ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9)
Encyclopedia
ARA Alferez Sobral (A-9) is an aviso
in Argentine Navy
service since 1972. She had previously served in the US Navy as .
as a Sotoyomo-class rescue tug
served as USS Salish (ATA-187) from 1944 to 1972.
(1880–1961). She was acquired 10 February 1972 departing with her sister-ship ARA Comodoro Somellera
from Mayport, Florida on 6 March 1972 and arriving Puerto Belgrano
on April 18.
(air-to-surface)
anti-ship missile
s fired by British Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3
helicopters.
At the time the ship was approximately 70 statute miles (110 km) north of the Falkland Islands
searching for the crew of a downed Canberra
(B-110) bomber that had been shot down two days earlier by a AIM-9 Sidewinder
AAM (air-to-air missile)
fired from a British BAe Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1
(XZ451). The Sobral was initially spotted by a Westland Sea King
helicopter. When the helicopter approached to investigate, it was shot at by the vessel's 20 mm
fore cannon. The helicopter immediately retreated and called for assistance.
In response and launched their Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3 helicopters. Coventry Lynx (XZ242) attacked first, firing two Sea Skua (air-to-surface) anti-ship missiles. One of the missiles narrowly missed the bridge, the second hit Sobral fiberglass motorboat, injuring the crew of a 20 mm cannon and knocking out the radio aerials.
Twenty minutes later Glasgow Lynx (XZ247) launched two more missiles. One or perhaps both of these missiles struck the bridge, causing extensive damage. In total the attack killed 8 of the crew — including the ship's captain, Lieutenant Commander
Sergio Gómez Roca — and injuring 8. The Sobral lost all her electrical power, radio, radar and compass. The only navigational guide available to the crew was the direction of the waves at the time of the attack. She was found and helped by the Sikorsky S-61N
LV-OCL (a civilian aircraft requisitioned by the Argentine Air Force as part of Escuadron Fenix
and piloted by 1st Lt Lucero) which evacuated the injured. Sobral was assisted by the civilian trawler María Alejandra and finally reached Puerto Deseado
two days later on 5 May. The attack had occurred at the approximated position 49°50′00"S 58°37′00"W.
The ship survived the conflict and remains in naval service. The ship's badly damaged bridge is currently on display at the Naval Museum in the city of Tigre
, Argentina.
The name of Argentina's final Espora class corvette was renamed to honour her captain. Goméz Roca was the first commander of the Argentine Navy to be killed on the bridge of his ship since the war with Brazil in the 19th century.
The aviso ARA Teniente Olivieri (A-2)
bear the name of the Guardamarina (Midshipman
) Olivieri which was also killed in the action.
until February 2010 when she moved to Mar del Plata
switching places with ARA Gurruchaga (A-3).
On 2001 she assisted the expedition ship Caledonian Star which had been struck by a rogue wave during transit of the Drake Passage
.
Aviso
An aviso , a kind of dispatch boat or advice boat, survives particularly in the French navy, they are considered equivalent to the modern sloop....
in Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
service since 1972. She had previously served in the US Navy as .
US Navy service
Built by Levingston Shipbuilding Co., at Orange, TexasOrange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
as a Sotoyomo-class rescue tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
served as USS Salish (ATA-187) from 1944 to 1972.
Argentine Navy service
The ship was named after Antarctic explorer Alférez José María SobralJosé María Sobral
Alférez de Navío José María Sobral was an Argentine military scientist and Antarctic explorer....
(1880–1961). She was acquired 10 February 1972 departing with her sister-ship ARA Comodoro Somellera
ARA Comodoro Somellera (A-10)
The ARA Comodoro Somellera was a Sotoyomo-class rescue tug that served in the Argentine Navy from 1972 to 1998 classified as Aviso...
from Mayport, Florida on 6 March 1972 and arriving Puerto Belgrano
Puerto Belgrano
Base Naval Puerto Belgrano is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca, about south of Buenos Aires...
on April 18.
Falklands War
In the early hours of the morning on 3 May 1982, the ship was hit by three BAe Dynamics Sea SkuaSea Skua
The Sea Skua is a British lightweight short-range air-to-surface missile designed for use from helicopters against ships. It is primarily used by the Royal Navy on the Westland Lynx helicopter, although Kuwait uses it in a shore battery and on their Umm Al Maradem fast attack craft.The British...
(air-to-surface)
Air-to-surface missile
An air-to-surface missile is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both...
anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
s fired by British Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopters.
At the time the ship was approximately 70 statute miles (110 km) north of the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
searching for the crew of a downed Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
(B-110) bomber that had been shot down two days earlier by a AIM-9 Sidewinder
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
AAM (air-to-air missile)
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
fired from a British BAe Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1
BAE Sea Harrier
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
(XZ451). The Sobral was initially spotted by a Westland Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
helicopter. When the helicopter approached to investigate, it was shot at by the vessel's 20 mm
20 mm caliber
The 20 mm caliber is a specific size of cannon or autocannon ammunition, commonly the smallest caliber which is unambiguously a cannon and not a heavy machine gun....
fore cannon. The helicopter immediately retreated and called for assistance.
In response and launched their Westland Lynx HAS.Mk.2/3 helicopters. Coventry Lynx (XZ242) attacked first, firing two Sea Skua (air-to-surface) anti-ship missiles. One of the missiles narrowly missed the bridge, the second hit Sobral fiberglass motorboat, injuring the crew of a 20 mm cannon and knocking out the radio aerials.
Twenty minutes later Glasgow Lynx (XZ247) launched two more missiles. One or perhaps both of these missiles struck the bridge, causing extensive damage. In total the attack killed 8 of the crew — including the ship's captain, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Sergio Gómez Roca — and injuring 8. The Sobral lost all her electrical power, radio, radar and compass. The only navigational guide available to the crew was the direction of the waves at the time of the attack. She was found and helped by the Sikorsky S-61N
Sikorsky S-61
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
LV-OCL (a civilian aircraft requisitioned by the Argentine Air Force as part of Escuadron Fenix
Escuadrón Fénix
The Phoenix Squadron was a special unit of the Argentine Air Force formed during the 1982 Falklands War - History :...
and piloted by 1st Lt Lucero) which evacuated the injured. Sobral was assisted by the civilian trawler María Alejandra and finally reached Puerto Deseado
Puerto Deseado
Puerto Deseado, originally called Port Desire, is a city of about 15,000 inhabitants and a fishing port in Patagonia in Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, on the estuary of the Deseado River....
two days later on 5 May. The attack had occurred at the approximated position 49°50′00"S 58°37′00"W.
The ship survived the conflict and remains in naval service. The ship's badly damaged bridge is currently on display at the Naval Museum in the city of Tigre
Tigre Partido
Tigre Partido is a partido or municipality of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated in the north of Greater Buenos Aires. The department covers a large section of the Paraná Delta and its low-lying islands...
, Argentina.
The name of Argentina's final Espora class corvette was renamed to honour her captain. Goméz Roca was the first commander of the Argentine Navy to be killed on the bridge of his ship since the war with Brazil in the 19th century.
The aviso ARA Teniente Olivieri (A-2)
ARA Teniente Olivieri (A-2)
The ARA Teniente Olivieri is a fleet ocean tug in service at the Argentine Navy classified as aviso.Homebased at Ushuaia is normally assigned to operate in Antarctica during the summer campaigns in the Patrulla Antártica Naval Combinada with the Chilean Navy to guarantee safety to all touristic...
bear the name of the Guardamarina (Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
) Olivieri which was also killed in the action.
Present
Since 1993 she had been homebased at UshuaiaUshuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
until February 2010 when she moved to Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
switching places with ARA Gurruchaga (A-3).
On 2001 she assisted the expedition ship Caledonian Star which had been struck by a rogue wave during transit of the Drake Passage
Drake Passage
The Drake Passage or Mar de Hoces—Sea of Hoces—is the body of water between the southern tip of South America at Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica...
.
External links
- Histarmar Site pictorial
- naval-history.net: Details of the Falklands War incident
- nafts.org: Pictures of the damage done by the Sea Skua missiles fuerzasnavales.com: Technical Specs and picture of ARA Sobral ARA official website: Side view (profile) of ARA Alférez Sobral ARA official website: Technical Specifications of ARA Alférez Sobral