Argentine submarines in the Falklands conflict
Submarine S-21 Santa Fe
At the outbreak of the armed conflict, the Argentine Navy (Armada Argentina) possessed four submarines. Two of them (S-22 Santiago del Estero and S-21 Santa Fe) were built in the United States in 1944 as SS-341 Chivo and SS-339 Catfish and belonged to the Balao class. In 1948–49, Catfish underwent modernization under the GUPPY II program, and in 1961, Chivo was modernized under the GUPPY IIA program. In 1971, the submarines were transferred to Argentina. Santiago del Estero was decommissioned in 1981, and Santa Fe followed the same fate in August–September 1982.
SS-339 Catfish in 1946
SS-339 Catfish after modernization, 1969
SS-339 Catfish before and after upgrade
In addition, the composition fleet The fleet included two modern Type 209 submarines. The boats were designed in West Germany by the Ingenieurkontor Lübeck design bureau (Project IK-68), and their sections were built in Kiel at the HDW shipyards. In 1974, after being assembled in Argentina, the S-31 Salta and S-32 San Luis joined the Argentine fleet. When used skillfully, these boats posed a serious threat. A good example of this is the sister submarines of the Peruvian Navy. For example, during the inter-American exercises Unitas-1996, the submarine Pisagua "sunk" the American SSN Narwhal six times, always being the first to attack surface ships. And in 2001, during the American-Peruvian exercises SIFOREX-2001, a Peruvian submarine "sinks" an American frigate. Since then, every year one of the Peruvian submarines has participated in US anti-submarine exercises in the Atlantic, based at the Norfolk naval base.
Argentine Type 209 submarine
At the outbreak of hostilities, only the S-32 San Luis was operational, while her sister, the S-32 San Luis, was undergoing repairs. She left in mid-April, but due to excessive noise, she never saw combat. To replace the Balao-class submarines, the S-41 Santa Cruz and S-42 San Juan were being built in West Germany under the TR 1700 design. The most experienced submariners were assigned to their acceptance, which led to certain difficulties in manning the remaining boats. Four more submarines of this type were planned for construction at a shipyard in Buenos Aires. This plan, if implemented, would have given the military junta led by General Galtieri a very compelling argument in the form of eight state-of-the-art submarines.
Main tactical and technical characteristics of Argentine submarines
Actions of the submarine "Santa Fe"
In late March 1982, the Argentine Armed Forces launched Operation Rosario to seize the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Three naval task forces were created for this purpose: a covering force (Fuerza Tarea 20), a landing force for the Falklands (Fuerza Tarea 40), and a landing force for South Georgia (Fuerza Tarea 60). Task Force 40 included a landing ship, two transports, two destroyers, two corvettes, and the submarine S-21 Santa Fe. The submarine was given two missions: the first was to land the Unidad de Tareas 40.1.1 tactical group, consisting of 13 naval special forces combat swimmers (Agrupación de Buzos Tácticos - APBT), in the area of Cabo San Felipe (north of Port Stanley) to capture the lighthouse on Cape Pembroke, Port Stanley Airport (this mission was later cancelled), and to reconnoiter and mark the landing area of the main forces (the "Yellow Area"); the second was to patrol the area allocated to it.
Due to its poor technical condition, the submarine's combat value was close to zero: worn-out batteries required a long time to recharge and limited its submerged time, some torpedo tubes were inoperative, and many systems were unreliable. The maximum diving depth was reduced to 120 meters.
At 11:00 PM on March 27, the Santa Fe, under the command of Captain Horacio Bicain and a detachment of the ARVN, commanded by Captain Alfredo Cufré, departed the Mar del Plata naval base. Despite strong winds, the passage on March 28 proceeded without incident. The following day, taking advantage of improved weather, the ARVN conducted an exercise in disembarking people in inflatable dinghies in sea state 2–3. Winds later increased to 40–50 km/h, prompting an order at 10:00 PM on April 30 to delay the start of the operation for 24 hours (the landing had previously been scheduled for April 1).
On March 31, the submarine approached the northeast coast of East Falkland to reconnoiter the currents and determine the landing area for the ARVN. Sonar operators detected the sound of a propeller, and periscope observations revealed lights on the shore, vehicle movement, and the departure of a vessel from Port Stanley (this vessel was the British Navy vessel A 171 Endurance, en route to South Georgia).
On April 1, the submarine commander received an order to change the combat mission, according to which the APBT was to mark the landing area "Red Section" to the north of the previously planned landing zone. At 12:30 on April 1, due to a power failure, the submarine was left without radio contact, and at 17:30 the submarine and APBT commanders decided to begin the landing without waiting for contact with command. While approaching the shore at 23:50, the radar station failed, which was not brought back into operation until 1:00 a.m. The landing took place north of Punta Celebronya near Rinion Island. At 02:30, the APBT began boarding three inflatable boats, which departed from the side and reached the shore at 02:50. By 03:35, reconnaissance and marking with signal lights of the landing area of the main forces in York Bay was successfully completed. Soon from the side The 2nd Battalion of the Argentine Marines was landed here from the landing ship Cabo San Antonio.
Tactical fighters aboard the Santa Fe prepare for landing
Argentine task force routes for the capture of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands
Port Stanley capture: 1 - Argentine landing on the Falkland Islands; 2 - Santa Fe submarine reconnaissance and marking of the "red section" of the landing at 02:30–03:35 on April 2, 1982; 5 - Marines landing from Cabo San Antonio at 06:30 on April 2, 1982
The Santa Fe then transferred to patrol area 080 San Felipe 60, 100 miles east of Port Stanley, before returning to Mar del Plata on April 7. The transit to base was not without incident: communications were intermittent, the refrigeration unit was constantly malfunctioning, the bilge pumps could only operate at periscope depth, the main engines' oil consumption exceeded all permissible limits, and the outer cover of the garbage disposal jammed open.
To troubleshoot the malfunctions and prepare the submarine for deployment, personnel from the Arsenal Naval Mar del Plata and the Santa Fe worked around the clock for eight days. Twenty-three torpedoes (20 Mk14s, the rest Mk37s), fuel, fresh water, and provisions for 60 days were loaded on board. At this time, the Arsenal had only 12 torpedoes of the required type, received from the United States along with the submarines, so the remaining torpedoes were provided by "friendly" countries (Peru?). The Mk37 torpedoes could only be fired from the bow torpedo tubes.
Torpedo Mk14
Torpedo Mk37
The primary mission assigned to the Santa Fe was to deliver 20 Marines (Golf Group) armed with anti-tank rockets A Bantam, a recoilless rifle, and anti-tank grenade launchers were carried to reinforce the South Georgia garrison, along with four tons of ammunition and equipment, as well as a new commander for the island's Argentine garrison. The submarine was then to patrol north of the island. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of diplomatic negotiations between Great Britain and Argentina, Horacio Bicain was ordered to avoid engaging the enemy first, making his chances of success slim.
The Santa Fe departed Mar del Plata at 23:30 PM on April 16, and within a few miles, new problems arose. The electrical control system for the propulsion system failed, forcing the boat to drift for three hours for repairs. The following day, a piston in diesel engine No. 1 failed, requiring 24 hours to restore the engine to service. On April 19, a failure in the drive gear of the cooling pump caused diesel engine No. 4 to overheat. Emergency repairs using epoxy resins took 48 hours. All of this contributed to the delay in the planned landing.
On April 20, due to stormy weather, the submarine was forced to dive and continue the voyage submerged, which led to further delays. On April 21-22, despite a severe storm, the Santa Fe continued to surface, resulting in damage to the deckhouse railing and superstructure. The submarine submerged again. The damaged hull rattled, interfering with the sonar system and revealing the submarine's identity.
On April 23rd, they surfaced to investigate the source of the noise and eliminate it. By this time, the delay had already reached 36 hours. That afternoon, the Antarctic patrol vessel HMS Endurance intercepted a coded radiogram indicating the presence of an enemy submarine (presumably the Santa Fe) 100 miles off South Georgia. This caused some concern among the British command, as two British tankers were in the area, busy transferring fuel from one vessel to another.
The frigate Plymouth was dispatched to the area to protect the tankers and escort them beyond the 200-mile zone. Admiral Sandy Woodward noted in his memoir, "One Hundred Days":
Tensions were mounting, and the South Georgia operation seemed bogged down by fear of an Argentine submarine. Unfortunately, our patrol aircraft's range from Ascension Island was insufficient.
To reinforce the anti-submarine forces of the British force heading towards the island, the frigate HMS Brilliant and the nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror were sent.
The Santa Fe received information about the location of the British ships off South Georgia from Argentine Air Force reconnaissance aircraft, including C-130 Hercules and Boeing 707s. For example, the Endurance intercepted radio signals from the Boeing addressed to the submarine, indicating that the submarine was heading to the island to deploy special forces and had orders to sink the Endurance.
HMS Endurance
Early in the morning of April 24, word was received that British forces had begun the liberation of South Georgia. The Santa Fe's commander received orders to expedite the operation. The decision was made to proceed to Cape North (the western tip of the island) and then to Cumberland Bay. The boat remained on the surface all night, submerged at 5:00 a.m. and snorkeled until nightfall.
At 23:30 PM, the Santa Fe arrived at its destination and, stopping a mile off King Edward Point, unloaded the Golf group and cargo from 02:30 AM to 04:30 AM using a motorboat captured from a British polar station. After completing the unloading, the submarine's commander decided to take refuge in one of the numerous bays, make repairs, and then proceed to the patrol area. But an hour later, when the submarine was five miles off Grytviken (the capital of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands), a combat alert sounded—the radar detected an approaching air target.
South Georgia
It was a Wessex helicopter piloted by Lieutenant-Commander Stanley from the destroyer HMS Antrim. The destroyer's sonar detected the Argentine submarine's noise at a distance of approximately 50 miles. The helicopter dropped two Mk 11 depth charges, with fuses set to minimum depth, which detonated on the starboard stern. The resulting damage prevented the submarine from diving. The submariners, in turn, fired at the Wessex with small arms. weapons.
Lieutenant Commander Stanley
Wessex HAS 3 helicopter
HMS Antrim off the coast of South Georgia
Mk 11 depth charges
Depth charge attack on the Santa Fe
Sea Lynx and Wasp helicopters from HMS Endurance, HMS Plymouth, and HMS Brilliant soon arrived, dropping a Mk 46 torpedo (which passed under the submarine's hull) and bombarding the submarine with AS 12 missiles and machine gun fire. Three AS 12s struck the fiberglass enclosure of the conning tower but failed to detonate, disabling the snorkel and other retractable devices and seriously injuring one of the crew. To avoid further losses, Bikain ordered the crew to take shelter inside the pressure hull and, at 07:30, approached King Edward Point pier using the periscope.
Under cover of fire from Argentine marines, the submariners abandoned their ship and took refuge on the shore. A few hours later, the South Georgia garrison surrendered to the British with virtually no resistance—the island had been called San Pedro for only 23 days. The only casualty during the operation was a sailor from the Santa Fe, who was immediately evacuated by helicopter to the Antrim, where he underwent a successful leg amputation.
A Sea Lynx helicopter with a suspended torpedo
A Wasp helicopter with an AS 12 missile
Wasp helicopter attacks Santa Fe
Frigate HMS Plymouth
Frigate HMS Brilliant
The captured Argentines were housed in a building near the pier. The Santa Fe's commander requested permission for several of his crew members to return aboard the submarine for personal belongings, food, and medical supplies. The request was granted, and half a dozen petty officers, escorted by British marines, boarded the submarine. Some of them managed to enter the latrine and galley and open the water system valves to flood the submarine. The following day, the British decided to re-moor the ship approximately 400 meters from the pier of the former whale processing plant in Grytviken, as the ammunition and batteries on board posed a serious danger.
In addition to the submarine's commander, six other crew members participated in the re-mooring, supervised by a group of British marines. By this time, the submarine's stern had begun to submerge, and ballast weights were used to maintain buoyancy. Tanks The vessels were ventilated using a rotary blower. Electric motors powered the vessel, using the remaining electrical power. During the re-docking, tragedy struck: Petty Officer Félix Artuso, who was operating the compressor and the diving and surfacing system valves, was killed. The English guard, unfamiliar with submarines, mistook Artuso's rapid movements, which required him to operate 24 valves simultaneously, for an attempt to scuttle the submarine. The submariner didn't understand English and didn't respond to warnings. The guard fired a burst from his Sterling machine gun.
Felix Artuso
Under these circumstances, the re-mooring was cancelled, and a few days later, the Santa Fe sank at its moorings in 20 meters of water, listing to port. Only the deckhouse railing remained above the surface. The deceased submariner was buried with full military honors at the local cemetery. The remaining crew members were transported aboard the tanker RFA Tidespring to Ascension Island, and from there, a chartered KLM plane was flown to Montevideo.
The funeral of F. Artuso at the cemetery in Grytviken
The half-sunken Santa Fe at the Grytviken pier
After the war ended, the British Ministry of Defence decided to raise the Santa Fe, which was obstructing the dock and, moreover, the torpedoes and other munitions on board posed a serious danger. Work began in late June and was carried out by the crews of the Endurance, the tug Typhoon, and the salvage vessel Salvageman. They were tasked with pumping water out of the flooded compartments using portable pumps and then blowing out the ballast tanks using the remaining compressed air in the submarine's cylinders. The situation was complicated by the fact that there were virtually no specialists familiar with submarine engineering; only two officers from the Endurance (a hydrographer and a supply officer) had briefly served on a submarine. There were also no submarine plans. Nevertheless, after more than two weeks of intense labor, the Santa Fe was afloat, albeit with a list of 25 degrees.
The Santa Fe alongside the Salvageman after the boat was lifted.
This is how the commander of the Endurance, N. Barker, describes the scene that opened up to the British sailors:
We also discovered a sizable collection of weapons, including torpedoes, mines, crates of small arms, ammunition, and explosives. Four homing torpedoes were crammed into the bunks, like victims of a disease. A large number of torpedoes were stored on racks, in removable decking, and in torpedo tubes. One of the torpedo tubes was empty—they were likely attempting to sink one of our ships, and it's possible it was us!
On July 15, a team of specialists arrived from England to inspect the drained Santa Fe. We all recognized a serious problem: the large amount of rapidly drying TNT was becoming increasingly unstable. Thanks to our efforts, the Santa Fe had become a floating time bomb.
On July 15, a team of specialists arrived from England to inspect the drained Santa Fe. We all recognized a serious problem: the large amount of rapidly drying TNT was becoming increasingly unstable. Thanks to our efforts, the Santa Fe had become a floating time bomb.
Divers prepare to inspect the Santa Fe.
Therefore, the decision was made to tow the boat to a safer location and beach it there with its hatches and bulkhead doors open. It was believed that this would gradually flood the compartments and render the wet TNT safe again.
The Santa Fe is being towed to the beach.
In 1984–1985, after four months of work (divers made 868 descents), the RMAS rescue vessels Goosander and Salvageman, using 10 inflatable pontoons, raised the boat on February 11, 1985 and, after removing harmful substances (diesel fuel, etc.), attempted to tow it to deep water away from the shore on February 20, 1985 (Operation Okehampton), but the submarine sank 5 miles north of South Georgia at a depth of 350 m.
Santa Fe Rise
The Santa Fe is being towed to the site of the sinking.
To be continued ...
Information