Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard

My Falklands War scale modelling project , which, be warned, is likely to last as long as the 1982 campaign itself, now focuses on the military inventory of the Argentines. 

This week’s build, is of the aircraft which carried the infamous anti-ship Exocet missile, the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard.

In 1979, the Argentine Navy placed an order to buy fourteen of France's new carrier-borne strike fighter aircraft, the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard (French for battle flag). Between August and November 1981, Argentina took delivery of the first five aircraft, each supplied with a single anti-ship sea-skimming Exocet missile. 

In December, General Leopoldo Galtieri, with the support of Admiral Jorge Anaya, head of the Argentine Navy, seized the Presidency of Argentina. Just four months later, on 2 April, the now President Galtieri ordered the invasion the Falkland Islands. Galtieri's seemingly hasty action was driven, both by an urgent need to improve his downward spiralling popularity at home and in 'payment' to Admiral Anaya, for his earlier support in his presidential coup; the invasion proposal being one put forward by Anaya. Galtieri's expectation was that the anti colonial opinion of the international community would be behind him, and as an ally in their El Salvador operations, the United States would be firmly on his side. He also believed that the British would be powerless to intervene particularly in the face of the upcoming winter. On 5 April, however, the British government dispatched its largest naval task force since the Second World War with the order to retake the islands.

The Falklands had only three airfields. The longest and only paved runway was at the capital, Stanley, and even that was too short to support fast jets (although an arrestor gear was fitted in April to support Skyhawks). The Argentines had no option therefore, but to launch their Super Étendard from the mainland, severely hampering their efforts at forward staging, combat air patrols, and close air support over the islands.

Lt Mayora and Cpt Bedacarratz exchange notes after sinking HMS Sheffield

Four Super Étendards of the Second naval fighters strike squadron (2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque EA32), armed with their Exocet anti-ship missiles, were stationed at the Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego naval air base. The threat posed to the British Task Force as it lay off the shores of The Falkland Islands led to the planning of the Mikado and Black Buck Operations. Operation Mikado was the proposed covert mission, led by a Sea King helicopter carrying SAS troops, to destroy the Super Étendards, and Operation Black Buck, was the long range Vulcan bombing mission against Port Stanley's paved runway; the objective being to make it unsafe, even if extended, for fast jets to land there.

Badge of the Second naval fighters strike squadron, 
nicknamed La Lora (female parrot)

The Super Étendards' first attempt to attack the British Task Force with was made on 2 May 1982, but this had to be abandoned due to in-flight-refuelling problems. A couple of day's later, on 4th May, the second attempt resulted in two Super Étendards, flown by Lt Mayora in 3-A-203 and Cpt Bedacarratz in 3-A-202. Mayora and Bedacarratz both released their missiles from about 12 miles out, then banked sharply for home. One missile fell harmlessly into the sea but the other hit the British destroyer, HMS Sheffield, amidships. Although the warhead failed to explode, the impact and resulting fire inflicted mortal damage on the ship and twenty of her crew. 

The infamous anti-ship sea-skimming Exocet missile 

On 25 May, the Argentines launched another attack. 3-A-203 was again one of the aircraft, this time flown by Cpt Curilovic, and Lt Barraza was flying 3-A-204. The primary targets for this mission were the two British aircraft carriers, HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. Forty miles northwest of the lead carrier, HMS Hermes, the Super Étendards popped up and swept the ships with their radar. Picking the first target they saw, 20 miles from the ships, Curilovic and Barraza launched their missiles, then veered away, outrunning the Sea Harrier which was providing combat air patrol (CAP). The ships launched chaff and turned to bring their anti missile weaponry to bear on the Exocets. One of the missiles fell into the sea, the chaff having confused its targeting systems. The other flew past the carriers until its small internal radar found the Atlantic Conveyor. The missile drove well into its hull before exploding, igniting tons of fuel. Abandoned and left to burn, the transport ship sank several days later, taking with her the helicopters and other supplies that had been intended for the ground war just beginning.

Cpt Curilovic and Lt Barraza prepare for their mission against the British aircraft carriers

On May 30, two Super Étendards, flown by Cpt Francisco and Lt Collavino (3-A-202 & 3-A-205), Collavino carrying Argentina's last remaining Exocet, were joined by four Air Force A-4C Skyhawks of Grupo IV for an attack on carrier HMS Invincible. Two of the Skyhawks were shot down by Sea Dart missiles from HMS Exeter during their final approach, and while they were following the wake of the Exocet missile. 

With the European Economic Community, and thus France, having placed an embargo on fulfilling the Argentine order for their remaining nine Exocet missiles, Argentina looked to other markets to acquire the weapon, but it was fortunate for the British, that their search was in vein and the Super Étendards were to take no further part in the war, fortunate for the British, that only five AM.39 Excites had been delivered to Argentina.

Once the conflict was over, the rest of the Super Étendards shipment was delivered, however, Super Etendard 3-A-203 was lost in a fatal crash on 29 May 1996 while attempting to land on Punta Indio airstrip, in Northern Argentina.

This model of the Super Étendards is the 1984 Heller kit reboxed and distributed by Airfix in 1990. Now being a somewhat rare kit to acquire, I ironically purchased it second hand in September 2021 from Oxfam's online store for £20.00! Hannants after market Argentinian decals were then used to complete the build as aircraft 0753 which in March 1982 was with 2 Escadrille as '3-A-203'. Deployed to Rio Grande from Espora between 19-20 April 1982, it was used on the missions of 4 May and 25 May 1982 and subsequently marked with silhouettes to show the losses of HMS Sheffield and Atlantic Conveyor.

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The model

Brand: Airfix

Title: Super Etendard
Number: 03060
Scale: 1:72
Released: 1990 | Rebox (Changed box only)

Westland Wessex HU.5 & HAS.3 - Operation Paraquet

I'm ending my current helicopter builds with a flurry of Westland Wessex Junglie and Pinger whirly birds. Last month, I posted how the rarity of the Wessex, in scale modelling form, had resulted in a very unsatisfactory build. Then, just a few weeks later, like busses, two turn up together in exactly the configuration I was originally looking for; such better quality ones too! My approach to constructing this pair was exactly the same as with my earlier Junglie and Pinger Sea King duo, but with so many lessons learned from that experience, I think enjoyed these more and must say that the Pledge Floor Gloss worked so much better than Vallejo's gloss varnish!

As it's been a good few weeks since my first Wessex build, here's a reminder of the helicopter's pedigree. It was the Westland Wessex that replaced the Westland Whirlwind, first being used by the Royal Navy, in the form of the anti-submarine Wessex HAS.1, in 1961. The HAS.3 was brought onto service in 1961, with improved avionics and radar equipment; the sound of which gave the anti-submarine force the nickname of Pingers. 

1964, saw the Wessex HAS.1, operating from bases in Sarawak and Sabah, assisting Army and Marine detachments fighting guerrilla forces in Malaysia. Having removed much of the anti-submarine equipment to lighten the aircraft, during the subsequent campaign in Borneo, the Wessex was typically operated as a transport helicopter, capable of ferrying up to 16 troops or a 4,000-pound payload of supplies directly to the front lines. It is from these operations the Commando Helicopter Force gets its nickname of the Junglies and the commando assault variant, the Wessex HU5, was developed.

Italeri, Wessex HAS.3, as Humphrey

Matchbox, Wessex HU.5, as Yankee Alpha

In 1982, around 55 Westland Wessex HU.5 and 2 HAS.3 participated in the Falklands War, and it is 3 Wessex helicopters from this conflict that my scale models have been based on. 

The models and their intended Falklands War identities are:

• Ark Models' Wessex HAS.1 as the HU.5 Yankee Foxtrot flown by Lt Mike Tidd
• Matchbox's Wessex HU.5, as Yankee Alpha flown by Lt Ian Georgeson
• Italeri's Wessex HAS.3, as Humphrey flown by Lt Cdr Ian Stanley

These 3 helicopters were key players in the opening days of Operation Paraquet, the code name for the attempt to recover South Georgia from Argentine military control using SAS elite troops, one of the first British acts of the War.

I recount below, much of their story discovered in the pages of Harry Benson's excellent book Scram! This is thrilling first-hand account of what it was like to be a helicopter pilot during Falklands War; from dodging Pucara attack aircraft, to landing special forces behind enemy lines, as told from the seat of his Westland Wessex. 

Operation Paraquet was an SAS planned mission to take control of South Georgia by the most unlikely and unexpected route. Inserted by two Royal Navy commando Wessex helicopters, of 845 Squadron, onto the Fortuna Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier on South Georgia, the plan was for these troops to march across the mountains and take the unknown Argentine force at the Leith whaling station by surprise.

Against the strong advice of a scientist, from the British Antarctic Survey team, who had only recently been extracted from the island himself, 22 mountain troops of D Squadron SAS were landed on the glacier. Overnight, on 21/22 April 1982, and as the Antarctic expert warned, the weather was to "defy human reason". A violent storm, the wind gusting to 100 knots and producing squalls of driving snow, stopped the SAS in their tracks. With frostbite and exposure a real concern, the SAS troop commander, Captain John Hamilton, radioed for the helicopters to return and rescue them.

Lieutenant Commander Ian Stanley in Humphrey, the single engined Wessex 3, but the only Wessex equipped with radar, acted as pathfinder for the 2, radar-less twin-engine, troop-carrying, Wessex 5s. Stanley guided Lieutenant Mike Tidd in Yankee Foxtrot and Lieutenant Ian Georgeson, flying the second Wessex 5, Yankee Alpha, in a close formation up to the top of the glacier.

Although dressed in white Arctic clothing, after exposure to a night of sub-zero temperatures, gale force winds and driving snow, the SAS troops were already in varying stages of hypothermia. Yankee Foxtrot, with Tidd at the controls and with half the frozen soldiers safely loaded, was the first to pull up into the icy but clear sky, when, without warning, it was enveloped in a tidal wave of a snow shower. In an attempt to return to the landing zone, the tail and left wheel of the Wessex hit the snow at about thirty knots, bringing the aircraft crashing down on its left side and sliding it onwards for fifty yards. The left side of the cockpit filled up with debris and snow as the windows imploded. Tidd slid open the cockpit window and clambered up onto the side of the aircraft to help open the rear cabin door.

Tidd slid open the flimsy cockpit window and clambered up onto the side of the aircraft

The snow shower passed as suddenly as it had appeared and visibility improved once more. Out on the snow, the soldiers were divided between the two remaining helicopters. With ten people now crammed into the Wessex 3 and fourteen in the Wessex 5, the depleted formation rose to the hover once again. As Stanley navigated over the ridge of the glacier with the use of Humphrey's Wessex 3 radar, Georgeson in Yankee Alpha followed a few rotor lengths behind. Then, another ferocious snowstorm hit the formation just at the wrong moment, barely ten seconds after launch. As Humphrey dropped down over the ridge-line of the steeply descending glacier, Georgeson lost sight of it in the now near blizzard conditions. Yankee Alpha's starboard wheel caught in a hidden and small ice crevasse and the aircraft toppled over onto its side. While it was amazing that no one was severely injured, Yankee Alpha was not so lucky, the second and last troop carrying Wessex was out of action.

Out on the snow, the soldiers were divided between the two remaining helicopters

With no radio contact, an overloaded helicopter and appalling weather conditions, there was nothing Stanley could do but to return to HMS Antrim, the County-class destroyer from which they had launched two hours earlier. After Humphrey received a thorough safety check by the engineers, Stanley decided to have another go at rescuing the survivors. As if taking to the air in arctic conditions which would ground any peace time flight, with only one engine to support them, was not bad enough, Stanley also had the added problem of how to fit fourteen large passengers into Humphrey's tiny cabin, already full of radar equipment! During the earlier rescue flight, Humphrey's rear cabin had been cramped with just two crew and six passengers and would now have to find room for an additional eight! Even if they could somehow cram everyone in, the Wessex would be dangerously overloaded way beyond the design limits of the rotor gearbox and the capacity of the single engine. 

Stanley and Humphrey have another go at rescuing the survivors

Stanley radioed ahead for the ship to get onto a heading that gave maximum wind, and thus maximum lift, over the deck. His final approach was judged to perfection. The helicopter descended straight towards the deck unable to maintain the usual careful hover due to its excessive weight. The air speed indicator showed around sixty knots at the moment they touched down. A controlled crash would have been good enough. Instead it was as close to as smooth a landing as you could get! Against the odds, Humphrey had brought all helicopter crews and SAS troops safely home.

Ending the day with one failed mission by the SAS and two crashed helicopters, this near disaster on Fortuna Glacier was a worrying start to Britain’s campaign to reclaim South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. But for the astonishing skill of Lt Cdr Ian Stanley and his Wessex 3 crew, it could have been so much worse. 

Julian Thompson, Commander 3rd Commando Brigade in 1982, has an insightful and somewhat amusing thought in his forward to Scram! ... What the SAS thought they were doing up there is another matter, and my opinions on the matter are best left unsaid! 

Imperial War Museum’s copy of an original photo taken from Humphrey

On 25th April, with a sense of reality restored, a more traditional helicopter assault by Special Forces and Royal Marines, with two Royal Navy vessels (Antrim and Plymouth) conducting a naval bombardment, brought a successful conclusion to Operation Paraquet with the surrender of the island's two Argentine garrisons. And this was just the start .... !

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The Models

 Brand:      Italeri

 Title:        Wessex HAS.3
 Number:  1258
 Scale:       1:72
 Released: 2007 | Rebox (Updated/New parts)

 Brand:      Matchbox

 Title:        Westland Wessex HU.5/HAS.31
 Number:   PK-133
 Scale:       1:72
 Released: 1987 | Initial release - new tool

  Brand: Ark Models

 Title: Westland Wessex HAS Mk.1/31 Anti-submarine helicopter

 Number: 72032
 Scale:      1:72
 Released:2009 (Originally 1963 Frog)

Westland Sea King HC.4

When the Westland Sea King entered service with the Royal Navy in 1969, it was probably never envisaged they would be needing the HC.4, more commonly known as the Commando. Ten years later, following a request from the Egyptian Air Force for a Sea King without its amphibious configuration, there being little need of this in the desert, Westland came up with the Sea King Commando. In fulfilling the Egyptian Air Force's requirement, the Sea King’s side floats were removed and replaced with stub sponsons to carry the main undercarriage. With an operational range of up to 600 nautical miles, without refuelling, and seating for up to 28 fully equipped troops, the Commando was soon to be adopted by Royal Navy, in particular, by the Naval Air Squadrons (NAS) for troop transport and commando assault operations. The Royal Navy designated the Commando the HC.4 and used it in all major operations around the world; the Falklands, the Balkans, both Gulf Wars, Sierra Leone, Lebanon and Afghanistan. 

ZA314 / WT Giving a lift to some troops; note Paras not Marines in this instance 

I was inspired to build this HC.4, and the earlier HAS.2, to recognise the role they both played in Falklands War, and yet, when it came to adding the final decals, I followed the Airfix plans to the letter, depicting it as helicopter ZA314 / WT from 848 (Training) NAS, based at Yeovilton, Somerset in 2011. I've visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum on the Yeovilton base many times, and may even have been buzzed by ZA314 as I've walked the East Devon coast, where their helicopters are frequently seen and heard on their training flights. 

ZA314 was assigned to 848 (Training) NAS in 2007, from 845 squadron, having themselves received it from 846 NAS in 2000. ZA314 came into service in September 1982, and while too late to be used in the Falklands War, a number of personnel from 848 (Training) NAS, did get to serve in the Falklands; not, however, with the Sea King HC.4, but the Wessex HAS.3, and not with 848 NAS but with 847 NAS! 847 NAS was one of the squadrons urgently reformed to provide the additional anti-submarine capability required to protect the Taskforce from Argentine submarines. Coincidentally, I have a scale model of the Wessex HAS.3, all lined up for one of my next builds. 

Junglie door gunner in training

Factoid: since their operations in Borneo during the 1960s, the Commando Helicopter Force are affectionately known as the Junglies, while their siblings in the Anti-submarine Force, are known as the Pingers, this being the sound made by their submarine searching sonar

A must read book from the view of Junglie

During my research into the Falklands back story of Westland Commando, and before I went with the Airfix 2011 scheme for my HC.4 build, I came across a fascinating book, Special Forces Pilot: A Flying Memoir of the Falkland War by Richard Hutchings, published in 2009. 

Richard (Dick) Hutchings was a Commando helicopter pilot, awarded the DSC with 846 NAS during the Falklands War. In a very story telling style, he pulls back the covers on some very covert missions. These include the raid on Pebble Island, to destroy Pucara aircraft - the nemesis of the helicopter force - a mission which resinates with the iconic Special Air Service (SAS) desert raids on Axis bases during the Second World War, some 40 years earlier. He also describes the role the Junglies played in pioneering night flying, when a small number of the Commando pilots took delivery of the first ever night vision goggles, only released from development for Special Forces to use in covert operations against the Argentines. 

A few key Falklands War locations and dates

The most enlightening and final story of the book, was the reveal of hitherto undisclosed material relating to Operation Mikado. This was the ill-fated, Special Forces mission to destroy the Exocet carrying Super Étendard aircraft and their supply of missiles at Rio Grande airbase in Argentina. Dick shares his first hand experience of this incredulous and audacious mission, which, had it been successful, would have saved the British ships and crew of both HMS Sheffield and the Atlantic Conveyor from the devastating effects of this weapon. As it was, the story remained a secret for many years after the War. Indeed, it does not even get a mention in my usual goto Falklands War tome, Max Hasting's Battle for the Falklands. I assume, even though Max was an embedded reporter within the Taskforce, by publishing in his book in 1983, it was far too soon after the War for such secrets to be released. 

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The model:

Brand:       Airfix
Title:         Westland Sea King HC.4
Number:    A04056
Scale:        1:72
Type:         Full kit
Released:  2015 | Initial release - new tool

Westland Sea King HAS.2

The Westland Sea King entered service with the Royal Navy in 1969 to replace the Westland Wessex anti-submarine (HAS) helicopter. Over the past 40 years, the Sea King has operated in all the major military conflicts including: the Falklands War, the Gulf War, the Balkans conflict, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War. 

My interest in building a scale model of the HAS.2 Sea King was inspired by a very good friend of mine, Mark, who was a technician with 824 NAS, working to keep the 2 helicopters of 'A' Flight in the air during the 1982 Falklands War. These helicopters were '50' (XV660) and '55' (XV649) and it is '55' that I selected for my build. I just hope I have done it justice.

Formed in April 1933, 824 squadron received their first helicopters in 1958 in the form of the Westland Whirlwind. In February 1970, 824 squadron became the first operational Sea King unit at Culdrose and in April 1982 they were called on to participate in Operation Corporate, the code name given to the British operations to retake the Falkland Islands and its territories, following the invasion by Argentine military forces. 

Sea King 55 HAS.2 XV649 of 'A' Flight 824 Squadron RNAS - "Where's Mark?!"

It was on 5 April 1982, that Mark, with fellow maintainers, aircrew, support personnel and the two Sea Kings of 'A' Flight, '50' & '55', sailed from Devonport to join up with the the Carrier Battle Group en route to Ascension Island, aboard RFA Olmeda, an Ol-class fast fleet tanker of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Three further Sea Kings accompanied 'C' Flight on RFA Fort Grange just over a month later. In all, around 35 HAS Sea Kings from 4 NAS Squadrons (820, 824, 825 and 826) served during the Falklands War. While some performed their intended role on anti-submarine patrols, others were stripped of their anti-submarine equipment and fitted with seats for the moving of troops and supplies between ships and out to the Islands. This latter role became even more critical to the success of the campaign after the loss of the MS Atlantic Conveyor, together with three of the four Chinooks it was carrying, rendered British forces with only one serviceable heavy lift helicopter.

In its anti-submarine role, 'A' Flight's Sea Kings were armed with torpedos, depth charges and machine guns. Once, like so many others, it was stripped of all non essential anti-submarine fixtures and fittings, it moved into load lifting, troop carrying and a multitude of other missions. During the landing of British Troops on East Falkland, the two helicopters, aircrew and maintainers were detached to San Carlos in support of ground operations. Following the surrender of all Argentine forces on the 15th June 1982, RFA Olmeda and 'A' Flight sailed to South Georgia with one helicopter '55', to embark 'M' Company of 42 Commando Royal Marines for transit to Thule Island, which was still under Argentine occupation. Operation Keyhole consisted of a small task group of RFA Olmeda, 824 'A' Flight', HMS Yarmouth, HMS Endurance, and MS Salvageman. After arriving off the shore of Thule Island on Sunday 20th June, Sea King '55' landed the Commandos and returned to RFA Olmeda with Argentine prisoners following their surrender without a shot being fired.

Squadron artwork hidden on the reverse of the crew's open door - "Where's Mark?!"

As for the scale model, in Part 1 of my Sea King story, you'll have learned that I selected the Airfix 1:72 scale Westland Sea King HAR.3 kit. I had read somewhere that a couple of Air Sea Rescue (HAR) helicopters had been converted to the Anti Submarine version at the time of the Falklands and so felt they would be a close enough match. They certainly had the wheel floats/sponsons and radar dome, but I had missed the erroneous inclusion of rear observation windows which, had I realised earlier, I'd have blanked out. Having decided to leave them in place, then required me to dip into my extensive spare decals collection to make up a smaller set of numbers for the '55', which would fit between the observation windows and the door! On a more positive note, and talking decals, I was very pleased to lay my hands on a very rare set of Modeldecal's 1979 produced 824 Squadron emblems. These were key for the build as they were the ones applied to the helicopter's nose during Operation Corporate. Ironically, I then went and hid the decals on the port side behind the crew's open door, but trust me, they are there!

Tail and main rotor blades folded back. Headphone cable makes for a good rope!

All the helicopters I've built so far have been completed in the 'ready for flight' mode, wheel down and rotor blades extended. So when I saw that this kit allowed me to build the Sea King in the 'ready for maintenance' or similar state, I don't know the official term, I just had to give it a go. This was of particular interest to me as I had it in mind to present the finished model in the same state that Mark may have seen when he worked on it, i.e.with tail and main rotor blades folded back. In photos, I've seen the rotor blades secured individually with cables to the body. On this occasion, I just had a go at securing the outside blades, with the others yet to be secured. I may return to these later.

Another use for iPhone headphones

Other modifications I made were to add a hand rail to the steps using wire from those ties you find supplied with plastic freezer bags, and, for the yellow exhaust covers, I cut up an old set of iPhone headphones. I found that a section from below the earbuds fitted the exhaust openings perfectly and the cable made for a good length of rope to secure the rotor blades! I also needed to change the box dust filter which came with the kit with the cover you see sitting above the cockpit, in front of the engines. Having no squadron transfers for this, I painted this on freehand, with the 'A' Flight letter added from my spare decals box.

A few modifications include: hand rail, rotor blade ties, plus exhaust and engine covers.

The figures added to the model were mostly taken from Italeri's NATO Pilots & Ground-crew and PJ Production's Air Sea Rescue sets. There is a pilot sitting in the right hand seat, and behind the left rear window there's a crew member sitting at a desk; although the effort in preparing and fixing them here now seems to have been somewhat wasted, as they are hardly visible. Some I had to alter slightly to fit the scenes, e.g. the pilot on the steps was originally resting his foot on a box and the shirtless figure, modelled on Mark, had his wrench swapped for an instrument panel. This panel was a not insignificant piece of the model's interior which I should have fixed to the cockpit ceiling, but only came across it, still sitting on my desk, after I had glued everything else together! I suppose, however, it makes for an amusing final photo caption!

"Ah! Mark ... I think you'll find that instrument panel is still needed!"

Images of the real Sea Kings

To assist me in my build, Mark shared some great photos of 'A' Flight's helicopters, which I have tried here to recreate. I hope you at least see some likeness. 

824 Squadron

RGA Olmeda onboard which 'A' Flight's Sea Kings sailed

Sea Kings '50' & '55' en route to the Falklands, notice the squadron emblems

'55's' sister Sea King, '50' coming into land, notice the emblem on the engine cover

Another of Sea King '50' .. I didn't realise I did not have a good shot of '55'

'A' Flight in action

'A' Flight detached to San Carlos in support of ground operations

Interesting observation in this last picture, is that for action on the Islands, the Sea Kings have changed the colour of their numbers from white to black and the squadron markings have also been painted out ... I feel the need for another build!  

A brief history of the real Sea King XV649

Sea King XV649, which I have attempted to recreate here as Sea King '55' 824 Squadron, was built in 1969 as an HAS.1 and was upgraded to an HAS.2 in 1978. This added a 6th rear rotor blade, a more powerful engine and improved navigation and communications equipment. It was in this configuration that it embarked on Operation Corporate. 

On its return from the Falkland Islands it underwent a further conversion to an Airborne Early Warning helicopter, the AEW.2A. A painful lesson learned during the conflict was Britain's lack of Airborne Early Warning aircraft and the Sea King took on the challenge to fill that gap. 

Finally, in 2002 XV649 underwent its final upgraded to an Airborne Surveillance and Control ASaC7 helicopter. In this new role of interception/attack control in the detection of low-flying attack aircraft, it went on to complete its military service in Afghanistan. Today, it has reportedly been demobbed and is stored at RNAS Gosport, Hampshire.