Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:30:22-1:31:25

Why Argentine Type 42s carried Exocet

The Royal Navy bought Type 42 as a cost-constrained air-defense ship, while Argentina turned the design into a more general-purpose destroyer with Exocet.

Argentine NavyExocet MissileNaval ProcurementRoyal NavyType 42 Destroyer
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Question

Why did Argentine Type 42 destroyers carry anti-ship missiles when Royal Navy Type 42s did not?

Short answer

Britain procured a tightly costed air-defense ship, whereas Argentina deliberately added Exocet to create a multipurpose destroyer.

Notes

Cost explains the different anti-ship armament of British and Argentine Type 42 destroyers. The Royal Navy obtained Type 42 as a relatively inexpensive air-defense ship after cancellation of the CVA-01 carriers and most of the associated Type 82 programme. What began as the cheaper option became the air-defense destroyer Britain actually procured. Argentina added Exocet because the same hull offered an affordable basis for a multipurpose destroyer.