page_title: 8th Air Brigade (Argentina)
section_title: Falklands War
hierarchical_section_title: 8th Air Brigade (Argentina) / Falklands War
caption_attribution_description: Español: Un 5 de septiembre de 1972, llega al país a bordo del C-130 H TC-63 el primer ejemplar del sistema de armas Mirage III EA, matrícula I-001. Es el primer interceptor supersónico equipado con radar y misiles aire – aire de la Fuerza Aérea Argentina
context_page_description: The 8th Air Brigade was an Argentine Air Force brigade that existed between 1976 and 1988 based on Mariano Moreno airport near Buenos Aires. It was created upon the procurement of Mirage III fighters planes and fought during the Falklands War.
context_section_description: In April 1982, after the Argentine landings in the Malvinas (Falklands) and escalation into war with the United Kingdom, G8C was deployed to Patagonia, concentrating the Mirage Squadrons at the bases of Comodoro Rivadavia and Rio Gallegos. They were to defend the mainland against possible British attacks, by long-range Avro Vulcan bombers and carrier-borne Sea Harriers. The Mirages were armed with two R-550 air-to-air missiles, one R-530 and two additional fuel tanks.
  On May 1, 1982, British aircraft attacked vital positions on the islands with formations of Sea Harriers and Vulcans. In its first operation of the day, the Rio Gallegos squadron deployed five Mirages, in two formations. One formation, while escorting A-4B Skyhawks, made contact with a Sea Harrier, but all of the aircraft involved returned to base without significant damage. The other formation closed on British aircraft, although neither side made contact and the Mirages returned to base. During the last deployment of the day, two Mirages were directed towards British bases on Soledad Island; after attacking these, one of the Mirages was shot down by an AIM-9L. The pilot of the second Mirage was killed when critically low on fuel, he attempted to land at Puerto Argentino (Port Stanley), and was accidentally shot down by Argentine anti-aircraft gunners, who mistook the Mirage for a British plane.
  After May 1, G8C was ordered to avoid British fighters and was instead dedicated to air defense over the mainland and diversion operations, until the end of the conflict. One of the Mirage diversion flights, on June 8, successfully lured away Sea Harriers on patrol, allowing an A-4B to destroy two Royal Navy landing craft at Pleasant Bay.
  The last mission of G8C took place on the last day of the conflict, when two Mirages escorted two Canberra as they bombed British forces near Mount Kent. During the conflict, the Mirages carried out a total of 56 combat missions.
caption: Mirage IIIDA "I-001".
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