- ARA San Luis
The ARA "San Luis" (S-32) is a Type 209 diesel-powered
submarine of theArgentine Navy . Built inGermany , "San Luis" has a displacement of 1,285 tonnes and was introduced to the ARA in1978 .History
"San Luis" is most famous for serving in the
Falklands War ( _es. Guerra de las Malvinas/Guerra del Atlántico Sur) of 1982. Only one other submarine, the oldSecond World War era ARA "Santa Fe" was also operational at this time. After the "Santa Fe" was captured badly damaged and scuttled by the British inSouth Georgia onApril 28 , and the nuclear submarine HMS "Conqueror" had sunk the ARA "General Belgrano" onMay 2 , the Argentine fleet retired to port for the duration of the war, with the exception of the "San Luis", making her the only Argentine naval presence facing the British fleet. The "San Luis" was a major concern for the British as she presented a serious danger."San Luis" reported two attacks on
Royal Navy ships during the war. OnMay 1 , the ships HMS "Brilliant" and "Yarmouth" were sent to hunt down the "San Luis" operating north of Stanley. "San Luis" reported firing one German-made SST-4 torpedo at the ship which subsequently missed."San Luis" attacked again on the night of
May 10 . "Alacrity" had made passage upFalkland Sound , sinking an Argentine merchant navy ship on the way. As "Alacrity" left the channel before dawn, its sister ship "Arrow" was waiting to escort her back to the Task Force. "San Luis" detected the two ships and fired two SST-4 torpedoes upon them. But the first torpedo didn't leave its tube and the second one was fooled by the Arrow's torpedo decoy.Fact|date=January 2008"San Luis" returned to
Puerto Belgrano on May 17 in an attempt to fix her weapons system but the war ended before she could sail again.References
es [http://www.lanacion.com.ar/202442 La Nacion newspaper: La guerra que no se vió]
Notes
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