In 1982, "Santa Fe" took part in the Falklands War alongside "San Luis", the Argentine Navy's only other operative submarine. "Santa Fe" supported the Argentine invasion by landing tactical divers at Yorke Bay, who marked the beach for the main amphibious force and seized the lighthouse. Later, she departed from the islands and stayed on station in the naval submarine base at the city of Mar del Plata as a large British task force approached the South Atlantic.