Themes
Conflict and Change
Learning
Lessons from the Falklands
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Close-in weapons system
Close-in weapons systems
Oerlikons, Phalanx, Goal Keeper and Sea Wolf
The Navy especially realised the vulnerability of the Aircraft Carriers against air attack. Had the Argentines destroyed either of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers during the Falklands War, the British would not have been able to sustain their operations in the South Atlantic.
As a consequence, the Royal Navy had to also provide better Close-in Weapons Systems (CIWS) in order to provide a ‘last ditch’ attempt to destroy in-coming airborne attack. After the Falklands the Royal Navy fitted their ships with better armaments.
The Navy fitted the Oerlikon 20 and 30mm gun, the American Phalanx or the Dutch Goal Keeper CIWS systems to all new major warships and to a number of existing vessels.
During the War deck crew on many vessels utilised General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) on improvised mountings in an attempt to fight off air attack.
Following the Falklands, planners recognised that warships needed to be able to defend themselves with a short-range gun with a wide arc of fire.
The Navy fitted the Oerlikon guns provide a last ditch defence for warships. They installed the 20mm Oerlikon GAM-B01 on all Royal Navy aircraft carriers, the Guided Missile Destroyer HMS Bristol, the County Class and Type 42 destroyers and the Type 22 Frigates.
Aircraft carriers, HMS Bristol and Type 42 destroyers and Type 22 Frigates also carried twin 30mm Oelikon GCM-A03 guns for AA protection.
Previous to the Falklands War, aircraft carriers relied on their escorts, usually guided missile destroyers, such as the Type 42, to defend the vessels from air attack.
After the Falklands, however, the aircraft carriers all received their own CIWS. In addition to the Oerlikon guns Illustrious Class aircraft carriers, HM Ships Illustrious, Invincible and Ark Royal all received Phalanx guns - a type of quick firing Gatling gun.
The Goal Keeper CIWS entered Royal Naval service in 1986. Similar to the Phalanx, it provided a longer range defence and replaced the Phalanx in both HMSes Illustrious and Invincible, but not in HMS Ark Royal.
The Sea Wolf weapons system has been used by the Royal Navy since 1979, however, it was not until the Falklands War that the effectiveness of the Sea Wolf surface-to-air point-defence missile system was ‘battle proven’ when the Sea Wolf was credited with the destruction of five Argentine aircraft.
The Royal Navy had to redress problems with the system’s reliability in the light of the conflict. HMS Brilliant was the first warship to ever fire the Sea Wolf missiles operationally and succeeded in hitting two Argentine Skyhawk jets in San Carlos Water on 12 May 1982.
On the second wave of Argentine air attack however, the system failed leaving the ship vulnerable, but luckily unharmed. The Royal Navy commissioned a vertical launch Sea Wolf for the new Type 23 Frigates, built after the Falklands War.
