgrano sank, though not found, is classified as a war grave under Argentine Congress law 25.546. In 2000, lawyers representing the families of the sailors killed onboard General Belgrano attempted to sue the British government in the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that
11340-504: Was stated to be "...without prejudice to the right of the United Kingdom to take whatever additional measures may be needed in exercise of its right of self-defence, under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter ." The concept of a total exclusion zone was a novelty in maritime law; the Law of the Sea Convention had no provision for such an instrument. Its purpose seems to have been to increase
11448-515: Was sunk on 2 May 1982 during the Falklands War by the Royal Navy submarine Conqueror with the loss of 323 lives. Losses from General Belgrano totalled just under half of Argentine military deaths in the war. She is the only ship to have been sunk during military operations by a nuclear-powered submarine and the second sunk in action by any type of submarine since World War II (the first being
11556-448: Was supported by several ELMA tankers and transports, as well as an ice breaker and a polar transport ship. New German MEKO type destroyers, corvettes, and Thyssen-Nordseewerke ( Type TR-1700 ) submarines were still under construction at the time. After leading the invasion of the Falkland Islands, the Argentine fleet played only a small part in the subsequent conflict. After HMS Conqueror sank ARA General Belgrano ,
11664-544: Was withdrawn in 1977. 17 de Octubre was one of the main naval units that joined the 1955 coup which overthrew Perón , and was afterwards renamed General Belgrano after Manuel Belgrano , a lawyer who had founded the Escuela de Náutica (School of Navigation) in 1799 and with the rank of general fought for Argentine independence from 1811 to 1819. General Belgrano accidentally rammed her sister ship Nueve de Julio on exercises in 1956, causing damage to both. General Belgrano
#449550