Royal Navy Sea Harrier Falklands War - #1 of 4 'Sharkey' Ward.

Sea Harrier Falklands War - Commander Nigel David 'Sharkey' Ward, DSC, AFC.
REEL 1© IWM: Recollections of preparations for operations in Falkland War as commanding officer of 801 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, 1982: background to hearing of crisis in Falklands Islands, 2/4/1982; role as commanding officer of unit; reaction to crisis; unit preparations prior to departure for Falkland Islands; lack of combat experience in unit; importance of proving Sea Harrier and pilot skills in action; superstition of two pilots that they would be killed in action; Recollections of operations as commanding officer of 801 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Falklands War, 1982: opinion of Captain Jeremy Black commanding HMS Invincible; inter-unit rivalries; question of use of air radar during conflict; Argentinean avoidance of areas where Blue Fox radar was picked up; importance of Sea Harrier as deterrence; question of problems of staff interference in Sea Harrier operations; question of misuse of Sea Harrier.© IWM
Attributed:
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/ite... IWM

[@KenGriffiths]

I was in that task force and it's true that some decisions could have been more balanced but in battle things go wrong and some days things are, to put it simply, down to sheer luck! Ward and his boys were just one element of the task force, did their best and could have been deployed better but just one element! Ward has a massive ego, goes with the territory and he didn't like being told what to do. I was in a destroyer and I didn't feel the Harriers were covering us but happy they were around. In the end we won, so Woodward (another egomaniac) didn't do half bad overall.

[@johnnypickles5256]

At what expence though?

[@eddiegremlin]

Brian Coley The task force was basically made up of ships “rescued” from the scrap yard. So the U.K. government could care less if they never returned. A loss of a Harrier would have been more politically damaging than the loss of crew.

[@stijnvandamme76]

@Brian Coley unlike pulse doppler radar, the Blue Fox monopulse radar doesn't work well looking down. It's always much easier to see something looking up from below against the sky, then looking down because the ground or sea reflects the radar cone as clutter. For instance a F14's Doppler can filter that out because it detects speed differences, and the F14 with a skilled RIO could work against the clutter and direct the pilot for optimal detection. But Blue fox with single pilot doing all the work, and monopulse, can not really work in look down mode. Hence the lack of confidence in their Radar, by 800. They simply didn't know how to use it properly. 801 was right on the money, without AWACS your earliest warning can only come from a Low level CAP along the ingress route, using the Blue fox for early detection. 801 got them to drop their bombs on ingress and RTB 800 from high level cap started their intercepts from the wrong altitude and place so they arrived to late, often aborting because the bandits already entered the fleet surface to air defensive perimeter They did get more kills, but only after the bombs had dropped. So from a CAP point of view, the mission was a failure despite shooting down the enemy. Like a burglar, you gotta shoot em in the face, not in the ass.

[@mookie2637]

@Brian Coley The issue here is Blue Fox. At altitude it was possibly better at searching out surface vessels or larger aircraft. I think it's unfair to criticise Woodward, whose priority after all was anti-ship activity, on that basis. Much as I admire Lt Cdr Ward, it all feels a little sour grapes.

[@paulgreaves6741]

@@eddiegremlin The type 22s and 42s were the most modern ships we had! The type 21s weren't that old. There were some older ships but not really scrap

[@mwnciboo]

Anyone who wants some balance to the Sharkey Ward criticism - well worth listening to Ian Mortimer (An RAF pilot no-less) who was pretty much a junior pilot to Sharkey in the very early days of the Sea Harrier. He rates sharkey so I think their is a lot of nuance. Sharkey got results - war is brutal - brutal personalities tend to do well.

[@joissoz]

I enjoyed Sharkey’s book very much. It is refreshing to read (and listen to) personal viewpoints of events which go against the grain of popular perception. It is interesting to compare Sharkey’s account to that of Dave Morgan in his book “Hostile Skies”.

[@andytribble1]

I agree, reading Sharkey’s book alongside David Morgan’s book is absolutely fascinating. Completely contrasting characters, both really angry about the way things were done but with completely opposing opinions. Sharkey a highly experienced carrier pilot who knew all about how to use the Sea Harrier. Mog a brilliant natural pilot with no carrier experience who confesses that he had a lot of trouble working the radar and preferred to fly with it off. Sharkey thinks that Mog’s lot were useless at air defence. Mog was trained in ground attack as practiced in Germany to stop a Russian invasion: he thinks the Navy were useless at planning ground attacks. Both of them think the senior command weren’t listening to them, from opposite points of view!

[@nzgunnie]

@@andytribble1 Mog's record of air to air kills suggests he was a bit better than Ward thought.

[@andytribble1]

@@nzgunnie absolutely, I don’t want to take anything away from either of them. Reading the two books side by side is a real eye-opener. You could make quite a long list of how the two pilots were almost opposites of each other. Sharkey being a ‘get it right’ kind of guy who believes that the way to win is to train hard and understand the kit. Mog an improviser who cheerfully admits to only just scraping through various courses. He started as a Navy officer who failed the fast jet course, switched to the RAF, got onto Harriers, then found himself, back flying with the Navy! You can imagine how things would have gone if he’d been in Sharkey’s squadron, and Sharkey had found out that he was combat flying with someone who had failed naval selection and had no carrier experience! I’m not sure that he’d be on Sharkey’s shortlist for heading south. I believe Mog is a classic example of the sort of awkward character who doesn’t shine in peacetime but shows their true value in war. A Ulysses S Grant or Admiral Cochrane.

[@glenn9229]

@@andytribble1 If you read Harrier 809 by Rowland White I think you get a better picture of the different characters. We forget sometimes that 30% of the SHAR pilots came to the game with little or no experience at AI or even at sea. One of them even did his FAM flight on a CAP sortie.

[@fhlostonparaphrase]

@@andytribble1 Thank you for this. Morgan's book is one of few (of the more "known" titles) on the war that I haven't read. Perhaps a read for next year?

[@sichere]

After each Vulcan raid on Stanley a Harrier was tasked to overfly the airfield to take reconnaissance pictures. The Harrier pilots were not amused, and thought that if they were putting themselves in harms way they should at least bomb the airfield. Apparently one Harrier pilot lost his nerve during the campaign, he refused to fly and was confined to quarters for the duration.

[@WFOHara-gt8ku]

Yes, regrettably true.

[@billb7876]

And randy andy did not hover his chopper in front of missiles, pure claptrap for the masses

[@PeteCourtier]

Ive read Sharky wards book and just finished 809 Harrier. On balance, sharky likes to blow his own trumpet! Tim Gedge was a fantastic leader👍 809 painted their shars barley grey 800 and 801 hated it! Either way the harrier was awesome👍

[@glenn9229]

I agree.....TG did an amazing job with the task set him......and his pilots from all corners of the globe loved him. Not sure Sharkey could say the same

[@martindavies864]

what an interesting tale he tells.. and I've read Sandy Woodward's account in his "One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander" i shall have to re-read this in light of what I'm learning here, which is new to me . thanks for posting :-)

[@AussieMark909]

Martin, I'm late to this video but...if you've not already got hold of Sharkey's book "Sea Harrier Over The Falklands" than try to find it. I cannot recommend ti highly enough.

[@benterrell9139]

I read the book and loved it so I was delighted to find these. Absolute must listen for anyone interested in this area.

[@alisonhilll4317]

I know to do that job you need confidence , and with that comes ego , but you have to listen to the experience of people , who know what their aircraft and men can do . Anyway it is easy for me to say , sat here all nice a warm , brave men doing a very hard job , well done you won .

[@rogerpattube]

Morgan (Harrier 800 Naval Squadron) and Pook (RAF) both on HMS Hermes made strong cases, citing numerous examples, of how Middleton was a problem, undermining the effectiveness of the Sea Harriers CAP and RAF ground attack operations. Hermes was in practice commanded by the 2IC. Sharkey is articulate however was on HMS Invincible so his efforts to defend Middleton are unconvincing.

[@RealDukeOfEarl]

Fascinating.

[@andrewmallard2301]

Enjoyed Sharkey's book especially as dealing with CAP, but I'm a RAF man and always feel the GR3 and RAF pilots failed to get the recognition they deserved.

[@jamjam472]

Shame they don't show JJ Black at 11:11, to coincide with the narration, instead of (then) Rear Admiral Woodward!

[@falanglao01]

The story about the 4-aircraft fan search North-East sounds like ordered by commanders thinking WW2-style - 'The Bismarck is somewhere to the northeast - Fan out, go find it'

[@celestialteapot309]

War should never be about one's personal desires, we owe that to future generations and to those who have died in the past, anything else makes a mockery of their sacrifices.

[@lewismorgan839]

They foresaw there own fate...... Extremely interesting......

[@pauldickson5951]

Sharky ward is the man

[@JimWalsh-rl5dj]

There and back with JJ Black

[@tonkerdog1]

12:30 is Kris Ward Sharkey's late son who i had the privilege of lying commercially with. He was also a decorated Harrier pilot.

[@peregrineflow7354]

Fascinating subject. Audio could be improved.

[@TheChrissy1977]

Turn it up and put some headphones on dear chap. Who exactly are you to question volume while in one of your favourite sitting positions?

[@samiamgreeneggsandham7587]

Rest in peace, Cdr Ward.

[@bobthompson4319]

Round Robin letter?

[@phmwu7368]

Basically a news letter authorized by several parties dispatched in a circular order to inform all parties sometimes without revealing the identity of the leader

[@bnipmnaa]

It's just a message to multiple recipients, nothing more.

[@gracegood3661]

How do you know your at a party with a pilot? Don’t worry, give em a minute and they’ll be sure to tell you.

[@bnipmnaa]

Ahhh, grammar... the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit.

[@Jakob_DK]

Why could he not teach the Hermes pilots to use radar on the way down south.

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

Probably because he was a bit of an ass about telling them & making sure they knew how much better he was than them. He might have been correct on the technicalities of radar usage in CAP, but Woodward wasn't the only one with an ego problem.

[@glenn9229]

many of the Hermes Harriers were Air Force, that didnt have radar. They were there for ground attack sorties. Despite this they were still given CAP tasks under direct control. Many of the 809 top-ups were people with extensive flying careers, many in Harrier.....but many with a few or no hours in a Sea Harrier. Radar use in a single seat fighter-interceptor is hard work and takes years to master. Not surprisingly they started behind the curve but many scored hits using radar. Sadly Sharkie measures everyone by himself and anyone less is not worthy of his time. Its been his perennial issue....and was his limiting factor career wise. Good pilot, shit leader of pilots

[@Jakob_DK]

@@glenn9229 Thanks for the insight

[@robo3915]

“I’m Mr Sea Harrier” 4 times in the first 15 minutes.....🙄

[@glenn9229]

@@lawrencenicholasabbott3152 you make it sound like he did it all on his own......he was only one of many who introduced it. Harrier 809 will give you a better sense of Sharkey and his "idiosyncrasies"

[@MrFelipefelop]

He died in May 2024. RIP Sharkey

[@joejoe2928]

Vet...Scots Guards..Admiral Sandy Woodword was a total Arogant individual lacking the ability to communicate and learn from those with experience of battle tactics

[@ianwoods2152]

Agreed ex Welsh guards 3 brigade won it on their own apparently.

[@Desertascetic]

Forgive my ignorance, but wasn’t COMAW responsible for land fighting and Woodward sea and air?

[@sichere]

@@Desertascetic Indeed

[@normanboyes4983]

And a Scots Guard is well versed in the strategy and tactics of Maritime warfare and projecting the land forces ashore because………. Fill in the blanks.

[@joejoe2928]

@@normanboyes4983 WATCH 23 MINUTES IN HELL BY BILL WIESS SUPERNATURAL NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE..

[@omarcortez2204]

they won at cost the Argentines fought bravely over and over again the video of the Argentinian planes attacking over and over again flying so low with old planes I take off my hat I hope that some day an agreement will be reached without violence x the islands. We all have a lot in common and more than you think

[@topbanana4013]

I would rather be in a jet then on the receiving end on a ship. Yes brave just as brave as them easy targets on ship. And you say to sort things out ??? They have 0 claim to the islands period

[@jtoddjb]

@Ron Requena I agree. Should have taken the whole damn country of Argentina to teach them a lesson about stepping out of line again. I am embarrassed that we in the US didn't get more involved to help. I know we sent fuel and whatnot, but we should have been there with a couple carriers to back up the UK as they would have done for us. As long as the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and whatever France and what's left of western Europe throws in we will always keep the armies of darkness at bay. Russia and China and the whole rest of the world can get together and still not stand a chance against us as long as we stick together. I know it isn't always easy to stick together and agree on everything. I also think the US should be doing a lot more throwing it's industry into building more of every piece of military hardware we possible can now while we have the chance.

[@mwnciboo]

​@@topbanana4013ships want to float - planes don't want to fly... Ships can take tremendous damage and stay afloat, aircraft cannot - when you look at the fatality numbers vs Ship Company size - you have an overwhelmingly higher percentage chance of surviving than in a explosive chair strapped to jet engine, full of jet fuel, weapons and 2mm of Aluminium as armour.

[@user-wt7qp4jj2e]

​@@jtoddjb lavat la rayuela, no mantenes a raya ni a tu mujer que te debe carnerear con tu vecino y queres mantener a raya a un país lleno de gauchos cojudos!!!

[@fasfas8999]

Ward a man whitout Honour codes !!!!

[@MrFelipefelop]

He died in May 2024. RIP Sharkey

[@kimleng4252]

All is broken this ru want to join us.iff i want im win in every where.but dont trust .must try ok.we start in 1 nov its a fucking day 2 the mr g.remember me

[@alexbz3227]

a man little knight in combat, a man without honor, smashed with cannons a hercules that was already mortally wounded and could have saved his crew by dying in the sea

[@mookie2637]

One FAA Hercules is on record as having dropped a bomb on a ship. The one Ward shot down was looking for British ships for Exocets. Perhaps you should have thought this through before going to war against the UK.

[@melissajennings8938]

Yes; I thought it was a bit much, but hard to know unless your there at the time. Lots of account of German pilots shooting into the wing of a bomber to set fire to it, without the need to fire into the fuselage and kill the crew. I don't think he's talked about it.

[@tommiatkins3443]

@@melissajennings8938 Melissa, the Germans targeted the wings to get the fuel tanks or engines, if they could target anything at all due to the closing speed.

[@kingofaesthetics9407]

The Hercules was flying resupply missions for the Argentine forces, it was a legitimate military target. The crew knew the risks.

[@Chilly_Billy]

War is hell. If you as a country can't accept that and all it implies, don't invade another country's territory.

[@user-wt7qp4jj2e]

Franz Stingler will always be a true gentleman of great moral integrity. Nigel Ward... in the MALVINAS on Avatir, an unarmed and seriously injured C130 with all its crew, will be his honorless legacy forever.

[@KenGriffiths]

The British will remember him as an officer who did his duty.

[@AA-xo9uw]

Falklands