Argentine ground forces in the Falklands War

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This is a list of the ground forces from Argentina that took part in the Falklands War. For a list of ground forces from the United Kingdom, see British ground forces in the Falklands War.

Contents

[edit] Operation Rosario (April 2)

One of the Argentinian amphibious commandos after the fall of Stanley's Government House
One of the Argentinian amphibious commandos after the fall of Stanley's Government House
Main article: 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands

[edit] South Georgia (April 3)

  • 1st Marine Infantry Btn. (BIM 1) (†2) , embarked ARA Bahia Paraiso transport and ARA Guerrico corvette
    • 60 men

[edit] Preparation for war

Two assumptions governed the deployment of the Argentine ground forces on the islands (Spanish: Guarnición Militar Malvinas):

  • the junta did not believe that the British would use military force to retake the islands, so the the initial landing force had been withdrawn shortly after April 3rd, and was not reinforced until after the British recaptured South Georgia. The intent was to place a large number of troops onto the islands to dissuade the British from any military action. As the Royal Navy had submarines patrolling the immediate area reinforcements had to be airlifted in, which limited the heavy equipment that could be deployed.
  • an attack was feared from Chile due to the ongoing Beagle Conflict, as Chile was marshalling troops close to its Southern Argentine border, the Argentinian High Command had to deploy their better trained forces to deter a Chilean attack. As a result neither the mountain warfare regiments, nor a paratroop brigade were available. Furthermore, only one fifth of the cold adapted marine infantry was sent to the islands. The majority of the troops deployed were from sub-tropical areas, the Argentine Mesopotamia region and Buenos Aires Province, and not trained for action in the terrain (they were trained to avoid snakes and sunstroke, not frostbite).

These two incorrect assumptions led to inappropriate troops being sent to the islands. [1]

[edit] Theatre of Operations in the Falkland Islands (April 7 - June 14)

See also: List of Argentine Army Regiments

Guarnición Militar Malvinas

  • Commander: Brigade General Mario Menendez (governor). RI (Infantry Regiments) were 800 men approx.

[edit] 3rd Mechanised Infantry Brigade

Commander: Brigade General Omar Parada. Brigade home base: Mesopotamia

  • 4th Regiment (RI 4) — Mount Harriet & Two Sisters (Stanley) (†23)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Diego A. Soria.
  • 12th Regiment (RI 12) — Goose Green & Darwin (East Falkland) (†35)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Italo A. Piaggi.
  • West Falkland
    • 5th Regiment (RI 5) — Port Howard (†8)
      • Commander: Colonel Juan R. Mabragana
    • 8th Regiment, 9th Infantry Brigade (RI 8) — Fox Bay (†5)
      • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Ernesto A. Repossi.

[edit] 10th Mechanised Infantry Brigade

Commander: Brigade General Oscar Jofre. Brigade home base: Buenos Aires Province

  • 3rd Regiment (RI 3) — Stanley - aborted urban warfare
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel David U. Comini.
  • 6th Regiment (RI 6) — Stanley Common (†12)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Jorge Halperin.
  • 7th Regiment (RI 7) — Mount Longdon & Wireless Ridge (Stanley) (†36)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez.
  • 25th Regiment (RI 25), 9th Infantry Brigade (attach to 10th Brigade) — Stanley Airport, Goose Green & San Carlos (†13)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Mohamed A. Seineldin.
  • 10th Exploration cavalry armoured car squadron (Esc. Expl. C. Bl. 10) (Stanley). (†6)
    • Commander: Major Alejandro D. Carullo.
    • 6 x Panhard APC 90 mm.

[edit] Artillery

  • 3rd Artillery Group (GA3), 3rd Infantry Brigade (†2)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Martín A. Balza
    • 18 105 mm OTO Melara Mod 56 field guns (Stanley & Goose Green).
    • 4 x CITEFA 155 mm guns airlifted from May 15th (from the 101st Artillery Group) (Stanley).
  • 4th Airborne Artillery Group (GA4), 4th Airborne Brigade (†3) (Stanley).
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos A. Quevedo
    • 18 105 mm guns.

[edit] Miscellaneous Army

  • 181st Military Police and Intelligence Coy (Stanley). (†1)
  • 601st Engineer battalion (BI-601) (†10) (Fitz Roy bridge demolition)
    • Commander: Major Jorge L. A. Etienot.
    • 9th Engineer company
      • Commander: Major Oscar M. Lima.
    • 10th Engineer company
      • Commander: Major Carlos R. Matalon.
  • 601st Commando
    • Commander: Major Mario Castagneto
  • 602nd Commando Mount Kent & Murrell River (†5)
    • Commander: Major Aldo Rico.

[edit] Marines

  • 5th Marine Infantry Btn. (BIM 5) attached to Army — Mount Tumbledown, Mount William & Sapper Hill (Stanley) (†16)
    • Commander: Capitan de fragata (commander) Carlos Hugo Robacio.
  • Heavy Machine-Gun Company
    • Commander: teniente de navio Sergio Dachary. Stanley Common (†7)
  • Amphibious Engineer Company Stanley Common (†4)
    • Commander: capitan de corbeta Luis A. Menghini
  • 1st Marine Field Artillery Battalion Stanley Common (†2)
  • Commander: teniente de navio Mario R. Abadal
    • 1800 men

[edit] Gendarmería (border guards)

  • Special Forces Units: (†7) 6 died in the same Puma crash, May 30th
    • Squadron Atucha - Mount Kent (East Falkland).
    • Squadron Bariloche.
    • Squadron Calafate.
    • Squadron Esquel - Smoko Mount (East Falkland).

[edit] Air defences

[edit] Army

  • 601st Air defence artillery group (GADA-601). (†6)
    • Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Héctor L. Arias.
    • 1 Cardion TPS-44 long range radar.
    • 1 Roland SAM system.
    • 4 Tigercat SAM triple launchers.
    • 6 Skyguard fire control radars each controlling 2 Oerlikon GDF-002 35 mm twin cannons.
    • Total of 15 x GDF-002 35 mm twin cannons for Argentine Army (12) and Air Force (3) deployed to Port Stanley and (BAM Cóndor/Goose Green).
    • 3 Rheinmetall 20 mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannons.
  • B Battery, 101st Anti-Aircraft group (GADA 101), I Corps.
    • Commander: Major Jorge Monge.
    • 8 30 mm Hispano Suiza guns.
    • 10 12.7 mm machine guns.
  • Some Infantry units

[edit] Air Force

A captured Air Force Rheinmetall 20 mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon from Goose Green in the Imperial War Museum
A captured Air Force Rheinmetall 20 mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon from Goose Green in the Imperial War Museum
  • Stanley Airfield defence group. (†2).
  • Goose Green Airfield defence group. (†3) (BAM Cóndor Antiaérea).
  • Special Operations Group. (†1).
    • 1 Westinghouse TPS-43F long range radar.
    • 3x Oerlikon twin 35 mm guns.
    • 1 Super Fledermaus fire control radar.
    • 1 Elta short ranged radar.
    • 15 Rheinmetall twin 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. (6 deployed in Goose Green).
    • A number of SA-7 man portable short ranged SAMs.

[edit] Navy

  • 1st Marine Anti-Aircraft Battalion Stanley Common (†2).
    • Commander: capitan de corbeta Hector E. Silva .
    • 3 Tigercat SAM triple launchers.
    • 12 Hispano HS-831 30 mm anti-aircraft guns.

[edit] Infantry weapons

A silenced Sterling submachine gun, used by commandos in Operation Rosario
A silenced Sterling submachine gun, used by commandos in Operation Rosario
A display in the Imperial War Museum, showing an Argentine mortar
A display in the Imperial War Museum, showing an Argentine mortar

[edit] Casualties

v • d • e
Falklands War
Military forces
Timeline
Battles
Operations

[edit] References

  1. ^ Commodore Ruben Oscar Moro La Guerra Inaudita, 2000 ISBN 987-96007-3-8

[edit] External links