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This article describes the composition and actions of the Argentine air forces in the Falklands War ((スペイン語:Guerra de las Malvinas)). For an overview of the air forces of the United Kingdom involved in the conflict, see British air services in the Falklands War. ==Background== Despite initiating the war, Argentina had not prepared a plan for the subsequent defence of the islands. The military dictatorship that governed the country at the time regarded the seizure of the Falklands as a political act to obtain a diplomatic bargaining position, and not as an act of war. Consequently they were taken by surprise when the British responded with a large-scale mobilization, and a task force to retake the islands.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Argentine Airpower in the Falklands War: An Operational View )〕 The Argentine Air Force (''Fuerza Aérea Argentina''; FAA) had never considered the possibility of waging a long-range naval air campaign against a major NATO power. It was not trained or equipped for such a mission. The FAA had only two tanker aircraft to serve the whole air force and navy, and its fighter-bomber Mirage IIIs and IAI Daggers were not equipped for aerial refuelling. The FAA's training, tactics and equipment were focused on a possible war against Chile, resulting from disputes such as the Beagle conflict.〔 The option to attack Chile〔Argentine newspaper Perfil (Después de Malvinas, iban a atacar a Chile ) on 22 November 2009, retrieved 22 November 2009: :''"Para colmo, Galtieri dijo en un discurso: „Que saquen el ejemplo de lo que estamos haciendo ahora porque después les toca a ellos“"''.〕 was a cause of great concern to the Argentina military during the war. The Chilean armed forces had deployed a significant force to Chile's common border with Argentina, and the FAA was forced to reinstate their retired F-86 Sabres to bolster Argentina's air defences.〔 Lt. Col. Hezsely's report notes 16 F-86F deployed at Mendoza〕 In Argentina's favour, Peru immediately offered its support to the Argentine cause, with the Peruvian Air Force even offering to fly combat missions. This was politely declined by the Argentine government. As the war progressed, Peru and Venezuela sent critical aircraft spare parts to Argentina, urgently needed by the FAA and the Brazilian Air Force leased two EMB111 Bandeirantes maritime patrol aircraft to the Argentine Navy. Finally on June 4, ten Peruvian Mirage 5 with AS-30 missiles arrived to Tandil but the war ended before they could be used.〔(Dagger Technician memories )〕 Israel Aircraft Industries technicians that were in the country under the 1979 IAI Daggers contract continued their work during the conflict.〔(Dagger Technician memories )〕 By the best estimates, Argentina totaled about 240 planes when the war broke out. About half of those were posted in the interior and along the Chilean border.〔(Los Angeles times, May 27 1982 )〕 The long distances from their bases prevented them from using their top speed or they risked running out of fuel.〔''Aviation Fact File - Harrier'', page 42.〕〔"the Mach 2 Mirage and Dagger which in low-level attack are extremely subsonic. ..while low-level attacks by the Argentine aircraft..there would not be a lot of fuel to spare, especially if afterburner was used." From ''Aviation Fact File - Harrier'' (1984), page 42.〕 Although the Argentines had more aeroplanes than the British Task force, a good number of them were Pucara turboprops.〔''Sea Combat off the Falklands'' (1982), page 33.〕〔"The Argentine-built Pucará counter-insurgency aircraft proved its worth in numerous attacks on British land forces, and it was even used to attack shipping. About 75 Pucarás were in service at the start of the conflict." From ''Sea Combat off the Falklands'' (1982), page 33; by Antony Preston; Willow Books, ISBN 978-0-00-218046-7.〕 Also, the A-4 Skyhawk force were dependent on the two available KC-130 tankers, limiting the amount of aeroplanes that could attack simultaneously.〔"Two A-4B Skyhawks warplanes of the Grupo 5 link up...after topping up their tanks from a KC-130H tanker." page 62 in ''Air War in the Falklands 1982'', 2001〕 Argentina's fleet of A-4 Skyhawk attack jets was in very poor condition. The arms embargo placed by the United States in 1976, due to the "Dirty War", had made most airframes unusable. The involvement of Israel in helping to return the A-4 to full operational status has been alleged, but has never been confirmed.〔Commodore Ruben Oscar Moro ''La Guerra Inaudita'', 2000 ISBN 987-96007-3-8〕 The small air arm of the Argentine Navy (''Armada Republica Argentina''; ARA) was in the middle of the transition from the A-4Q Skyhawk to the new Super Etendard. Only five of the Etendard's anti-ship Exocet missiles had been delivered at the time of the conflict, at which point an arms embargo prevented the delivery of further shipments. Additionally, the required programming for the missiles to interact with the Etendard's computers had not been completed by French engineers when the conflict broke out. France, being an ally of the United Kingdom, recalled all technicians, which left Argentine scientists and electronic engineers to figure out a way to make the missiles take input from the plane's computers. Navy pilots, particularly those of the 3rd Naval Fighters Squadron flying ''A-4Qs'' were the only ones trained in bombing warships. Air Force pilots trained during April against the two Argentine Type 42 destroyers, similar to those of the British Fleet, and according to the Naval officers all the sorties were shot down, causing great concern to the High Command until the successful May 1 strikes which proved that aircraft could survive.〔〔HALCONES SOBRE MALVINAS, ISBN 950-9294-07-1〕 Finally, Argentine military aviation had never been involved in an international conflict, indeed the last time the Argentine military had been involved in an international conflict was the War of the Triple Alliance more than a century before. In spite of these disadvantages, Argentine air units bore the brunt of the battle during the six-week war, and inflicted serious damage and losses to the naval forces of the United Kingdom. Low-flying jets attacking British ships provided some of the most sobering and dramatic images of the war. By the end of the conflict, the British forces had come to admire the FAA's spirited conduct in the face of an effective air defence network.〔Hastings, Max: ''The Battle for the Falklands''〕 〔"The British were awed by the courage of the Argentine pilots, flying suicidally low to attack, then vanishing amid flashes of pursuing Sea Cat, Blowpipe, Rapier, racing across the sky behind them. Alone among the enemy's three services, the air force seemed highly motivated and utterly committed to the battle. 'We should have been able to work out that any nation which produces first-class Formula One racing drivers is also likely to turn out some pretty good pilots.'" - Chapter 12; Hastings, Max: ''The Battle for the Falklands'' (1983) Michael Joseph Ltd ISBN 0-7181-2228-3〕 Admiral Sandy Woodward, the British Task Force commander said: "()he Argentine Air Force fought extremely well and we felt a great admiration for what they did."〔clarin newspaper (Clarin newspaper Woodward Interview ''La fuerza aérea peleó extremadamente bien y nosotros sentimos una gran admiración por lo que hicieron'' )〕 The British Operational Research Branch Report declassified and released to the public in February 2013 states: 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Argentine air forces in the Falklands War」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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