Changes

After organizing sanctions against Argentina, Prime Minister Thatcher ordered the assembly of a naval task force and several elite infantry battalioons to retake the islands. After the House of Commons voted to approve Thatcher's actions on 3 April, she formed a War Cabinet which first met three days later. Commanded by Admiral [[John Fieldhouse]], the task force consisted of several groups, the largest of which was centered on the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. Led by Rear-Admiral [[John Woodward]], this group contained the Sea Harrier fighters from 800, 801 and  899 Squadrons that would provide air cover for the fleet. In mid-April, Fieldhouse began moving south, with a large fleet of tankers and cargo ships to supply the fleet while it operated more than 8,000 miles from home. All told, 127 ships served in the task force including 43 warships, 22 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, and 62 merchant vessels.

After organizing sanctions against Argentina, Prime Minister Thatcher ordered the assembly of a naval task force and several elite infantry battalioons to retake the islands. After the House of Commons voted to approve Thatcher's actions on 3 April, she formed a War Cabinet which first met three days later. Commanded by Admiral [[John Fieldhouse]], the task force consisted of several groups, the largest of which was centered on the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. Led by Rear-Admiral [[John Woodward]], this group contained the Sea Harrier fighters from 800, 801 and  899 Squadrons that would provide air cover for the fleet. In mid-April, Fieldhouse began moving south, with a large fleet of tankers and cargo ships to supply the fleet while it operated more than 8,000 miles from home. All told, 127 ships served in the task force including 43 warships, 22 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, and 62 merchant vessels.

==Air attacks==

==First Losses==

As the Royal Navy sailed south to its staging area at Ascension Island, it was shadowed by Boeing 707s from the [[Argentinian Air Force]]. On 25 April, British helicopters sank the submarine ARA Santa Fe near South Georgia shortly before Royal Marine Commandos under Major Guy Sheridan from 42 Commando captured the island. Five days later, British air attacks against the Argentinian air bases  began with the ''"Black Buck"'' raids by [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) Vulcan bombers flying from Ascension. These saw the British Sea Harriers also strike the airbase at Port Stanley, Goose Green and defending anti-aircraft artillery batteries. That same day Argentinian fighter-bombers attacked various targets, losing four aircraft shot down. As the British fighter pilots had been armed with the latest Sidewinder missiles, the Argentinian Canberra bombers were forced to fly from the mainland under the cover of darkness, which limited their effectiveness throughout the conflict  

As the Royal Navy sailed south to its staging area at Ascension Island, it was shadowed by Boeing 707s from the [[Argentinian Air Force]]. On 25 April, British helicopters sank the submarine ARA Santa Fe near South Georgia shortly before Royal Marine Commandos under Major Guy Sheridan from 42 Commando captured the island. Five days later, British air attacks against the Argentinian air bases  began with the ''"Black Buck"'' raids by [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) Vulcan bombers flying from Ascension. These saw the British Sea Harriers also strike the airbase at Port Stanley, Goose Green and defending anti-aircraft artillery batteries. That same day Argentinian fighter-bombers attacked various targets, losing four aircraft shot down. As the British fighter pilots had been armed with the latest Sidewinder missiles, the Argentinian Canberra bombers were forced to fly from the mainland under the cover of darkness, which limited their effectiveness throughout the conflict

==British Naval Blockade==

==British Naval Blockade==