This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/15/exocet-missile-how-sinking-hms-sheffield-made-famous
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Exocet missile: how the sinking of HMS Sheffield made it famous | Exocet missile: how the sinking of HMS Sheffield made it famous |
| (4 months later) | |
| Weapon was seen as a fatal threat to UK’s defence of the Falkland Islands – and scored a direct hit on the English language | |
| Ian Cobain | |
| Sun 15 Oct 2017 22.00 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.24 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| View more sharing options | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Close | |
| The British public became fascinated by the Exocet missile after one sunk HMS Sheffield shortly after the outbreak of the Falklands war in 1982. | The British public became fascinated by the Exocet missile after one sunk HMS Sheffield shortly after the outbreak of the Falklands war in 1982. |
| Before long, the word Exocet was being used as a metaphor for anything that was suddenly and unstoppably destructive: a winning argument, for example, or a footballer’s shot on goal. | Before long, the word Exocet was being used as a metaphor for anything that was suddenly and unstoppably destructive: a winning argument, for example, or a footballer’s shot on goal. |
| Although Argentina possessed only five of the missiles, Margaret Thatcher’s war cabinet was also fascinated by them, because they knew a successful strike on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier could fatally compromise the Falklands campaign. | Although Argentina possessed only five of the missiles, Margaret Thatcher’s war cabinet was also fascinated by them, because they knew a successful strike on a Royal Navy aircraft carrier could fatally compromise the Falklands campaign. |
| Attempts were made to dissuade the French manufacturer from selling any of its missiles to Peru, for fear they would be passed to Argentina. Plans were also put in place to board any vessels thought to be carrying any missiles to Argentina, although these steps were never required. | Attempts were made to dissuade the French manufacturer from selling any of its missiles to Peru, for fear they would be passed to Argentina. Plans were also put in place to board any vessels thought to be carrying any missiles to Argentina, although these steps were never required. |
| A plan was drawn up to land special forces on the Argentinian airbase where the Super Étendard fighters that carried Exocets were based. | A plan was drawn up to land special forces on the Argentinian airbase where the Super Étendard fighters that carried Exocets were based. |
| The operation was stalled by poor weather, when a helicopter carrying an SAS reconnaissance team was forced to land in Chile. | The operation was stalled by poor weather, when a helicopter carrying an SAS reconnaissance team was forced to land in Chile. |
| One Exocet hit and sank a requisitioned container ship, the Atlantic Conveyor, with the loss of 12 lives. It is possible that the missile had been deflected from the Royal Navy’s main aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes, after it fired chaff clouds. | One Exocet hit and sank a requisitioned container ship, the Atlantic Conveyor, with the loss of 12 lives. It is possible that the missile had been deflected from the Royal Navy’s main aircraft carrier, HMS Hermes, after it fired chaff clouds. |
| The Atlantic Conveyor had been carrying a large number of helicopters and its loss forced British troops to march long distances across the islands. | The Atlantic Conveyor had been carrying a large number of helicopters and its loss forced British troops to march long distances across the islands. |
| A land-launched Exocet also struck the destroyer HMS Glamorgan. The missile skidded along the ship’s deck and exploded, killing 14 people, but the ship survived. | A land-launched Exocet also struck the destroyer HMS Glamorgan. The missile skidded along the ship’s deck and exploded, killing 14 people, but the ship survived. |
| Falkland Islands | |
| Military | |
| Argentina | |
| Arms trade | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
| Royal Navy | |
| news | |
| Share on Facebook | |
| Share on Twitter | |
| Share via Email | |
| Share on LinkedIn | |
| Share on Pinterest | |
| Share on Google+ | |
| Share on WhatsApp | |
| Share on Messenger | |
| Reuse this content |