Update - Libya Assault

From Weapons and Technology

From Weapons and technology

Canadian Jets First flight

Canadian jet fighters have flown their first mission in the skies over Libya as part of a coalition effort to rein in Moammar Gadhafi’s crackdown on pro-democracy rebels. 4 CF-18 fighters accompanied by two CC-150 Polaris refuelling aircraft flew a Monday morning mission to patrol the northern coast of Libya. No shots were fired.Over the weekend, Gadhafi’s forces were the target of airstrikes and dozens of cruise missiles by the international air force.Monday’s flight marks the first time in more than a decade Canadian air fighters have been engaged in an active military mission abroad. While the fighters are routinely used to safeguard Canadian sovereignty, they last flew combat sorties in 1999, when they flew bombing missions during the NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia.In 1991, CF-18s flew during the first Gulf War – flying combat air patrols, escort missions and reconnaissance.The morning mission over Libya was to achieve air superiority, protecting not only other coalition aircraft but also coalition ships engaged in enforcing the arms embargo. Another six fighter planes are on standby to deploy if needed, though he didn’t think that would be happening soon.

France Campaign

A French warplane has opened fire on a target in Libya, kicking off a coordinated international campaign to prevent strongman Muammar Gaddafi's forces from crushing an uprising.

They opened fire at 5:45pm (on Saturday - 0345 AEDT Sunday) on an unspecified vehicle.

In the rebel camp, celebratory gunfire and honking of car horns broke out in Al-Marj, 100km from Benghazi, to welcome the first air strike. A military air base in Sirte, east of the capital, and another in Sebha in the south as likely targets of a strike. And as thousands were fleeing the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in eastern Libya, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told a summit of world leaders in Paris that French fighters were poised to attack. The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was being sent toward Libya to help enforce the Security Council resolution.



A warplane crashed in flames in a residential area of Benghazi, triggering celebratory gunfire from the rebels, but an insurgent commander later admitted it was one of theirs and had been shot down by Gaddafi's forces.

Royal Airforce

Tornado jets, submarines and stealth bombers fired 112 Tomahawk missiles and dropped explosives on 20 coastal locations as Gaddafi's men tried to take control of rebel-held Benghazi.A Royal Navy Trafalgar-class submarine stationed in the Mediterranean took part in the co-ordinated assault, which also involved forces from the U.S., France, Italy and Canada under the operational control of US Africa Command. A British nuclear-powered submarine was among the vessels in the Mediterranean that targeted Gaddafi’s defences near Tripoli and the town of Misurata. Stormshadow missiles were launched from GR4 fast jets which had flown 3,000 miles from RAF Marham in Norfolk and back - the longest range bombing since the Falklands.

Spanish Assault

Two F-18 Spanish fighter planes have taken off on their first mission over Libya today, where they will contribute to the establishment of a no-fly zone over the country.

The two jets took off from the Decimonannu Italian military base on the island of Sardinia. The F-18’s are armed with air to air missiles, and will patrol the airspace to stop any hostile plane from taking off.

The Spanish Boeing 707 air refuelling tanker plane has also taken off from the Italian base. The Spanish frigate, ‘Méndez Núñez’ which is based in Férrol, left there at 5pm on Sunday, destination Rota, and will shortly join the operation in the Mediterranean.

Norwegian jets

Norway dispatched six F-16 fighter jets Monday as part of its contribution to the no-fly zone operation over Libya. But the planes would not immediately see action until 'rules of engagement' have been clarified.The Norwegian planes were to operate from a base on the southern Greek island of Crete.

In addition to the jets, a Hercules transport plane was on its way with equipment and personnel to service the jets.

Scandinavian neighbour Denmark, also a NATO member, at the weekend deployed six F-16s, of which two were to serve as back-up planes, at the Naval Air Station Sigonella in southern Sicily.

Qatar Jets in Greece

Greece expects six fighter jets and a cargo plane from Qatar to land at a military base on the island of Crete by Tuesday, a defence ministry official told Reuters.

European and U.S. forces have sent warplanes against Libyan targets under a U.N. Security Council resolution authorising military action to protect civilians from leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces.

Qatar submitted a flight plan for six Mirage jets and one C-130 cargo plane to arrive Monday or Tuesday but it was not clear what their role in Libya would be.

The United Arab Emirates had also requested refueling at Souda base for 12 F-16 jets and 12 Mirage jets on their way to Sicily but it was not clear when and if they would arrive.

Summary

# U.S. military: 'We are not going after Gaddafi'
# Libyan military forces announce ceasefire from 19:00GMT
# RAF Tornado jets launch 3,000-mile missile assault from Norfolk
# Arab League criticises strikes for going beyond the international agreement and killing civilians
# 94 people reported to have died in Gaddafi's strike on Benghazi
# Italy says it will do whatever it can to free crew of tugboat captured off the coast in Tripoli
# Cameron says 'what we are doing is necessary, legal and right'
# Chancellor George Osborne says no ground troop invasion on the cards 'at the moment'
# Three US B-2 stealth bombers dropped 40 bombs on Libyan airfields
# 112 Tomahawk missiles fired at Libyan air-defence by coalition troops

 

From 
F