The Falklands came close to carrier-on-carrier combat when the Argentine carrier Veinticinco de Mayo remained at sea. HMS Splendid and HMS Conqueror were part of the effort to find the Argentine force, while Sea Harriers considered how they might attack it. Hermes and Invincible lacked airborne early warning and did not yet have enough reconnaissance information to organize a carrier strike. The example shows that possessing fighters and a flight deck does not by itself create an effective long-range kill chain.
Notable Point · 56:33-57:52
Falklands carrier striking power lacked reconnaissance
Hermes and Invincible could prepare a strike against Veinticinco de Mayo, but without airborne early warning or adequate reconnaissance they lacked the targeting picture to organize it.