Contested Fishing Waters -1973
Spanish Aircraft and Moroccan Frigates

A number of incidents occurred in 1973 following Morrocco extending its territorial rights over fishing waters in the Med and Atlantic. On 24 July 1973 warships of the Moroccan Navy harassed Spanish trawlers off the coast of Spanish Sahara. A single HU-16A responded to calls and made a low pass over the Moroccan patrol boats. Despite warnings, the patrol boats continued their harassment of the trawlers. Major Jose Garcia Barroso, fired two 70mm rockets across the bows of the warship finally forcing a withdrawal. helion.co.uk/militar..f70ac4d73f5ec798216f

Despite this, and other, references of Spanish planes firing rockets and Frigates returning fire (April 1973 the Besugo incident nytimes.com/1973/04/..morocco-frigate.html ) it is hard to discover any images of HU-16 with anything that looks like armament attached. Although it appears from this source they were capable of being equipped on occasion for anti-submarine warfare aeropedia.com.au/content/grumman-albatross/

So this may become a What IF? reimaging of history...wonder what 70mm rocket pods the Ejercito del Aire were equipping in the 70s? I’m going with a single LAU-3 launcher under the starboard wing.