Argentine submarines IKL 209 of German origin who owned the Armada Argentina were of the South American art. SSK type (conventional attack submarine diesel-electric) the ARA Salta (S-31) and ARA San Luis (S-32) had been incorporated into active duty to just over three years. Despite this the high command sent to veterans "GUPPY" to patrol areas more "hot."
Photo 1. The ARA Salta (S-31) getting to sea in Mar del Plata , the background of the south jetty (Source: http://www.ara.mil.ar/ ) The "Skip" and "San Luis" sailed from the Naval Base Mar del Plata (BNMP) on December 8, 1978 to the southern tip of the continent, starting his war patrols. All Argentine submarine commanders were ordered to "not attack unless attacked first was" , a measure somewhat strange to the world where divers are always looking Otherwise, this is "strike first and then sneak to avoid being attacked. "
The ARA San Luis (S-32) and a squad with less risk.
In
navigation immersion to the south, the ARA San Luis , commanded by Commander Felix Bartholomew, suffers the failure of one of their diesel engines. This reduced to 50% yield and recharge submarine batteries, and that shortly after joining the Navy one of the engines had broken and could not be repaired (the severity of the damage was such that had replace the motor or do a repair off the ship, requiring the cutting back of the helmet and welding). This new engine problem could not be solved by the mechanics of the crew despite strenuous efforts.
Photo 2. The "Skip" surf surface waters of the Beagle Channel to 1979 (Source: http://www.laperlaaustral.com.ar/ )
report the situation to the Naval Command, the change orders to patrol the area "San Luis" allocating a higher reserve and close to the national territory, the mouth is the Strait of Magellan , north of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. The patrol declined submarine was completed without incident and then was ordered to go to meet the fishing "Aracena" (vessel requisitioned by the ARA and used this time as a nurse in the submarine) near Staten Island .
Map . Assigned to patrol areas "Skip" and "San Luis" in December 1978.
few days after the Papal mediation to avoid the war with Chile, the "San Luis" sets sail towards the BNMP , where he arrived on 16 January 1979, after 876 hours navigation and 6270 kilometers. Three years later, S-32 serve a risky war patrol facing the Royal Navy during the Falklands War .
The ARA Salta (S-31) and a dangerous encounter.
The ARA Salta (S-31) , commanded by Commander Eulogio Moya, went to his patrol area in the waters of Cape Horn . In his journey to the south, at the height of Staten Island, and recharge your batteries while submerged snorkel depth there is a curious fact, but it could have been tragic. A plane Grumman S-2E Tracker of Armada Argentina in ASW mission (ASW), detects their necks and making low flights began throwing sono buoys to try to find the unidentified submarine. The "Skip" , warned by their detection system quickly searches the depths of the sea and evades the location by the Tracker, which no doubt would have launched depth charges or torpedoes to be confused with the Chilean submarine as no information on the shipping lanes of the submarines themselves.
Photo 3. image of a Grumman S-2E Tracker , similar to that mentioned in this post, taken from the periscope of a submarine (Source: http://www.nuestromar.org/ )
After the fright, the "Skip" continued on their way immersion towards Cape Horn , an area where the violent waves made it difficult to recharge batteries by snorkel and where underwater currents caused the navigation was somewhat erratic. When sailing to snorkel depth antenna countermeasures "Skip" detecting the action of a radar monitored terrestrial Chilean naval movements in the area, but probably because of strong surf the Argentine submarine lost on the radar Chileans.
One day before D-Day , date of "Operation Sovereignty" including the landing and taking of the disputed islands (Lennox, Picton and Nueva), while the "Skip" stretching his snorkel to charge batteries, appeared before the eyes of the officer on duty that scanned the horizon, the silhouette of a submarine operating on the surface. To reach a spot in a clear form of two of its crew on the hull towards the bow.
The CF orders Eulogio Moya immediately suspending the operation of snorkel and gives directives to cover combat positions and gain greater depth. The torpedo tubes are made with MK-37 torpedoes, antisubmarine waiting for the eviction order. The surprise is total, since the detection enemy was the old fashioned way visually. Apparently the noise of the engines running while their batteries recharged impossible to sonar alert before its dangerous presence.
Photo 4. In a rough sea the bow of the ARA Salta is torn between the waves as it moves through the Beagle Channel (Source: http://www.mundohistoria.org/ )
Suddenly sonar commander warns that the Chilean submarine submerged depth and winning the tension increases the possibility of detecting the presence of "Skip" Chilean territorial waters. Despite being given all the conditions and calculations as to launch torpedoes the CF Eulogio Moya, decided to await the movements of the Chilean ship before acting, as he was ordered from the Naval Command. The nervousness is present in the crew when the sounding notes that hears rumors of a torpedo on approach. The "Jump" starts maneuvers evasive not to be reached and the sonar operator communicates, to the relief of all, the rumor is dissipated and disappeared.
Commander expectantly awaiting new information on the Chilean submarine position to make decisions, when bursting into the communications officer and reported that it has managed to decipher the message received while charging the battery, the planned naval operations are suspended for accepting the Papal mediation Argentine government. New orders for "Skip" are sent to the Staten Island and finding the fish (now the mother ship) "Aracena" .
Photo 5. The fishing Aracena that requisitioned by the Navy Argentina sometimes served the mother ship of Submarine Force in 1978 (Source: http://www.histarmar.com.ar/ )
The Chilean submarine, was undoubtedly the ARCH Simpson (SS-21) , only unit fully operational at the time. Commander "Simpson" in those crucial days Captain (R) Rubén Scheihing , flatly denies that contact had been maintained and strikingly Argentine submarines states that no investigations were carried launching torpedoes (submarine attacks available to the antiquated MK-27 "Cuties" already in the '60s were considered obsolete).
What happened then? If credit is given to the Chilean commander what was it that the sonar operator interpreted as the approach of a torpedo? Perhaps in a time of so much adrenaline, mistook the sound of water filling of the tubes themselves with MK-37 torpedoes who enlisted with the sound of a torpedo run. This would also explain the sudden fading later.
The truth is that, with the torpedo launch or not Chile, it was very close to an underwater confrontation that could have marked the beginning of an armed conflict consequences and costs (material and human) unpredictable.
Photo 6. Aerial view of Sail ARA Salta browsing area (Source: http://www.elsnorkel.com/ )
The ARA Salta (S-31) returned to the BNMP on January 16, 1979, along with his twin ARA San Luis (S-32) after a patrol that lasted 31 days (about 740 hours) and which traveled over 8,470 miles. During the Falklands War in 1982 the "Skip" see less action. Due to technical problems related to the issuance of rumors and unusual vibrations, entered dry dock and was out of the war patrols COFUERSUB . Despite this additional tasks performed by the superior ordered the end of May, but that's another story.
Story based on the following news stories:
"The Submarine Force Armada Argentina in the 1978 crisis" Author: Ricardo Burzaco / DEYSEG Magazine Issue 43 / Argentina (Published on the web by http://www.mgp-club.com/ )
"The Submarine Force of the Navy of Chile to the conflict in 1978" Author: Ivan Martinic / Diario El Mercurio / Chile (Published on the web by http://www.mgp-club.com/ )
multiple sources.
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