MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

1982: UK forces downed Argentine Pucara with a Stinger missile during Falklands San Carlos' landing

It was the first time British forces fired a Stinger missile in combat. The Stinger was provided by the American Delta Force

In 1982, Britain's Special Air Service troops were the first to fire a Stinger missile in combat, during the Falkland Islands conflict. They had been drafted in to distract Argentine forces from the San Carlos landings, carried out by British soldiers in response to Argentina's invasion of the Islands in April 1982.

The SAS called on a specialist to fire the missiles, but Staff Sergeant Paddy O'Connor had died in a helicopter crash just days before.

General (Ret'd) Sir Michael Rose, former Commanding Officer SAS, told Forces News that British troops were ”winding their way up through the open ground when a Pucara (Argentine aircraft) appeared and started to line up on them“.

He explained how, to their astonishment, a Stinger rose up and destroyed it. Gen Rose had been lent the weapon to trial on ”real live operations“, by comrades from the American Delta Force.

He said the new operator had to ”open the book to see how to fire these things, ie straight out of the pack, onto the shoulder and fire the missile“.

He recalled how he later met the Argentine pilot who was the first to be shot down in battle by a Stinger missile, ”whereupon he gave me a big hug“.

He added: ”I guess he's still around somewhere. Small world, isn't it?”

Stinger missiles are the US military's main short-range surface-to-air missile system. (Forces.net)