Argentina Special Forces - Falkland Islands

[alemarc72]

This is my first post. I wold like to show photos for the Argentina special forces in Malvinas. Compañía de Comandos 601 y 602 del Ejército (601-602 Commando Company of the army / Agrupación Comandos Anfibios y buzos tácticos de la armada ( Amphibious Commandos Group, Tactical Divers group of the navy) The first six photos corresponding at the army, and the other the navy groups

Regards

[Dragunov]

Awesome pictures.

[exarmyguard]

Excellent photos. Any threads regarding the current state of the Argentine military. I understand there is a government commision set up to discuss how to retrieve the Malvinas (Falklands) from the British yet again. Also, I read that their FN FAL's will be modernized. Anyone know?

The picture of the large Coca-Cola bottle shaped tube on the soldiers back. I think its a Blowpipe anti-aircraft missile of British origin.

[Wamba]

Thanks for posting.

Could someone enlighten me please???:

[vajt]

Originally Posted by Wamba

Thanks for posting.

Could someone enlighten me please???:

Great pictures. Keep 'em coming and welcome to the group.

Yes that is the container for the Blowpipe handheld SAM. Argentina had a few of them back in the days.

As far as retaking the islands, Argentina always files a formal complaint but realistically I doubt they are going to use force again.

I did hear rumors of the FAL being replaced but I also read that with the new 7.62mm vs. 5.56mm debate, Argentina may keep the 7.62mm FALs for now and see what comes out of this. They could certainly make some modifications to improve the rifle while saving money and taking advantage of the 7.82mm calibre. Kind of what Sweden is doing with their 5.56mm FNC's (AK-5C).

-----JT-----

[alemarc72]

Yes, it is a Blowpipe. The army commandos have two or tree of them. they could knock down one harrier (lieutenant William Glover) see the photos.

[Hydro]

Originally Posted by alemarc72

Yes, it is a Blowpipe. The army commandos have two or tree of them. they could knock down one harrier (lieutenant William Glover) see the photos.

Pretty admirable, as the Blowpipe wasn't exactly the most accurate of shoulder fired SAM's. There wasn't a lot of successful use of them in British use during the war either.

[gregb]

Argi's had similiar small arms to hand as the brits . This is " old hat " but i read that the Fal's the Arg's had were superior to the brits , Full auto and going by those pics ( Spec ops ) folding stocks....... This is true ???

[Ghelp]

Great photos Argentine brothers.

[Hydro]

Originally Posted by gregb

Argi's had similiar small arms to hand as the brits . This is " old hat " but i read that the Fal's the Arg's had were superior to the brits , Full auto and going by those pics ( Spec ops ) folding stocks....... This is true ???

Yes. The Argentinians used FMAP-made FN FAL's, made under licence. They were pretty much copies of the original Belgian rifle with selective fire. There were folding stock versions used too. A lot of British personnel used them as they were superior in close quarter trench fighting than the SLR, due to the folding stock and automatic capability. Quite a lot were brought back to the UK, and some were in fact used (unofficially of course) by UK forces. My father fought in the Falklands and some of the war trophies were taken with his unit when he did a tour of N.I just after the war. A lot ended up on mantlepieces too....

[Ghelp]

Originally Posted by Hydro

Yes. The Argentinians used FMAP-made FN FAL's, made under licence. They were pretty much copies of the original Belgian rifle with selective fire. There were folding stock versions used too. A lot of British personnel used them as they were superior in close quarter trench fighting than the SLR, due to the folding stock and automatic capability. Quite a lot were brought back to the UK, and some were in fact used (unofficially of course) by UK forces. My father fought in the Falklands and some of the war trophies were taken with his unit when he did a tour of N.I just after the war. A lot ended up on mantlepieces too....

Is it legal in the UK to do that? Do you have to register the firearms.

[Hydro]

It was 25 years ago, the weapons were held in military armouries by units as war trophies. The ones that ended up in personal possession were very much "under the radar". There was all sorts of stuff taken back to the UK. The captain of one of the civvy ships used for troop transport was presented with a captured .50 Browning. A certain unit captured an infra-red and seismic detection system (used to warn defensive positions of advancing troops), flogged it to SOF magazine and funded a massive company piss up.

[Lt. James Anderson]

Awesome pics . I was looking for something like this for a long time . Thaks for posting!

[Ghelp]

Thank you for the information.

[Sabre]

Originally Posted by gregb

...i read that the Fal's the Arg's had were superior to the brits , Full auto and going by those pics ( Spec ops ) folding stocks....... This is true ???

The argy FALs were automatic and some had folding stocks and a number of squaddies did indeed use them (particularly those with Sterlings), but also factor in that some Argy units deployed so rapidly to the AO that they didn't have any cleaning kits, hence poorly functioning weapons found by British Forces in the subsequent land battles. To say they were 'superior' belies the old maxim that it's not the weapon, but the soldier behind it (or the cleaning kit that's either in his belt kit or in a locker a thousand kilometers away!)

Also mate, please don't use the term 'Spec Ops'. It is a ghastly American term that does not apply to the British Armed Forces. We have Special Forces, not 'Special Operations Forces'. The correct term is therefore SF. As these pics are of Argy SF, the same would apply. Just me being picky because I hate that term 'Spec Ops'. It just sounds so....gay....