Swerve, you’re not thinking outside the box enough. 😉 Forget Port Stanley airfield. Forget 1,000lb bombs. Forget the crazily complicated “tankers refueling other tankers refueling other tankers” scheme. That’s way too RAF centric.
The French could have launched TWO Mirage IVs and simultaneously put out of commission BOTH main Argentinian airbases, with just FIVE C-135 tankers in support. Here’s how:.
Map of Argentinian airbases:
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Roundtrip distance: 7,400nm from Muroroa.
In case of a fuel emergency, it was also possible to divert to Totegegie (1,700m runway), 200nm closer.
Hao airbase:
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Mirage IV taking-off from Hao:
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Tanker #1 could take two Mirage IVs out to ~1,800nm, then fill up their tanks (2x 15t)
Tankers 2 & 3 would continue to 3,000-3,200nm, and then each fill-up one Mirage IV (15t)
The two Mirage IVs would proceed separately to their targets 800-1,000nm away (1,600-2,000nm roundtrip)
Tankers 4 & 5 would meet the Mirage IVs on their return leg, 3,000-3,200nm out, and fill up their tanks (15t)
Tanker #1 would take-off again to meet the Mirage IVs ~1,800nm out and refuel both of them (30t)
Back on topic, it seems like “light frigates” are making inroads with the French & Italians… almost a rebirth of the UK’s C2 “choke point escort” concept!
Both navies are looking at 3,500-4,500t “mini-Absalons” (or “large-LCSs” depending on how you see it), with an emphasis on modular payloads instead of kinetic weapons:
So basically optimized for sea control, special forces insertions, blockades, or prepositioned forces near failed states and disaster areas. Aside from a gun for NGFS, armament is limited or non-existant, but provisions exist for future add-ons.
The Italian concept – “Multirole Offshore Patrol” vessel
The French concept – “Mid-sized Frigate”
(Note: HIGHLY conjectural drawing, based on sparse info and extrapolating from DCNS’s Advansea concept)
All-in-all, the premise appears to be that there are many many conflicts involving low-tech, assymetric opponents. These “wars” are too intense for OPVs (what with the odd Grad rocket salvo, suicide attack, land-based missile launch, or low-end fighter-bomber…), but are a waste of a high-end frigate’s ASW or air defense capabilities. Some examples: Yougoslavia to Irak, Syria, Lebanon, Libya & Somalia. All failed states, border wars, terrorism, piracy or trafficking…
(Yes, there are many small countries with modern forces, including token numbers of jets and/or submarines, but they are rarely balanced, well-trained, AND dangerous. As for real “hot wars”, they can only be caused by a handful of usual suspects (China, Russia, India, Iran…), best handled by deterance, alliances and existing high-end warships.)
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