Cameron's Plan For No-Fly Zone Over Libya

hmmm

There were some amazing photos on this thread
http://forums.radioreference.com/atlantic-maritime/180201-mid-air-refueling-over-nova-scotia-17.html
taken from a parking lot!

Yesterday's B1Bs refueling


and a bit OT, but showing the size of the C5

hmmm

This from one of the reporters who got stuck in Sirte overnight
"#Sirte in the evening was much more tense than 3poli.Countless explosions&aircraft circling around the city.Locals were shouting 'Sarkozy!""

If people are shouting this openly, it sounds like the city is ripe to fall if the rebels can get through the outer defences.

Corsendonk

Corsendonk wrote: »

Its real, unless French TV have been infiltrated by the Russians. Its France 24, the english speaking French news channel hence the reason you don't have audio in french. You do know such channels exist like Al Jalsera English, Russia Today etc So you think a real film is photoshop? lol

did you see it on France24 ? or just online it looks like they just added the logo on a movie editor
have a look at the "burning camera" at the end its terrible!

Why does the reporter have a Russian accent?

Why is the video spliced with this report with a different voiceover
http://www.france24.com/en/20110303-libyan-rebel-militia-brega-battle-oil-port-gaddafi-counter-attack-exclusive

because its a fake/edited to misrepresent

hmmm

Gripens will probably be on their way, first deployment of Swedish planes outside Sweden for 50 years.
http://svt.se/2.22584/1.2374883/nato_har_fragat_sverige_om_jas-plan_till_libyen

"Sex piloter från Ronneby"
Indeed.

Donny5

Deleted User wrote: »

because its a fake/edited to misrepresent

If it's a fake, then it's a France24 fake, as it's posted to their Youtube channel, and here it is on their website.

Donny5

Donny5 wrote: »

If it's a fake, then it's a France24 fake, as it's posted to their Youtube channel, and here it is on their website.

:eek:

ah yeah its still a fake cough cough blah blah

goldie fish

Donny5 wrote: »

If it's a fake, then it's a France24 fake, as it's posted to their Youtube channel, and here it is on their website.

It was a fake wen I watched it on their TV channel on saturday too so...

Steyr

2 Hours Ago:USAF AC-130U gunship airborne and overhead Mediterranean as SOAP 31.

1 Hour Ago:USAF RC-135V Rivet Joint mode-S identifying today as FNKDY23 SIGINT.

CHAOS 63 formation Boeing EA-18G Growler VAQ-132 overhead Mediterranean working Malta ACC.

Formation of 2 USAF F-15E from RAF Lakenheath operating from Aviano AB as STRIKE 27 are no enroute back to Aviano AB.

Steyr

And Earlier CET:

21.03 Norseman57 (2 x F-16 RNoAF).

21.04 Exxon04 (KC-135), tactical.

21.04 Strike23 (F-15 USAF), direct to Aviano.

21.05 Weasel05 (F-16 USAF), direct to Aviano, squawk 3434.

21.09 Weasel07 (F-16 USAF), squawk 4207, proceed IFR, report ready for tactical. 21.15 -> tactical.

21.09 Exxon03 (KC-135), dir. ASKOT.

21.11 RCH575, KC10, squawk 6543, direct DIGOS, destination LEMO (Moron).

21.24 Barbo01 (CN295 EdA), destination LIED (Decimomannu).

21.26 RCH553 (KC-135), squawk4014, overhead LORED.

21.28 Strike25 (F-15 USAF) 4-ship, squawk 4273, switching tactical.

hmmm

"USS MOUNT WHITNEY, At Sea (NNS) -- A U.S. Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft and guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52), engaged Libyan Coast Guard vessel Vittoria and two smaller craft March 28.

The vessels were engaged after confirmed reports that Vittoria and accompanying crafts were firing indiscriminately at merchant vessels in the port of Misrata, Libya.

The P-3C fired at Vittoria with AGM-65F Maverick missiles, rendering the 12-meter patrol vessel ineffective and forcing it to be beached after multiple explosions were observed in the vicinity of the port.

Two smaller Libyan craft were fired upon by the A-10 using its 30mm GAU-8/ Avenger cannon, destroying one and forcing the other to be abandoned.
"

goldie fish

hmmm wrote: »

.... destroying one and forcing the other to be abandoned.
"

An A10 will have that effect on you...

Steyr

Earlier This Morning:

CET

07.15 STRIKE23 F-15E airborne Aviano.
07.35 CHAOS65 EF-18G rtb Aviano.
07.35 WEASEL01 F-16 SP airborne Aviano.
07.40 VIPER01 F-16 AV airborne Aviano.
08.45 CHAOS61 EF-18G airborne Aviano-will refuel in Echo5 with MOBILE05 tanker.
09.50 VIPER03 F-16 AV airborne Aviano-inbound Echo5 for MOBILE 05 tanker.
10.10 BOLAR01 F-15E airborne Aviano-inbound Echo5.
10.20 CHAOS61 unable to refuel, rtb Aviano.
11.00 BOLAR03 F-15E airborne Aviano-inbound Echo5.


10.02 Tartan47 RAF VC-10, squawk 5647 IFR to RAF Akrotiri.
10.06 Wizard31 RAF NimrodR1 "XV249" IFR to RAF Akrotiri.



More:

10.37 Monster66,RAF Tornado inbound Gioa, squawk 5266 --> NEW CallSign.
10.39 Mammut60 B707 Spanish Air Force.
10.39 Poker45 EF-18 Spanish Air Force.
10.40 Lince01 Italian Air Force Tornado.
10.59 Viper03 F-16 Aviano Air Base-squawk 3402 going tactical.
11.12 Titan25 EF2000 Italian Air Force going tactical.
11.13 Aurora1 CP140 AURORA Canadian Air Force.

At 15:51:
Havoc73 RAF Typhoon requested directly to Sigonella because inflight emergency (oxygen emergency) rest of Typhoons going to Gioa del Colle, after emergency was declared Havoc73 then re-routed to Trapani AB as he was uncertain he could successfully get to Sigonella with current fuel state.


19.24 Boar01 A-10 Spangdahlem AB direct to Aviano.
20.22 Aurora01 CP-140 AURORA CAF to Brindisi freq.
20.23 Texaco01 KC-135, to Athens 124.625.
20.32 Phantom13 F-16 RDAF squawk 5252, direct to Sigonella.
20.33 Phantom11 F-16 RDAF squawk 5311, direct to Sigonella.
20.37 Forte10 RQ-4B, first checked in as Condor10, squawk 5253.
20.43 FAF4031 C-135FR, going tactical.
20.43 RCH258 KC-135R, blocking frequency with open mic.

Steyr

**NEW IN THEATRE**
USAF HC-130P Hercules as KING85, 79th Rescue Squadron (CSAR 79 RQS) based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base part of Air Combat Command,
23d Wing,563d Rescue Group.

hmmm

It's interesting that following Mussa Kussa's defection (confirmed today but rumoured yesterday) that there are other unconfirmed reports of defections e.g.

"Reports: #Libya officials Bouzaid Dorda (Chief of intel.) Shukri Ghanem (oil minister) Belgasem Zwai and AbdelAati Obaidi in #Djerba airport"

BrianD

Will be interesting to see what happens next. This guy could make the political breakthrough required or could be the Rudolph Hess of Libya.

Bad day for the rebels as well it would seem.

Interesting to see that the Americans will break the resolution and may arm the rebels and despite saying thar there would be no boots on the ground, the CIA maybe deploying agents there.

hmmm

This is an interesting piece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/31/gaddafi-envoy-mohammed-ismail-britain

I'm sure Gadaffi's sons would prefer to be quaffing champagne with supermodels at the Monaco GP than spending the rest of their life attending the annual Benghazi camel races.

hmmm

Imagine giving this crowd Javelins

Steyr

**NEW IN THEATRE**

Royal Jordanian Air Force have deployed F-16's to USAFE Aviano AB, The Swedish Component will be stationed at Decimomannu.

Steyr

Some of today's movements

07.20 Strike51 F-15E airborne AvianoAB southbound.

07.50 Chaos2 EF-18G airborne AvianoAB southbound.

08.00 Boar05 A-10 rtb AvianoAB.

08.05 Boar07 A-10 rtb AvianoAB.

08.10 Weasel07 F-16 rtb AvianoAB.

08.35 Viper41 F-16 airborne AvianoAB southbound.

08.43 Viper13 F-16 rtb AvianoAB.

09.28 Hog01 A-10A rtb AvianoAB.

09.50 Weasel21 F-16 airborne AvianoAB southbound.

RA325 is EP-3 USN.
Titan63 is EF2000 Italian Air Force.
Cycle61 is E-8C USAF (95-0121).



Fang67 RAF Tornado.
Fang71FLT RAF Tornado 2ship formation.

UN228 Learjet 35A-N405PC C/N35-651.


Titan63 EF2000 Italian Air Force.
Titan65 EF2000 Italian Air Force.

BrianD

Wonder does the arrival of UN marked learjet suggest there might be some talks in Libya about to start?

The whole rebel activity is baffling. They just seem to drive up and down the road. I wonder what level of actual engagement between rebel and Gadaffy forces is actually taking place?

BostonB

I can't help but think the rebels strength is being over stated. No flyzone ok. But I think they are fighting the rebels ground battles for them, be destroying armour etc.

johngalway

hmmm wrote: »

Imagine giving this crowd Javelins[/img]

They put TopGear to shame.

Manic Moran

johngalway wrote: »

They put TopGear to shame.

Indeed. My first thought was to look at the grille/hood for the a Toyota badge.

NTM

hmmm

BostonB wrote: »

I can't help but think the rebels strength is being over stated. No flyzone ok. But I think they are fighting the rebels ground battles for them, be destroying armour etc.

The rebels strength is almost non existent. These are largely an army of citizens who have looted army stores. This is a good overview of where their "army" hopes lie
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,754035,00.html

I've seen them capture a few T-55s and T-72s and they seem to have recovered at least one of those Italian artillery SPGs. I also saw a hanger full of untouched BMPs in an early pic of the aftermath of seizing the base in Benghazi. Where are all they at the moment?

"18:20 Al Jazeera English It appears that the opposition’s commanders are taking firmer control at the front lines, screening fighters who are trying to join up with their forces based on their experience, and barring journalists from entering zones where they are concerned about giving away their positions."

hmmm

"Brussels, 01 April2011
HunPR/25/2011

EUFOR Libya decision adopted

The Council has adopted today the decision, underpinning the mandates of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973, establishing an operation, called ’EUFOR Libya’ in order to stand ready to support humanitarian assistance in the region, if requested by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The aim of the operation would be to contribute to the safe movement and evacuation of displaced persons and to support the humanitarian agencies in their activities with specific capabilities. The headquarters of the operation shall be located in Rome, Rear Admiral Claudio Gaudiosi has been appointed as Operation Commander.


For further information, please contact Gergely POLNER (+32 491 355 460) Presidency spokesperson at
press.beu@kum.hu

Steyr

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/RafIstarSquadronsKeepWatchOverLibya.htm

**ARTICLE**

RAF ISTAR squadrons keep watch over Libya
A Military Operations news article
1 Apr 11



A Sentinel Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft from No 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron
[Picture: Senior Aircraftman Andy Holmes, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

When UN Security Council Resolution 1973 was declared to establish a no-fly zone over Libya, the RAF's Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft moved quickly into action in the region.

The ISTAR squadrons, which are normally based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, adroitly changed tack from Operation DEFERENCE, supporting the evacuation of foreign and UK nationals, to Operation ELLAMY, supporting the enforcement of a no-fly zone in Libyan airspace.

The ISTAR 'eyes' initially comprised of No 8 Squadron's Sentry E-3D AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft and the 'ears' were provided by No 51 Squadron's Nimrod R1 aircraft. The Sentries had earlier played a crucial role on Op DEFERENCE as command and control platforms for the Hercules aircraft which landed on Libyan desert airstrips to rescue stranded oil workers, and so were already best placed to support Op ELLAMY.

Just before ELLAMY started, Sentry aircraft had begun an 'understanding phase' of operations in the area. Group Captain Chris Jones, Waddington's Station Commander and Commander of 907 Expeditionary Air Wing now established at RAF Akrotiri, explained:

"The understanding phase is a defined mission where you have airborne capabilities maintaining position in an area and they are able to see and hear what's going on. By providing indications of activity you develop an understanding of the way a piece of airspace is being used or of the way ground forces might be employed."

Later, the Nimrod R1s, with their ability to monitor communications, were also deployed in support of the RAF's burgeoning ISTAR activity.

The Sentry's capabilities and vital utility to an air-centric operation like ELLAMY are clear; at its heart is the massive rotating Northrop Grumman radar dome that sits atop the fuselage.

This and other sensors allow the crew of eighteen to provide military commanders with real-time surveillance of Libyan airspace and of the Mediterranean Sea. And with its ability to link into a multitude of networks as a communications hub its capabilities are pivotal to the command and control of RAF and coalition combat aircraft enforcing the no-fly zone.

Within 24 hours of combat operations commencing within the no-fly zone, Waddington's latest ISTAR aircraft, the Sentinel, began to play its part. The aircraft, from No 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, added its sophisticated array of sensors to the ISTAR mix by surveilling ground activity in Libya.

More subtly perhaps, the Sentinel can also detect changes or differences in 'patterns of life', with the aircraft's skilled sensor operators on board the aircraft able to analyse the data and imagery to find that 'needle in a haystack'.

A Sentinel image analyst recalled one mission from last week when she was tasked to watch ground activity in a region of Libya:

"You learn to discount what is normal. I knew what our target was when we started looking through that area. It just looked out of place; it shouldn't have been there. And when I looked in I was sure of what it was."

The information was passed to a Sentry aircraft where fighter-controllers on board gave the job of investigating 'what it was' to one of the fast jets policing the skies. It turned out to be a missile system, which was promptly destroyed.

Unlike the Op HERRICK counter-insurgency operations in Afghanistan, the situation in Libya is much more of an air-centric operation. For the Commanding Officer of No 5 (Air Cooperation) Squadron, Wing Commander Rich Barrow, the Sentinel's work in Libya is proving every bit as valuable as its continuing commitment to Op HERRICK. He said:

"The use of ISTAR and intelligence in particular to try and understand those situations, to gain insights into what's going on on the ground is absolutely essential.

"Only with that can we go in with the confidence that we are doing the right thing and ensuring the right outcomes."

Commenting on the nature of the air missions and the personnel under his command Group Captain Jones said:

"It's been change upon change, reacting to a very dynamic situation on the ground, reacting as well to international scrutiny and making sure that you get it right; allowing us to adapt and learn very quickly.

"I think it is a testimony to the professionalism of all those involved in the air and on the ground in support roles that they have shown that they can do that. On every task we've produced the results, on every sortie."

Steyr

6 Hours Ago:

Royal Netherlands Air Force KDC-10 airborne as NAF06 climbing to FL320 inbound to the formation F-16's calling as flight BLAST31

hmmm

Interesting, lots of reports of shooting in Tripoli tonight. Are any news channels confirming?

Steyr

20 Hours Ago: A very "secret" Aircraft landed at Malta,


That is her arriving at Malta..

Operator: Tepper Aviation - N3796B.
Aircraft: Lockheed - L-100 Hercules 382G.
C/N5027.

Tepper Aviation has a long association with the CIA.

She overnighted then bugged out. She can in certain times be viewed on Flightaware but 99% of the time tracking is denied per request from the owner/operator.

11 Hours Ago: Algerian Air Force Il-76MD tail:7T-WIA C/N 0083489674 was mentioned on a weapons delivery. She was noted apparently heading Alma Ata Airport, Almaty, Kazakhstan.

BrianD

Manic Moran wrote: »

Indeed. My first thought was to look at the grille/hood for the a Toyota badge.

NTM

A testament to the Toyota 4x4

Seriously though, what happened to the no-fly zone? According to reports, the rebels are being allowed to fly the aircraft that they possess. There is no guarantee that their activities will not kill or injure civilians - especially given the age and technology of the Libyan air force assets.

Yes the political leaders introduced UN1973 which was humanitarian in nature*, allows a no fly zone ** and definitely no boots on the ground***

* may actually include regime change
** 100% coverage not guaranteed, may contain aircraft belonging to rebels
*** Special forces, CIA and related mercenaries, I mean "security contractors", wear different footware and not included in offer

Gadaffy is a brutal dictator and needs to go. Can we not declare it internationally and do the job legally?