Office of the Historian

247. Telegram From the [text not declassified], Embassy in the United Kingdom ([name not declassified]) to the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (Williams) and the Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (Burkhalter)1

London, May 11, 1982, 1538Z

Personal for Director and/or Deputy Director. SUBJ: Falkland Island military options (C).

1. (S/Noforn) [2½ lines not declassified] the escalating British military option list is Argentine mainland surgical takeout of balance Exocet missiles and French Etendard aircraft [less than 1 line not declassified] ashore on mainland. [less than 1 line not declassified] although unconventional takeout of selected military targets on Falklands and aircraft strike on mainland has long been on list of possible options [1 line not declassified] same source confirmed current presence of “some” [less than 1 line not declassified].

2. (C) [less than 1 line not declassified] current/near future reporting will attempt to concentrate on military options and selective comments relating to the saturation of press reports and British MOD official announcements which continue to be the bulk of info flow on Falkland developments.

  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files, FRC 330–84–0003, Argentina (Jan–15 May) 1982. Secret; Noforn, Eyes Only. A typewritten notation on the telegram indicates that copies were sent to Weinberger, Carlucci, and Jones on May 11.↩