HMS Ardent

1982

San Carlos, Argentine Skyhawks, bomb in the hangar Location: Falkland Sound, near San Carlos · Coordinates: 51.58°S 59.08°W · Casualties: 22 · Survivors: 177 · Depth: 30 m · Cause: aerial attack — Bombed nine times by Argentine A-4 Skyhawk aircraft on the afternoon of 21 May 1982 at the San Carlos landings. Three bombs failed to detonate; the hits that exploded gutted the aft magazine and hangar. She burned through the night and sank the next morning. · Fate: war grave · protected · Type: frigate · Type 21 · Tonnage: 3,250 tons · Crew: 199 · Flag: United Kingdom · Launched: 1975 Royal Navy Type 21 frigate, providing naval gunfire support for the British landings at San Carlos Water. Bombed nine times by Argentine A-4 Skyhawks through the afternoon of 21 May 1982; three bombs failed to explode, but those that detonated gutted the aft magazine. 22 dead, the first Royal Navy frigate lost to enemy action since 1945. She burned through the night in the shallows of Falkland Sound and sank the next morning. The Vessel HMS Ardent (F184) was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy, commissioned at Yarrow Shipbuilders at Scotstoun, Glasgow, on 13 October 1977. She was, like HMS Antelope, a member of the eight-ship Type 21 frigate class. Her configuration, armament, and capabilities were essentially identical to Antelope's: 117 metres long, 3,250 tons full load, COGOG propulsion, single 4.5-inch gun, Sea Cat SAM, and Exocet anti-ship missiles. Her commanding officer in 1982 was Commander Alan West, 33 years old, the youngest commanding officer in the Royal Navy at the time of his appointment. West had been selected specifically for HMS Ardent's 1982 command as a rapidly-rising officer; he would subsequently have the most distinguished post-war Royal Navy career of any Falklands War ship's commanding officer, eventually reaching the rank of First Sea Lord (1999-2003) and serving as Minister of State for Security in the British government of Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010. The Disaster Through the afternoon of 21 May 1982 HMS Ardent was subjected to a continuous series of Argentine air attacks. Between 13:30 and 17:00 on 21 May 1982, eight separate Argentine air strikes reached Ardent's position. Commander West's handling of the ship during the engagements was praised in subsequent Royal Navy analysis as exceptionally skilful: Ardent's Sea Cat missiles shot down multiple Argentine aircraft, and her 4.5-inch gun continued to engage effectively throughout the afternoon. The critical attacks came from Argentine Skyhawks at approximately 17:00. Three Skyhawks approached Ardent from the west at very low altitude, each carrying a single 500-kilogram bomb. The Skyhawks released their bombs at ranges of 100-200 metres from Ardent's stern. Two bombs struck Ardent at her after end: one struck her Sea Cat missile launcher (which was out of position after expending its reload) and detonated, destroying her stern gun mounting and killing the crew of the 4.5-inch gun magazine. The second struck her after helicopter hangar and detonated, killing her Lynx helicopter crew and demolishing her after superstructure. A second wave of Skyhawks at 17:45 hit Ardent with three more bombs, two of which detonated. The combined damage from the afternoon's strikes was extensive: her after end was on fire; her main guns were out of action; her hull integrity was compromised; and her electrical power was progressively failing. Commander West ordered abandon-ship at approximately 18:30. H