The military might used in Falklands war and the losses .

British Task Force Composition

Naval Vessels

The British Task Force was a formidable fleet assembled rapidly in response to the invasion. In total, over 100 ships were deployed. These included:

• 2 aircraft carriers:
  • HMS Hermes
  • HMS Invincible
• 23 destroyers and frigates:
  • Including HMS Sheffield, HMS Coventry, HMS Broadsword, and HMS Brilliant.
• 8 nuclear and diesel submarines:
  • Including HMS Conqueror, which sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano.
• 22 Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships:
  • Tankers, stores ships, and other logistical support.
• 43 merchant vessels (STUFT – Ships Taken Up From Trade):
  • Including the converted passenger liners SS Canberra and MV Atlantic Conveyor.

Personnel

Approximately 27,000 British personnel were involved, composed of Royal Navy sailors, Royal Marines, British Army soldiers (mainly from the Parachute Regiment, Scots and Welsh Guards, and Gurkhas), and Royal Air Force personnel.

Aircraft

The task force deployed or supported around 120 aircraft, including:

• Sea Harrier FRS.1 (used for air superiority and ground attack):
  • Operated from the two aircraft carriers; about 28 in total.
• Harrier GR.3 (RAF variant):
  • Deployed later for close air support.
• Helicopters:
  • Around 90 helicopters, including Sea Kings, Wessex, Chinooks, and Lynx, used for transport, search and rescue, and anti-submarine warfare.

Losses in the Conflict

British Losses

Personnel

• 255 British military personnel were killed:
  • Royal Navy: 86
  • British Army: 123
  • Royal Air Force: 9
  • Royal Marines: 27
  • Merchant Navy: 10

Ships Sunk or Lost

1. HMS Sheffield – Type 42 destroyer (sunk by Exocet missile)
2. HMS Coventry – Type 42 destroyer (bombed by Argentine aircraft)
3. HMS Ardent – Type 21 frigate (bombed)
4. HMS Antelope – Type 21 frigate (sunk after a bomb exploded during defusal)
5. RFA Sir Galahad – Landing ship logistic (bombed; later scuttled)
6. RFA Sir Tristram – Heavily damaged (repaired post-war)
7. SS Atlantic Conveyor – Civilian container ship converted to carry aircraft and supplies (hit by Exocet missile)
8. HMS Glamorgan – Destroyer (damaged by land-launched Exocet)

Aircraft Lost

• 34 aircraft lost (including both fixed-wing and helicopters):
  • 10 Sea Harriers (mainly accidents or enemy action)
  • 6 Harrier GR.3s
  • 18 helicopters, including:
    • Several Sea Kings (e.g., one crashed in bad weather killing 22)
    • One Chinook on the Atlantic Conveyor along with five Wessex and three Lynx helicopters lost when the ship sank

Argentine Losses (For Reference)

• 649 personnel killed
• 1 cruiser sunk: ARA General Belgrano (by HMS Conqueror)
• Over 100 aircraft lost, including Mirage III, Dagger, and A-4 Skyhawks