Key Points and Summary – Operation Black Buck was a series of daring, long-range bombing raids conducted by the UK’s Royal Air Force against Argentine forces during the 1982 Falklands War.
-Using near-retired Avro Vulcan bombers flying from Ascension Island, the missions were logistical marvels.
A Royal Air Force Vulcan Display Team Vulcan B. Mk 2 aircraft performs during Air Fete ’85. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-The first raid, a nearly 16-hour round trip, was the longest bombing run in history at the time, requiring numerous mid-air refuelings.
-It successfully cratered the runway at Port Stanley, denying its use to Argentine jets.
How the Nearly Retired Vulcan Bomber Attacked From Long Range
Though a remarkable feat of planning and airmanship, the overall strategic impact of the raids remains a subject of historical debate.
Operation Black Buck was a series of airstrikes launched by the Royal Air Force during the Falklands War. The first strike was launched on the night of April 30 to May 1, 1982, with the seven strikes continuing through mid-June of that year.
Per the Royal Air Force’s official website, Operation Black Buck was “the first offensive sortie against the Argentinian Forces on the Falkland Islands. In the first strike, a Vulcan XM607 dropped 21 x 1,000lb (450 kg) bombs across the main runway at Port Stanley airfield,” with an assist from 18 Victor K2 tanker sorties.
After the first strike, the Vulcan returned to Ascension Island, after a flight that took 15 hours and 45 minutes, according to the RAF website.
About the War
The Falklands War was a military conflict, never declared as a war, between Britain and Argentina.
It began in early April of 1982, when Argentina invaded and seized the Falkland Islands and later South Georgia, both in the South Atlantic.
Days later, Britain responded militarily, and the conflict continued for 74 days, with Argentina surrendering and the islands returning to British control.
A key part of the British campaign was Operation Black Buck, which Coffee or Die magazine referred to as “the most daring bombing mission since World War II.” History is Now Magazine described it as the “longest bombing run in history” at the time of its occurrence.
Dusting Off the Bombers
According to the Coffee or Die account, the mission entailed “dusting off” the Vulcan jets, which were nearly set for retirement at the time.
“The plan called for a series of bombing missions that accompanied the naval task force’s efforts to retake the islands,” the site said. “The Royal Air Force missions were considered the most daring since World War II’s Operation Chastise—the so-called Dambusters Raid—in which bombs skipped across the water to strike Nazi targets.”
The RAF convened at Ascension Island’s Wideawake Airfield to plan the raids.
When the first two Vulcans launched, one of them had to return to base because its cabin had failed to pressurize.
However, the other jet continued, even encountering an electrical storm during the final refueling, which “sheared the refueling tube off.”
“We’re short of fuel, but we’ve come this far, I’m not turning back now,” the pilot, British RAF Flight Lt. Martin Withers, radioed at the time.
“We flew low-level over the sea to remain hidden below their radar,” Withers said in an interview with Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire. “We had to pull up to do the bombing attack at 10,000 feet.”
The Bombing
Following that long journey, the mission was carried out. In all, 16 of the 21 bombs exploded on Argentina’s runway.
“We managed to put a bomb on the runway, which meant the Argentines could not use that runway for their aircraft to land and refuel if they wanted to attack our ships,” Withers recalled, per an interview later.
Seven more refuelings were required to get the plane back to base.
And then, Operational Black Buck continued with a total of seven missions.
“At that time, the bombing mission was the longest combat bombing raid in military history,” Coffee or Die said. “The record remained until American B-2 bombers carried out a 35-hour, 14,000-mile mission during Desert Storm. That record was broken shortly after 9/11, when B-2 bombers exceeded 70 hours in flight time over Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.”
B-2 Bomber from U.S. Air Force Display. Image Credit: Harry J. Kazianis/National Security Journal.
The mission this summer, in which the U.S. B-2 bombers attacked nuclear sites in Iran, involved the jets being in the air for 37 hours.
How Important Was It?
“Despite the technical challenges and the operational difficulties encountered, the Black Buck raids are considered a significant achievement in terms of planning and execution,” Think Defense wrote about the missions.
“However, their impact on the outcome of the war is a subject of debate, with some sources highlighting their limited physical impact and questioning their strategic value.”
About the Authors: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
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