Hermes appears as the fleet's core out-of-area carrier, operating Sea Harrier FRS.1 fighters and Sea King helicopters. The aircraft group supplied fighter cover, anti-submarine work, and commando transport from one mobile platform. The helicopters could perform anti-submarine and transport roles, but there was no airborne early-warning Sea King at this point. Without that elevated radar picture, the task force had less warning time against low-flying attackers. The missing surveillance layer became one of the important capability gaps exposed by the Falklands campaign.
Notable Point · 34:34-35:27
Hermes, Sea Harriers, and the airborne early-warning gap
The carrier air group combined Sea Harriers and Sea Kings but entered the Falklands era without a dedicated airborne early-warning helicopter.