MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands’ war: UK deployed laser weapon to ‘dazzle’ enemy pilots, say released documents
The United Kingdom deployed a laser weapon during the Falkland Islands 1982 war with Argentina designed to “dazzle” enemy pilots who were attacking British warships, according to secret documents released Wednesday. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesThis weapon was not used in action !
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0Not fair came the cry from CFK, “ I gave my troops the most modern torch available at the time ” she retorted. How underhand of the Brits to do that. Anyway are lasers banned? I think you will find that laying minefields and not recording where they are is against the Geneva Convention, but heho we are talking Agentina now.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0As agent999 says - not used. This is a non-story !
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0@ 1
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0Maybe ,maybe not. But I do know that they are used in BA when Racing play Boca Juniors, they are obviously not weapon grade but will certainly get your attention if directed in your direction. In fact many inhabitants of countries use them , including I have to say the UK. Personnally I think they are a good deterent in a conflict, who do you think they guide bombs onto targets, YES LASERS. So they are certainly used.
Next they will complain we used the AIM-9L “all aspect” Sidewinder
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0They proved rather successful (see bottom of page):
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_armament_article1.html
“the missiles scored 17 known kills and 2 assists against Argentinian aircraft”
Heseltine was not the Secretary of State for Defence until 1983, he was not in the War Cabinet during the Falklands War.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0Searchlights were used in WW2 to dazzle pilots at night. I would have thought that large Magnesium flashbulbs might have been useful at Bluff Cove or San Carlos for want of better.
Reached the point where they are capable of more than dazzle.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 04:12 am - Link - Report abuse 0http://youtu.be/EouQh3MQwQ8
Hardly a secret, this was mentioned in Sandy Woodward's book, 100 days. It was fitted to HMS Plymouth, but not used.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 04:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0Move along now, nothing to see here.
So the Brits had laser pointers...
Aug 01st, 2013 - 05:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0LOL!
For “was deployed” I think it's fairly safe to rephrase to “was bolted/welded onto the superstructure of a ship that was deployed, and was ignored for the whole time”.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 05:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0I've always wondered why light from a laser source is supposed to be a big issue, when light from say a carbon arc lamp is regarded as OK and normal. Yes, it is possible to cause permanant damage to the eye with a laser, but frankly flying an aircraft without the ability to see either what is going on outside or your instruments there is a relatively good chance that any permanant damage to your eyes will become a moot point.
Lasers can blind at very low power because a laser is such a concontrated source.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 06:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0laser range finders can damage peoples sight and thats not what they are designed to do.
Yes, and all RG troops were issued with Nike running shoes, and 3 bog rolls. It was a state secret.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 07:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0The weapon was NOT deployed!
Aug 01st, 2013 - 08:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0m'eh
Aug 01st, 2013 - 08:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0And...???
Aug 01st, 2013 - 09:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0'Estulin discusses the background of the Falklands war, tip of a neo-colonial 'iceberg' - Are important the Falklands at the geopolitical level?, did you use United Kingdom war as an excuse for deploying NATO forces and control the wealth of the region? Daniel Estulin examines these issues in 'From the shadow' on RT...'
Aug 01st, 2013 - 09:39 am - Link - Report abuse 0http://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/view/101706-estulin-guerra-malvinas-otan-gran-bretana
'Falklands oil would aggravate tensions between Argentina and United Kingdom - The first commercial discovery of oil in the Falklands will be rich to these islands in the South Atlantic, reporting to the British territory 10,500 million of dollars in tax revenues in a period of 25 years, specialized media report...'
http://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/view/101706-estulin-guerra-malvinas-otan-gran-bretana
'Argentina replaces to the United States in the Security Council of the UN - Argentina tomorrow will assume the Presidency of the UN Security Council in a month marked by strong claims of his country by the territory of the Malvinas and the pressure of Latin America by the conflict in Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations restart, it reported PL...'
http://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/view/101706-estulin-guerra-malvinas-otan-gran-bretana
They might temporarily replace the US as HEAD of the Security council. But not REPLACE the US on the security Council. The US, as well as the UK, are 2 of the 5 permanent members of the Security Council. The Argentines are just rotating though the council for a couple years and then will be gone.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 11:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0@16 Welcome to the grown-ups' table, Argentina. I recommend you take lots of notes as to what really matters in the world. Hint, it's not all about you and your fascist need to colonize the Islands against their will and against the UN Charter.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 12:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0did you use United Kingdom war as an excuse for deploying NATO forces and control the wealth of the region? Daniel Estulin
Aug 01st, 2013 - 01:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What NATO forces is he wittering about ? Typical deluded Argie..
“it was all a great conspiracy to do us down”
Where do they get these clowns ?
An interesting story I think.OK, not used but perhaps we missed an opportunity. In WWI we had no lasers but we did have Dazzle Ships!
Aug 01st, 2013 - 01:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0'Argentina replaces to the United States in the Security Council of the UN
Aug 01st, 2013 - 03:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Laughing…ha ha ha .
Every morning 09.00am
Gentlemen may we start of the day saying the Falkland’s belong to Argentina,
And every day we are here.
Ha ha ha .
.
@19 Clyde15
Aug 01st, 2013 - 04:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When you see the rubbish they are reading, you begin to understand why the RG public are a bit weird and slightly delusional.
Does it really matter......
Aug 01st, 2013 - 04:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0after all, they lost..
@18 Steve-33-uk posts a lot of interesting articles for us to read. He doesn't necessarily agree with them, he just shows us a selection.
Aug 01st, 2013 - 05:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@15, El Capitano:
Aug 01st, 2013 - 09:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Hey, tell us all about yourself.
You are supposed to be a Dane who first went to sea onboard a UK trawler in 1959.
Yet you are on here posting shite.
Laser pointers? Who is the stupid Brit in MercoPenguin News that wrote this story? I am sure there are plenty LOL :-)))
Aug 01st, 2013 - 10:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 025 Escoses Doido (#)
Aug 01st, 2013 - 11:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0LOl @ the Excuse for a Dildo........!!
@26 Marcos
Aug 02nd, 2013 - 11:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0You have to remember that back in 1982 a laser pointer was far from the penlid sized things that you can get today. The one 1982 vintage laser pointer that I've seen was about 40cm long, 5cm in diameter and weighed almost a kilo.
They also cost so much that you'd need a genuinely good reason for buying one, rather than being able to buy one with patterned filters for a couple of quid for a cat toy.
@26
Aug 02nd, 2013 - 01:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0” I am sure there are plenty LOL :-)))”
Yes, no doubt plenty that involve the inability of Argentina to research 19th century history.
'Cristina Kirchner will make a great stage in the Security Council of the UN on Tuesday next , and promises to break with the historical background of there: not only will be in New York to lead a special session at the United Nations space in which Argentina has since yesterday the temporary presidency for a month. He also called on the same block in several countries around the world to raise allegations of U.S. spy alerted former CIA spy Edward Snowden and not to mention deprive the increasing militarization of Britain in the Falkland Islands...'
Aug 02nd, 2013 - 03:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1606697-cristina-prepara-una-fuerte-puesta-en-escena-en-la-onu
'A secession independence? - The political leaders of three archipelagos of the United Kingdom raised in Scotland that if this region is separated in 2014 from the rest of British citizens of the islands should be able to decide whether to continue with Scotland or declare a separate state...'
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1606697-cristina-prepara-una-fuerte-puesta-en-escena-en-la-onu
'Warn of colonial danger for Latin American integration - Not only is the cause of the people but also the case borinquenño Argentine Falklands, and Caribbean islands such as Guadeloupe and Martinique, Enriquez said to Prensa Latina. 's situation is emblematic because Puerto Rico was first crown colony Spanish and then the United States, and while this issue is not settled continental integration really be in danger. Puerto Rico-Enriquez said an aircraft carrier is located in the Caribbean, which threatens nations in the region, as the sister republics of Cuba and Venezuela...'
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1606697-cristina-prepara-una-fuerte-puesta-en-escena-en-la-onu
'The Anti-Imperialist Summit decides to create a tri-national coordinator to ensure return of Bolivia sea'
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1606697-cristina-prepara-una-fuerte-puesta-en-escena-en-la-onu
Its got absolutely sod all to do with this post but that picture of Hezza suggests that he should have used the bathroom before venturing into the street.
Aug 02nd, 2013 - 06:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0WHAT ARGENTINA NEEDS IS A FEW NUKES IN ITS MILITARY. That will strengthen her military capacities and make her a force to reckon with.
Aug 02nd, 2013 - 08:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 032 aussie sunshine (#)..ahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...lmao....Gotta say...soooooooo funnnnny....!!
Aug 03rd, 2013 - 01:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0#32
Aug 03rd, 2013 - 05:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0A good idea. With your country's record of care and maintenance of your military equipment and railways, they would be more of a threat to your own population !
To launch your nukes, I would suggest some very large ,strong, rubber bands.
#30
Interesting articles
CFK's speech should be a good laugh.
I also note that in the last article it states that the Bolivian presidential plane “crash landed” at Vienna. The story gets better and better !
@32
Aug 03rd, 2013 - 07:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0It will ensure that Argentina blows itself to kingdom come.
@26
Aug 03rd, 2013 - 09:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Go on then...LOL it up
Who won the war eh?
He who LOLs last LOLs loudest Marcos.
34 - will condor 2's do instead.
Aug 03rd, 2013 - 10:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0oh no ..sorry they were all scrapped cause they were deemed to great a threat.
...all scrapped.
yip.
#37
Aug 04th, 2013 - 06:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0The only Condor I know of is a giant vulture that lives in the Andes. Even that is not big enough to carry one of your mythical nukes
Quote
Despite the fact that it was South America’s most advanced missile program in the 1980’s, Argentina’s Condor program was far from robust. At the time of the project’s termination, Argentina continued to encounter major problems with the prototype’s guidance and control systems, and the program ended without a single flight test of the missile. [52] Currently, Argentina has no ballistic missiles production capabilities.
I still think a rubber band is the best and cheapest option.
@37
Aug 04th, 2013 - 04:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“oh no ..sorry they were all scrapped cause they were deemed to great a threat”
Certainly, they would have killed a lot of Argentines as they blew up on the launch pads.
And not worth lobbing one at the Falklands if the launch sites are going to be flattened in retaliation.
Good move from Argentina.
Best of luck to the Mirage F1 pilots.
What happened to the Thunderjet deal with China/ Pakistan?
oh dear oh dear - you good chaps need to listen to your first sea-lords.
Aug 07th, 2013 - 06:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The one who warned recently in the papers about the dangerous potentials related to possible ongoing condor development.
ah yes that old boy... first sea lord Stanhope.
@41
Aug 08th, 2013 - 06:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0Well yes the UK has warnings from many people which is why it is sometimes overcautious unlike Argentina that prefers stupid risks, often to its own detriment.
Condor 2 will be ineffective if there is a type 45 in the South Atlantic.
Also, unless Argentina houses Condor in underground silos, as soon as one is launched it gives the UK the go ahead to overfly Argentina and take out the launch site. As most Malvanistas want the UK to leave Argentina alone, this would not be an effective way to ensure that the UK stays out of Argentine airspace, or to prevent a counter strike without any UK forces touching Argentine airspace.
#40
Aug 08th, 2013 - 07:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0IF Argentina manages to develop the “condor 2 ”missile, then what ? It could hit the Falklands and......? Then it must be used as a “first strike weapon”. If this is the case then the gloves are OFF. Retalation would follow.
Of Argentina would not know what hit her !
Of course the first Sea Lord will make statements like this. He is trying to use this as a reason to increase and modernise the Fleet.
By the way, missiles can fire in different directions. Brazil, Chile and Paraguay will be watching with interest and wondering what will be these missiles eventual targets.!!!!
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