Splendid shadowed the Argentine carrier but lost contact after it turned away. One speculative explanation is that Commander Roger Lane-Nott wanted to see aircraft arranged for launch before firing, creating an unambiguous operational justification. Visible preparations would have reduced arguments over whether the carrier posed an immediate threat outside the exclusion zone. The submarine carried proven Mark VIII torpedoes, and the carrier plus its Exocet-armed Type 42 escorts would have been vulnerable once a strike visibly formed.
Notable Point · 18:00-22:10
Why Splendid may have waited for aircraft on deck
One speculative explanation is that HMS Splendid delayed attacking Veinticinco de Mayo until flight-deck preparations made an imminent strike unmistakable.