Libyan Armed Forces

القوات المسلحة الليبية

in January 2011 according to Wikipedia

Libyan Armed Forces From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Founded 1951

Service branches Libyan Navy Libyan Air Force Libyan Army People's Militia[citation needed]

Headquarters Tripoli

Guide of the Revolution

Muammar al-Gaddafi

Conscription 18 months

Available for military service

2,000,000, age 15–49

Active personnel 119,000

Reserve personnel 195,000

Deployed personnel 200 Central African Republic

Foreign suppliers Russia China Brazil

History Military history of Libya 1969 Coup d'etat Yom Kippur War Libyan-Egyptian War Uganda-Tanzania War Gulf of Sidra incidents Chadian–Libyan conflict Libyan Civil War

The Libyan Armed Forces constitute the state defence organisation of Libya. They consist of the Libyan Army, Libyan Air Force and the Libyan Navy with other services which include the People's Militia, and the rebels fighting in Libya. The total number of Libyan personnel was estimated at 119,000,[citation needed] though the 2011 Libyan uprising has sliced the military's numbers. There is no separate defence ministry; all defence activities are centralised under the presidency. Arms production is limited and manufacturers are state-owned.[1] Colonel Abu-Bakr Yunis Jaber is the chief of the staff of the military.[citation needed] The roots of the contemporary Libyan armed forces can be traced to the Libyan Arab Force (popularly known as the Sanusi Army) of World War II.[2] Shortly after Italy entered the war, a number of Libyan leaders living in exile in Egypt called on their compatriots to organise themselves into military units and join the British in the war against the Axis powers. Five battalions, which were initially designed for guerrilla warfare in the Al Jabal al Akhdar region of Cyrenaica, were established under British command. Because the high mobility of the desert campaigns required a considerable degree of technical and mechanical expertise, the Libyan forces were used primarily as auxiliaries, guarding military installations and prisoners. One battalion, however, participated in the fighting at Tobruk. After Britain succeeded in occupying the Libyan territories, the need for the British-trained and equipped Sanusi troops appeared to be over. The Sanusi Army was reluctant to disband, however, and the majority of its members arranged to be transferred to the local police force in Cyrenaica under the British military administration. When Libya gained its independence in 1951, veterans of the original Sanusi Army formed the nucleus of the Royal Libyan Army. British Army troops, part of Middle East Command and comprising 25th Armoured Brigade and briefly 10th Armoured Division, were still present after independence and stayed in Libya until at least 1957. Army Main article: Libyan Army The current strength of the Libyan Army consists of 25,000 volunteers with an additional ε25,000 conscripts (total 50,000). The army is organised into 11 Border Defence and 4 Security Zones, one regime security brigade, 10 Tank Battalions, 10 Mechanized Infantry Battalions, 18 Infantry Battalions, 6 Commando Battalions, 22 Artillery Battalions, 4 SSM Brigade and 7 Air Defence Artillery Battalions.[3] In 2009, it emerged that a British Special Air Service team were training Libyan special forces.[4] Khamis al-Qadhafi's 32nd Brigade is one of the main regime protection forces. The 'Khamis Brigade' is considered by U.S. diplomats as the most capable of defending the regime.[5] Though the Libyan army has a large amount of fighting equipment at its disposal, the vast majority was bought from the Soviet Union in the '70s and '80s and is largely obsolete. A high percentage remains in storage and a large amount of equipment has also been sold to various African countries. No major purchases of equipment have been made in recent years largely due to the decline of the economy and military sanctions experienced throughout the nineties. This and various other internal factors has seriously decayed the strength of the whole of the Libyan Armed Forces over the years and it has lagged behind its major neighbors in terms of its military capabilities and real war fighting capability. Libya dispatched a contingent to the Arab Deterrent Force in Lebanon in 1976 as the Lebanese Civil War escalated.[6] In the spring of 1979, after the Arab League had extended the mandate of the Arab Deterrent Force, the Sudanese, the Saudis and the UAE troops departed Lebanon, the Libyan troops were essentially abandoned and had to find their own way home, if at all. From the late seventies to the mid to late eighties the army was involved in four major incursions into Chadian Territory. The Libyan Army suffered great losses in these conflicts especially that of the Toyota War of 1987 largely due to poor tactics and western aid to Chad. All of these incursions were eventually repulsed and Libya no longer occupies Chad. This conflict was known as the Chadian-Libyan conflict. The Libyan ground forces have a large amount of mostly Soviet equipment in service. The IISS estimated tank numbers in 2009 as 2,025: 200 T-72; 115 in store; 100 T-62; 70 in store; 500 T-55; 1,040 T-54/T-55 in store. The IISS estimated there were 50 BRDM-2 and 70 EE-9 Cascavel reconnaissance vehicles, 1,000 BMP-1s, plus BMDs.[7] Russian official sources reported in 2010 that T-72s would be modernised with help from Russia.[8] 750 BTR-50 and BTR-60s were also reported by the IISS. Other reported wheeled vehicles in service include 100 EE-11 Urutu, and Czechoslovak OT-64 SKOT.[9] The IISS estimated artillery in service in 2009 as totaling 2,421 pieces. 444 SP artillery pieces were reported; 122mm 130 2S1 Carnation; 152mm 140: 60 2S3 Akatsiya; 80 M-77 Dana; 155mm 174: 14 M-109; 160 VCA 155 Palmaria. 647+ towed artillery pieces were reported: 105mm 42+ M-101; 122mm 250: 190 D-30; 60 D-74; 130mm 330 M-46; 152mm 25 M-1937. 830 Multiple rocket launchers were reported: an estimated 300 107mm Type-63; 122mm 530:

ε200 BM-11; ε230 BM-21 Grad; ε100 RM-70 Dana (RM-70 multiple rocket launcher?). The IISS also estimated that Libya had 500 mortars: 82mm 428; 120mm ε48 M-43; 160mm ε24 M-160. Surface to Surface Missiles reported in service include FROG-7 and SCUD-B, (416 missiles). Anti Tank missiles reported in service include 400 French/German MILAN, and 620+ AT-3, AT-4, and AT-5, all of Soviet manufacture. In 2009 the IISS estimated that Libya had Crotale, SA-7 Grail, SA-9/SA-13 surface to air missiles, and AA guns in Army service. A separate Air Defence Command has SA-2, SA-3, SA-5 Gammon, and SA-8b Gecko, plus guns. Reported anti aircraft artillery includes Soviet 57 mm S-60, 23 mm self-propelled ZSU-23-4 and ZU-23-2, Czech M53/59 Praga, and Swedish Bofors 40mm guns. Small arms reported in service include TT pistol, Browning Hi-Power, Beretta M12, FN P90, FN FAL, SKS, AK-47, AKM and AK-103 assault rifles, the FN F2000, Soviet RPD machine gun, RPK machine gun, PK machine guns, DShK heavy machine gun, KPV heavy machine guns, SG-43 Goryunov, and a number of RPG type and anti-aircraft missile systems: RPG-2, RPG-7, 9K32 Strela-2. Air & Air Defence Forces Main article: Libyan Air Force The Libyan Air Force was created after the U.S. and UK pressured then-ruling King Idris to modernise his armed forces so that they could better stand off against revolutionary regimes in the Middle East. The LAF was created in 1963.[10] The Libyan Air Force had an estimated personnel strength of 22,000 in 2005(?). There are 13 military airbases in Libya.[11] After U.S. forces had left Libya in 1970, Wheelus Air Base, a previous U.S. facility about seven miles from Tripoli, became a Libyan Air Force installation and was renamed Okba Ben Nafi Air Base. OBN AB housed the LPAF's headquarters and a large share of its major training facilities. Jets & Bombers

• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 – 22; • Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 – 68; • Sukhoi Su-22 – 90;The Libyan Air Force operated as many as 90 Su-22, with around 40 Su-22M3 and Su-22UM3K aircraft

currently in service. • Dassault Mirage III – 8;

The Libyan Air Defence Force is part of the Air Force and has the second largest defence network in region (second to Egypt). However the equipment – which is mainly Soviet weaponry from the 60s and 70s – is outdated and during the 1986 bombing of Libya by the US air force it proved inefficient. Only one of the 45 attacking US aircraft was shot down. Due to an embargo during the 1980s the system could not be upgraded following the US attack.[12] Surface-to-Air Missiles include:

• Lavochkin SA-2 Guideline – 300; • Isayev SA-3 Goa – 250; • Almaz SA-5 Gammon – 380; • S-200 missile systems – 70; • 9K38 Igla – 380; • 9K34 Strela-3 – 278; • ZSU-23-4Shilka – 200; • ZSU-57-2 – 75; • 2K12 Kub - 50;[1]

Navy The Libyan Navy is the maritime force of Libya, established in November 1962. It is a fairly typical small navy with a few missile frigates, corvettes and patrol boats to defend the coastline, but with a very limited self-defence capability. The Navy has always been the smallest of Libya's services and has always been dependent on foreign sources for equipment, spare parts, and training. The total personnel of the Libyan Navy is about 8,000. Its first warship was delivered in 1966. Initially the effective force was limited to smaller vessels, but this changed after the rise of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi in 1969. From this time, Libya started to buy armaments from Europe and the Soviet Union. The Customs and Harbour police were amalgamated with the Navy in 1970, extending the Navy's mission to include anti-smuggling and customs duties. Originally Libya received six submarines from the Soviet union in 1982, but it is very unlikely that the submarines are still operational. Paramilitary forces Pan-African Legion In about 1980, Muammar Gaddafi introduced the Islamic Pan-African Legion, a body of mercenaries recruited primarily among dissidents from Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Mali, and Chad. West African states with Muslim populations have also been the source of some personnel. Believed to consist of about 7,000 individuals, the force has received training from experienced Palestinian and Syrian instructors. Some of those recruited to the legion were said to have been forcibly impressed from among nationals of neighboring countries who migrated to Libya in search of work.[citation needed] According to the Military Balance published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the force was organized into one armored, one infantry, and one paratroop/commando brigade. It has been supplied with T-54 and T-55 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and EE-9 armored cars. The Islamic Pan-African Legion was reported to have been committed during the fighting in Chad in 1980 and was praised by Gaddafi for its success there. However, it was believed that many of the troops who fled the Chadian attacks of March 1987 were members of the Legion.[13] Islamic Arab Legion In an effort to realize Gaddafi's vision of a united Arab military force, plans for the creation of an Islamic Arab Legion have been announced from time to time. The goal, according to the Libyan press, would be to assemble an army of one million men and women fighters to prepare for the great Arab battle – “the battle of liberating Palestine, of toppling the reactionary regimes, of annihilating the borders, gates, and barriers between the countries of the Arab homeland, and of creating the single Arab Jamahiriya from the ocean to the gulf”. In March 1985, it was announced that the National Command of the Revolutionary Forces Command in the Arab Nation had been formed with Qadhafi at its head. A number of smaller radical Arab groups from Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, the Persian Gulf states, and Jordan were represented at the inaugural meeting. Syrian Baath Party and radical Palestinian factions were also present. Each of these movements was expected to earmark 10 percent of its forces for service under the new command. As of April 1987, there was no information confirming the existence of such a militia.[13] People’s Militia The mission of the 45,000 People's Militia was territorial defence, and it was to function under the leadership of local military commanders. Qadhafi contended that it was the People's Militia that met the Egyptian incursions during the border clash of 1977, although the Egyptians insisted that their successful raids had been contested by regular army units. The militia forces are not

known to have faced any other test that would permit an appraisal of their performance in home defence or as auxiliaries to the regular army. There was some evidence that local commanders had not responded energetically to their responsibility for training and supervising militia units. Militia units reportedly were generously equipped with arms, transport, and uniforms. In November 1985, it was announced that the first contingent of "armed people" trained as paratroopers had made a demonstration drop.[14] The information above about the People's Militia is dated circa 1987; it is not clear whether the force still exists in 2011. Uniforms, Ranks, and Insignia When the army and navy were formed, the uniforms adopted by each service reflected British military and naval tradition. Modifications have occurred over the intervening years, however, and in early 1987 Libyan uniforms were similar to those worn by military personnel of a number of Middle Eastern Arab countries. The standard field uniform for Libyan paratroopers (Army commandos) is a two-piece camouflage uniform made of waterrepellent cotton. The shirt is similar in design to the United States Army fatigue shirt. The shirt and trousers are camouflaged in blue-green, light green, and dark brown. The standard headgear for paratroopers is a sky-blue beret. The uniforms of the air force, however, continued to resemble in both style and color the uniforms of the United States Air Force, which served as a model when the Libyan Air Force was established.[15] Originally the rank structure of all three services was similar to that of the British Armed Forces, but some modifications were introduced in light of the small size of the Libyan military establishment. In early 1979, the system prescribed by law still included nine officer grades and five enlisted ranks; there were no warrant officer equivalents. Although three general officer grades continued to be authorized, they have not been used since the 1969 coup. Promoted to the grade of colonel (aqid) after assuming power, Qadhafi has maintained a ceiling on the grade level of his officers corps in keeping with his desire to avoid the ostentatious public image the generals of the monarchy had conveyed. In January 1976, the Arab Socialist Union's National Congress attempted to promote Qadhafi to major general. The Libyan leader stated that he would accept the honor as an expression of gratitude from his compatriots but would retain the title of colonel because it had become an accepted and traditional part of his name.[15] See also Forces of the 2011 Libyan uprising: Free Libyan Air Force Libyan People's Army

References This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country

Studies. 1. ^ . Libya Defence & Security Report. United Nations. pp. p56-61. ISSN 1749-1517. 2. ^ Library of Congress Country Studies: Libya 3. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2009, p.256 4. ^ BBC 5. ^ Wikileaks, http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/12/09TRIPOLI960.html, United States diplomatic cables leak 6. ^ Britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/31428/Arab-Deterrent-Force 7. ^ IISS 2009 8. ^ http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100707/159723546.html 9. ^ Middle East Military Balance, (2005), "Libyan Military", Libya, Accessed April 24, 2007 10. ^ Pollack, 2002, p.359 11. ^ Middle East Military Balance: Libya 12. ^ Sean O'Connor (May 11, 2010). "The Libyan SAM Network". http://geimint.blogspot.com/2010/05/libyan-sam-

network.html. Retrieved 11 March 2011. 13. ^ a b Library of Congress Country Study, Other Paramilitary Forces, 1988 14. ^ http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field%28DOCID+ly0150%29 15. ^ a b Library of Congress Country Study, 1988, Uniforms, Ranks, and Insignia of the Armed Forces

Further reading • Global Security Article on Libya • Kenneth M. Pollack, Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948–91, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London,

2002, ISBN 0-8032-3733-2 • Mansour O. El-Kikhia’s Libya’s Qaddafi, pub 1997

External links • Libyan Arab Republic Army (LARA) • http://silawa.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/libya-feb-2122/ – for further reading on tribal/regime split of army

Libyan Air Defence missiles. Libyan Su-22 fighter-bomber, 1985. Libyan frigate Al Ghardabia in Valletta, 2005.

Khamis Brigade 32nd Reinforced Brigade of the Armed People

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Active Around 2000 – present

Allegiance Military of Libya

Branch Special forces

Type Mechanized infantry

Role Heavy Mechanized

Size 10,000[1]

Engagements 2011 Libyan uprising

• Battle of Az Zawiyah Battle of Misrata Battle of Ajdabiya

Current commander

Khamis al-Gaddafi

The Khamis Brigade, formally the 32nd Reinforced Brigade of the Armed People[2], is a special forces brigade of the Libyan military loyal to Muammar Gaddafi,[3] the de-facto leader of Libya since 1969. Commanded by Gaddafi's youngest son, Khamis Gaddafi, the 32nd Brigade was called "the most well-trained and well-equipped force in the Libyan military" and "the most important military and security elements of the regime" in leaked U.S. memos.[citation needed] According to former Libyan Justice Minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil, each of Gaddafi's sons has an army and can do with it as he pleases.[4] Role in 2011 uprising and civil warDuring the 2011 Libyan uprising, Gaddafi's sons were stationed at security centers in the east, west, and south of Tripoli.[citation needed] The Khamis Brigade was described as the most elite of three "regime protection units" which together comprise 10,000 men. According to U.S. and European officials, these units are the only forces directly loyal to Gaddafi, whereas regular army units were made up of conscripts were subject to widespread desertion.[5] It engaged anti-government forces[3] and was reported by eyewitnesses to be moving into Bengazi, Beyida and several other cities that were centres of anti-government protests on February 19, 2011 in the company of militias, possibly including foreign mercenaries.[6][7] Al Arabiya, citing sources in Bengazi, reported that Khamis Gaddafi had recruited French-speaking mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa.[8] On February 24, armored units commanded by Khamis Gaddafi were reported to be moving toward Misrata, Libya's third-largest city and a major port, said to be in the hands of rebels with heavy weapons.[9] Meanwhile, multi-national mercenaries commanded by the group killed scores and injured dozens in Az-Zawiyah, a city symbolic for its resistance to Italian colonization. Local witnesses and speeches by Gaddafi described a chaotic situation with people in civilian clothes fighting one another in the streets. According to former justice minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Khamis Gaddafi and two of his brothers were stationed in security centers to the east, west, and south of Tripoli.[10] The Aruba School in the rebel held coastal town of Shehat became the prison for almost 200 suspected mercenaries of the Gaddafi regime from countries such as Niger and Chad.[4] They were reported to be part of Libya's "Khamees' battalion".[4] On February 27, residents reported heavy fighting around the Khamis Brigade's headquarters complex in Misrata. An air force school within the complex had been besieged by protesters with light weapons. Despite possessing heavier weaponry, those within had run out of food and water, and a commander surrendered himself for trial.[11] Another report stated that officers at the air force school had mutinied and the adjacent air force base had been overwhelmed.[12] References

1. ^ "Coalition Watching Qaddafi Son’s Elite Unit, U.S. Commander Saysl". 2011-03-23. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-03-23/coalition-watching-qaddafi-son-s-elite-unit-u-s-commander-says.html.

2. ^ Hamilton, John (23 Feb 2011). "Libya protests: The tangled web keeping Gaddafi in power". The Daily

Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8343859/Libya-protests-The-tangled-web-keeping-Gaddafi-in-power.html.

3. ^ a b "Pressure mounts on Libya's Gaddafi". aljazeera.net. 26 Feb 2011. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/201122641559301766.html.

4. ^ a b c "Libya's Alleged Foreign Mercenaries: More Gaddafi Victims? - The Middle East in Revolt - TIME". time.com. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2045328_2045333_2053490,00.html. Retrieved 25 February 2011.

5. ^ Mark Hosenball (2011-02-24). "Son's unit may be one of Gaddafi's last lines of defense". http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110225/ts_nm/us_libya_commandos_1.

6. ^ Maggie Michael. "Libyan forces storm protest camp in Benghazi". Associated Press/News Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/18/998374/gadhafi-rallies-supporters-amid.html.

7. ^ "Khamis Ghaddafi: The agent of fear". Afrol News. 2011-02-23. http://afrol.com/articles/37412. 8. ^ "Khamis Gaddafi Recruits Mercenaries to Shoot Protestors". International Business Times. 2011-02-11.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/114681/20110221/khamis-gaddafi-mercenaries-chad-benghazi.htm. 9. ^ Ian Black (2011-02-24). "Heavy fighting in former stronghold as Gaddafi's forces stage counterattacks".

Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/24/muammar-gaddafi-libya-offensive. 10. ^ Duraid Al Baik (2011-02-25). "Gaddafi hiding in Azizyeh". Gulf News.

http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_24022011_250240/Gaddafi%20hiding%20in%20Azizyeh. 11. ^ "Gadhafi tightens hold on capital; Obama calls for ouster". McClatchy. 2011-02-26.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/26/2087188_p2/gadhafi-tightens-hold-on-capital.html.

12. ^ "Libya: Gaddafi Forces 'Open Fire' In Tripoli". Sky News. 2011-02-25. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110225/twl-libya-gaddafi-forces-open-fire-in-tr-3fd0ae9.html.

External links • Khamis Army Shoots One In The Head", vspahi, 2011-02-18 (YouTube). • "Wounded Soldier of Khamis (Gadhafi's Son) LIBYA", MeddiTV, 2011-02-18 (YouTube).

Khamis al-Gaddafi ــس القــــــذافي خمي

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Born 27 May 1983Tripoli, Libya

Nationality Libyan

Relations Muammar Gaddafi (father)

Alma mater Frunze Military Academy (Moscow)[1][2]

Religion Islam

Website facebook page[2]

Khamis al-Gaddafi (Arabic: 27 ; خميس القذافي May 1983), the seventh and youngest son of Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, is a military commander, who is in charge of the Khamis Brigade of the Libyan army. Education and career At the age of three, Khamis was injured in the 15 April 1986 United States bombing of Libya, suffering head injuries when the Bab al-Azizia military compound was attacked in retaliation for the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.[3] He graduated from the military academy in Tripoli, receiving a bachelor’s degree in military arts and science, further graduating from the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow and the Academy of the General Staff Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. From April 2010 he studied for a masters degree at the IE Business School (formerly known as Instituto de Empresa), in Madrid.[2] However, he was expelled by the institution in March 2011 for "his links to the attacks against the Libyan population".[4] In 2008 Khamis visited Algeria, where he was received by president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.[2] He is the commander of the Khamis Brigade,[5][6][6][7][8] a special forces brigade of the Libyan military, loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. Reported death On 20 March 2011, it was reported by the anti-Gaddafi Al Manara Media that Khamis al-Gaddafi had died from his injuries sustained when pilot Muhammad Mokhtar Osman allegedly crashed his plane into Bab al-Azizia a week earlier. The crashing of the plane itself had also not been previously reported or confirmed by any other independent media except Al Manara and the Algerian Shuruk newspaper, which is closely connected to Al Manara, and with it there is a possibility of the reports being part of the propaganda operations by the opposition. Khamis has yet to be seen or heard from since the reported suicide plane crash.[9][10][11] U.S. Secretary Hillary Clinton stated that she was aware of reports that one of Gaddafi's sons had been killed in non-coalition air strikes, after hearing them from "many different sources", but that the "evidence is not sufficient" for her to confirm this.[12][13] The pro-Gaddafi Libyan government has denied that he was killed.[14] Both ABC News and Al Arabiya television have cited the unconfirmed reports of Khamis Gaddafi's death in their articles.[15] On 25 March 2011, Al Arabiya television reported that a source now had confirmed the death of Khamis Gaddafi,[16][17] but Al Jazeera continues to call it a rumour.[18]On 29 March, the Libyan government showed footage of what it said was live footage of Khamis Gaddafi greeting supporters in Tripoli, in an attempt to refute the claims,[19] though it has used false live images before.[20] Sources

1. ^ "Unknotting Father’s Reins in Hope of ‘Reinventing’ Libya". http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/01/world/middleeast/01libya.html.

2. ^ a b c d "Un hijo de Gadafi estudia un master en Madrid". El País. 22 February 2011. http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/hijo/Gadafi/estudia/master/Madrid/elpepuint/20110222elpepuint_29/Tes.

3. ^ The Greenwood Library of American War Reporting: The Vietnam War & post-Vietnam conflicts, p. 346. Copeland, David A. Greenwood Press (Westport, Conn.), 2005. ISBN 9780313329302.

4. ^ "Madrid’s IE Business School Expels Qaddafi’s Son From MBA". Bloomberg. 4 March 2011. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-04/madrid-s-ie-business-school-expels-qaddafi-s-son-from-mba-1-.html.

5. ^ @ShababLibya (Feb 2011). "Reports of a split between members of the Khamis brigade". huffingtonpost.com. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/t/reports-of-a-split-betwee_41155109455020033.html.

6. ^ a b "Khamis Gaddafi Recruits Mercenaries to Shoot Protestors". International Business Times. 2011-02-11. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/114681/20110221/khamis-gaddafi-mercenaries-chad-benghazi.htm.

7. ^ Maggie Michael. "Libyan forces storm protest camp in Benghazi". Associated Press/News Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/18/998374/gadhafi-rallies-supporters-amid.html.

8. ^ "Khamis Ghaddafi: The agent of fear". Afrol News. 2011-02-23. http://afrol.com/articles/37412. 9. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368410/Libya-crisis-Gaddafi-uses-civilians-human-shields-prevent-

military-targets.html 10. ^ http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/march-21-updates/ 11. ^ http://dailyplanetdispatch.com/gaddafis-son-khamis-killed-by-kamikaze-pilot-claim/856968/ 12. ^ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hillary-clinton-diane-sawyer-moammar-gadhafi-allies-seeking/story?id=13196414 13. ^ http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-23 14. ^ Ynetnews (2011). Libya denies report of Gaddafi son's death. 21 March 2011 15. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/25/khamis-gaddafi-toured-us-internship_n_840905.html 16. ^ Global Voices (2011) Libya: Is Khamis Gaddafi Really Dead?. 25 March 2011 17. ^ http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/03/25/142907.html[verification needed] 18. ^ Al Jazeera (2011). Live Blog Libya - March 26 19. ^ http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE72R29Z20110329 20. ^ http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/africa/libya-live-blog-march-19 • "Madrid’s IE Business School Expels Qaddafi’s Son From MBA", Bloomberg, 2011-03-04 (FT).

Islamic Legion al-Failaka al-Islamiya

اHســــFمي الفيلـــــــقFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Islamic Legion (Arabic ــــــــق ـــhمي الفيل al-Failaka al-Islamiya اjس[1]) (aka Islamic Pan-African Legion) was a Libyan-sponsored

pan-Arab paramilitary force, created in 1972. The Legion was part of Muammar al-Gaddafi's dream of creating the Great Islamic State of the Sahel.[2] Creation Gaddafi, who had come to power in September 1969, was not only a Pan-Africanist, but an Arab cultural supremacist. His hostility to Chad's government of President François Tombalbaye was at least partly inspired by Tombalbaye's African and Christian background. It also led Gaddafi to drive the Toubou of Libya, who were considered 'black', off Fezzan and across the Chadian border. Gaddafi supported the Sudanese government of Gaafar Nimeiry, referring to it as an "Arab Nationalist Revolutionary Movement", and even offered to merge the two countries at a meeting in late 1971. Gaddafi's plans for the peaceful formation of an "Arab Union" were dashed when Nimeiry turned down his offer and negotiated the Addis Ababa Agreement ending the First Sudanese Civil War, fought with the black animist and Christian South.[3] Gaddafi's definition of "Arab" was broad, including the Tuareg of Mali and Niger, as well as the Zaghawa of Chad and Sudan.[4] In 1972, Gaddafi created the Islamic Legion as a tool to unify and Arabize the region. The priority of the Legion was first Chad, and then Sudan. In Darfur, a western province of Sudan, Gaddafi supported the creation of the Arab Gathering (Tajammu al-Arabi), which according to Gérard Prunier was "a militantly racist and pan-Arabist organization which stressed the 'Arab' character of the province."[1] The two organizations shared members and a source of support, and the distinction between the two is often ambiguous. The Legion This Islamic Legion was mostly composed of immigrants from poorer Sahelian countries[5], but also, according to a source, thousands of Pakistanis who had been recruited in 1981 with the false promise of civilian jobs once in Libya.[6] Generally speaking, the Legion's members were immigrants who had gone to Libya with no thought of fighting wars, and had been provided with inadequate military training and had sparse commitment. A French journalist, speaking of the Legion's forces in Chad, observed that they were "foreigners, Arabs or Africans, mercenaries in spite of themselves, wretches who had come to Libya hoping for a civilian job, but found themselves signed up more or less by force to go and fight in an unknown desert."[5] According to The Military Balance published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the force was organized into one armored, one infantry, and one paratroop/commando brigade. It has been supplied with T-54 and T-55 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and EE-9 armored cars. The Legion was reported to have been committed during the fighting in Chad in 1980 and was praised by Qadhafi for its success there. However, it was believed that many of the troops who fled the Chadian attacks of March 1987 were members of the Legion. Gaddafi dispatched legionnaires to Uganda, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria[7], but the Legion was to be mostly associated with the Libyan-Chadian War, where already in 1980 7,000 legionnaires participated to the second battle of N'Djamena.[8], where its fighting record was most noted for its ineptitude.[9] To this force Benin's Marxist regime is said to have provided legionnaires during the 1983 offensive in Chad.[10] At the beginning of the 1987 Libyan offensive into Chad, it maintained a force of 2,000 in Darfur. The nearly continuous cross-border raids that resulted greatly contributed to a separate ethnic conflict within Darfur that killed about 9,000 people between 1985 and 1988.[11] The Legion was disbanded by Gaddafi following its defeats in Chad in 1987 and the Libyan retreat from that country. But its consequences in this region can still be felt. Some of the Janjaweed leaders were among those said to have been trained in Libya[12], as many Darfuri followers of the Umma Party were forced in exile in the 1970s and 1980s.[13] The Legion was also to leave a strong impact on the Tuaregs living in Mali and Niger. A series of severe droughts had brought many young Tuaregs to migrate to Libya, where a number of them were recruited in the Legion, receiving an indoctrination that told them to reject the hereditary chiefs and to fight the governments that excluded the Tuaregs from power. After the disbandment of the Legion, these men were to return to their countries and to play an important role in the Tuareg rebellions that erupted in the two countries in 1989–90.[14] Afterwards In an effort to realize Qadhafi's vision of a united Arab military force, plans for the creation of an Arab legion have been announced from time to time. The goal, according to the Libyan press, would be to assemble an army of 1 million men and women fighters to prepare for the great Arab battle--"the battle of liberating Palestine, of toppling the reactionary regimes, of annihilating the borders, gates, and barriers between the countries of the Arab homeland, and of creating the single Arab Jamahiriya from the ocean to the gulf." In March 1985, it was announced that the National Command of the Revolutionary Forces Command in the Arab Nation had been formed with Qadhafi at its head. A number of smaller radical Arab groups from Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, the Persian Gulf states, and Jordan were represented at the inaugural meeting. Syrian Baath Party and radical Palestinian factions were also present. Each of these movements was expected to earmark 10 percent of its forces for service under the new command. As of April 1987, there was no information confirming the existence of such a militia. References

• Azam, J.-P., C. Morrisson, S. Chauvin & S. Rospabé (1999). Conflict and Growth in Africa. OECD. ISBN 9-2641-7101-0. • Flint, Julie and de Waal, Alex, Darfur: A Short History of a Long War, Zed Books, London March 2006, ISBN 1-84277-

697-5 • Markakis, John & Waller, Michael (1986). Military Marxist Regimes in Africa. Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-3295-3. • Nolutshungu, Sam C. (1995). Limits of Anarchy: Intervention and State Formation in Chad. University of Virginia Press.

ISBN 0-8139-1628-3. • Prunier, Gérard, Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide, Cornell University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-8014-4450-0 • Simons, Geoff (2004). Libya and the West: From Independence to Lockerbie. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 1-8606-4988-2.

• Thomson, Janice E. (1996). Mercenaries, Pirates and Sovereigns: State Building and Extraterritorial Violence in Early

Modern Europe. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-6910-2571-1. • Wright, John (1989). Libya, Chad and the Central Sahara. C. Hurst & Co.. ISBN 1-85065-050-0.

Notes 1. ^ a b G. Prunier, Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide, p. 45 2. ^ S. Nolutshungu, Limits of Anarchy, p. 127 3. ^ Prunier, pp. 43-45 4. ^ Flint and de Waal, Darfur: A Short History of a Long War, p. 23 5. ^ a b S. Nolutshungu, p. 220 6. ^ J. Thomson, Mercenaries, Pirates and Sovereigns, p. 91 7. ^ J.-P. Azam et al., Conflict and Growth in Africa, p. 168 8. ^ G. Simons, Libya and the West, p. 57 9. ^ J. Wright, Libya, p. 140 10. ^ J. Markakis & M. Waller, Military Marxist Regimes, p. 73 11. ^ Prunier, pp. 61-65 12. ^ de Waal, Alex (2004-08-05). "Counter-Insurgency on the Cheap". London Review of Books 26 (15).

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v26/n15/waal01_.html. 13. ^ McGregor, Andrew (2005-06-17). "Terrorism and Violence in the Sudan: The Islamist Manipulation of Darfur"

([dead link] – Scholar search). Terrorism Monitor (The Jamestown Foundation) 3 (12). http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2369723.

14. ^ J.-P. Azam et al., p. 14

http://www.debka.com/weekly/483/

http://www.empowernewsmag.com/listings.php?article=1830

Revolutionary Guard Corps From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Revolutionary Guard Corps (Liwa Haris al-Jamahiriya) or Jamahiriyyah Guard is a Libyan paramilitary elite unit that plays the role of key protection force of the regime of Muammar al-Gaddafi. Composed of 3,000 men hand-picked from Gaddafi's tribal group in the Surt region, the Guard is well armed, being provided with T-54 and T-62 tanks, APCs, MRLs, SA-8 and ZSU-23-4 SAMs taken from the army inventory.[1][2] Its current commander is Hasan al-Kabir al-Gaddafi,[3] cousin of Libya's ruler.[4] The Revolutionary Guard developed from the Revolutionary Committees, even if the latter had at first been introduced only into workplaces and communities, and not extended to the military. After the early 1980s, however, the Revolutionary Guard, as a paramilitary wing of the Revolutionary Committees, became entrenched within the armed forces. They served as a parallel channel of control, a means of ideological indoctrination in the barracks, and an apparatus for monitoring suspicious behavior. The Revolutionary Guards reportedly held the keys to ammunition stockpiles at the main military bases, doling it out in small quantities as needed by the regular forces. Their influence increased after a coup attempt in May 1985, that was blocked mainly thanks to the action of the Revolutionary Guard that engaged regular army units in a series of street battles.[5] References

1. ^ Pollack, Kenneth M. (2002). Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness, 1948–1991. University of Nebraska Press. pp. 386. ISBN 0-8032-3733-2.

2. ^ Cordesman, Anthony (2004). The Military Balance in the Middle East. Greenwood. pp. 108. ISBN 0-2759-8399-4.

3. ^ Eljahmi, Mohamed (2006 Winter). "Libya and the U.S.: Qadhafi Unrepentant". Middle East Quarterly (Middle East Forum) 13 (1). http://www.meforum.org/article/878.

4. ^ Gershowitz, Suzanne (2005-04-15). "Same Old Kadafi". The Baltimore Sun. http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.22313/pub_detail.asp.

5. ^ Metz, Helen Chapin (2004). Libya. US GPO. pp. 267. ISBN 1-4191-3012-9. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/lytoc.html.

Amazonian Guard From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Amazonian Guard (also "the Amazons") is an unofficial name given by western journalists to an all-female elite cadre of bodyguards officially known as ــــــات الراھبـــات al-rahibat al-thawriyyat "The Revolutionary Nuns", and sometimes also الثوريunofficially called "the Green Nuns," tasked with protecting the leader of Libya, Muammar al-Gaddafi.[1] The group was formed in the early 1980s, after Gaddafi's official resignation as Libyan head of state in favour of the title of "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the First of September Great Revolution of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya". This came as a surprise, as Gaddafi was known for his misogynistic outbursts during the 1970s, and in his Green Book he had made clear that he saw the role of women confined to housekeeping and motherhood. Gaddafi reportedly employed a cadre of female bodyguards because he believed that an Arab gunman would have difficulty firing at women.[2] But it has also been submitted that Gaddafi's female bodyguards are in reality

just an aspect of the dictator's well-known eccentric showmanship and his fondness of surrounding himself with young women.[3]

Candidates for the Amazonian Guard undergo extensive firearms and martial arts training at a special academy, must take an oath of chastity, and must be hand-picked by Gaddafi himself. Members of this bodyguard are allowed privileges such as dressing in Western-style fatigues and wearing makeup, or displaying Western hair styles and high heels. Libyan sources claimed that in June 1998, one of Gaddafi's female bodyguards was killed and seven other wounded when Islamic fundamentalists in Libya ambushed the Colonel's motorcade. It was claimed that the dead girl, Aisha, was Gaddafi's favourite and threw herself across Gaddafi's body to stop the bullets.[4] In November 2006, as Gaddafi arrived at Abuja airport, Nigeria, with a 200-strong troop of heavily armed bodyguards, a diplomatic incident was caused as security officials tried to disarm them. Gaddafi furiously walked away, gesturing that he intended to cover the 40 km to the capital on foot, and could only be persuaded to yield after intervention by Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, who happened to be at the airport by chance.[5] References

1. ^ "Qaddafi's Angels Guard the Libyan During Deal with France". 2007-12-11. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-501051/Five-planes-camel-tent-30-female-virgin-bodyguards--Libyan-leader-Gaddafi-arrives-Paris-entourage.html. Retrieved 2011-02-20.

2. ^ Joseph T. Stanik, El Dorado Canyon: Reagan's undeclared war with Qaddafi, Naval Institute Press, 2003, ISBN 9781557509833, p. 19.

3. ^ e.g. Tony Wheeler, Tony Wheeler's bad lands, Lonely Planet Journeys, 2007, ISBN 9781741791860, p. 197. Al-Madaa, 28 February 2011.

4. ^ attributed to "a Libyan source" by press agencies. "She threw herself on top of the Libyan leader when rebels opened fire on his motorcade, & died riddled with bullets. Seven other women bodyguards were also seriously wounded. A source said: 'Gaddafi was deeply distressed. Aisha, the woman who died, was his top bodyguard.'" [1]

5. ^ Gaddafi in Nigeria airport drama, BBC News, 28 November 2006. See also

Libya portal

• Galyna Kolotnytska External links

• For the Love of the Leader (documentary on the Amazonian Guard) • "Gaddafi's Amazonian Guard". http://laughterizer.weebly.com/1/post/2010/11/gaddafis-amazonian-guard.html. Retrieved

2009-11-09. • Torrence, Samantha (2007-12-21). "Qaddafi's Angels Guard the Libyan During Deal with France".

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/247809. Retrieved 2011-02-20.

Libyan Army From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Active 1951

Country Libya

Branch Army

Size 50,000 (IISS estimate 2009)

Garrison/HQ Tripoli

Engagements Libyan–Egyptian War 1977, Toyota War, Libyan civil war

In 2009 the IISS estimated that the Libyan Ground Forces numbered 25,000 with an additional, estimated, 25,000 conscripts (total estimated 50,000). The IISS estimated that the Ground Forces were organised into 11 Border Defence and 4 Security Zones, one regime security brigade (the 32nd Khamis Brigade), 10 Tank Battalions, 10 Mechanised Infantry Battalions, 18 Infantry Battalions, 6 Commando Battalions, 22 Artillery Battalions, 4 SSM Brigade and 7 Air Defence Artillery Battalions.[1] Doctrine is a mixture of Egyptian doctrine which was adopted after the 1969 coup and socialist principles derived from the concepts of a People’s Army. When Libya gained its independence in 1951, veterans of the original Sanusi Army formed the nucleus of the Royal Libyan Army.[2] Though the Libyan army has a large amount of fighting equipment at its disposal, the vast majority was bought from the Soviet Union in the 70s and 80s and is largely obsolete. A high percentage remains in storage and a large amount of equipment has also been sold to various African countries. The Libyan Army is generally regarded as neither efficient nor well trained. From the late seventies to the mid to late eighties the army was involved in four major incursions into Chadian Territory. The Libyan Army suffered great losses in these conflicts especially that of the Toyota War of 1987 largely due to poor tactics and western aid to Chad. All of these incursions were eventually repulsed and Libya no longer occupies Chad. This conflict was known as the Chadian–Libyan conflict. Equipment In the 1980s and 90s the high technological level of its huge amount of equipment demanded a level of technical competence in operation and maintenance that the Libyan army lacked. Maintenance and repair problems were exacerbated by the diversity of arms sources. The numerous foreign advisers and technicians were insufficient to overcome low standards of support and logistics. Recent years saw the Army undermined by the embargo, which deprived it of new weapons and caused major problems with equipment maintenance. In the 1990s Western agencies intercepted numerous shipments of spare parts and dual-use material being smuggled to Libya. After many years of sanctions, all major areas of the land forces equipment need improvement, especially the replacement of obsolete main battle tanks and artillery. Over half of Libya's armoured forces are thought to be in storage due to the chronic shortage of spare parts and obsolescence. The IISS estimated tank numbers in 2009 as 1,914 (not including those proven to have been captured/destroyed in the Libyan uprising as of March 25): 181 T-72; 115 in store; 89 T-62; 70 in store; 495 T-55; 1,040 T-54/T-55 in store. The IISS estimated there were 50 BRDM-2 and 70 EE-9 Cascavel reconnaissance vehicles, 986 BMP-1s, plus BMD-1s.[3] Russian official sources reported in 2010 that T-72s would be modernized with help from Russia.[4] 748 BTR-50 and BTR-60s were also reported by the IISS. Other reported wheeled vehicles in service include 100 EE-11 Urutu, and Czechoslovak OT-64 SKOT.[5] The IISS estimated artillery in service in 2009 as totaling 2,421 pieces. 444 SP artillery pieces were reported; 122mm 130 2S1 Carnation; 152mm 140: 60 2S3 Akatsiya; 80 M-77 Dana; 155mm 174: 14 M-109; 160 VCA 155 Palmaria. 647+ towed artillery pieces were reported: 105mm 42+ M-101; 122mm 250: 190 D-30; 60 D-74; 130mm 330 M-46; 152mm 25 M-1937. 830 Multiple rocket launchers were reported: an estimated 300 107mm Type-63; 122mm 530: ε200 BM-11; ε229 BM-21 Grad; ε100 RM-70 Dana (RM-70 multiple rocket launcher?). The IISS also estimated that Libya had 500 mortars: 82mm 428; 120mm ε48 M-43; 160mm ε24 M-160. Surface to Surface Missiles reported in service include FROG-7 and SCUD-B, (416 missiles). Anti Tank missiles reported in service include 400 French/German MILAN, and 620+ AT-3, AT-4, and AT-5, all of Soviet manufacture. In 2009 the IISS estimated that Libya had Crotale, SA-7 Grail, SA-9/SA-13 surface to air missiles, and AA guns in Army service. A separate Air Defence Command has SA-2, SA-3, SA-5 Gammon, and SA-8b Gecko, plus guns. Reported anti aircraft artillery includes Soviet 57 mm S-60, 23 mm self-propelled ZSU-23-4 and ZU-23-2, Czech M53/59 Praga, and Swedish Bofors 40mm guns. Small arms reported in service include TT pistol, Beretta M12, FN P90, SKS, AK-47, and AKM assault rifles, the FN F2000, Soviet RPD machine gun, RPK machine gun, PK machine guns, DShK heavy machine gun, KPV heavy machine guns, SG-43 Goryunov, and a number of RPG type and anti-aircraft missile systems: RPG-2, RPG-7, 9K32 Strela-2. During the 2011 Libyan uprising anti-government rebels seized weapons from arsenals on government bases. Defecting Libyan soldiers and civilian volunteers have combined to form the Libyan People's Army to overthrow the Libyan government. Seized firearms include AK-47 assault rifles, FN FAL battle rifles, PKM medium machine guns, SA-7 Grail anti-air rocket launchers and RPG-7 rocket launchers. Heavier weapons seized includes the DsHK heavy machine guns and ZPU-3/2 placed onto trucks for transport to the battlefield or to be attached to the vehicles to be used as technicals. Vehicles that have been seized vary from T-55 type MBT's, a number of ZSU-23-4, and SPAAG. Specific artillery types are of yet unknown but are known to consist of recoilless rifles, mortars, and even trailer towed Katusha rockets. In addition, an Associated Press photo showed a Libyan rebel inspecting a truck-mounted Chinese Type 63 MRL.[6] Combat Experience A sharp series of border clashes occurred with Egypt in 1977, and Libyan forces were flown into Uganda in 1978 in an unsuccessful effort to defend the regime of Idi Amin against invading Tanzanian forces. In addition, the Libyans conducted a series of campaigns in Northern Chad since 1980. Libya launched a campaign against Chad in 1980 and again in 1983. In April 1987, Libya suffered a disastrous defeat in Chad, losing nearly a quarter of its invasion force. Egypt Main article: Libyan–Egyptian War The cause of the hostilities seemed to be by Egyptian punishment for Libyan interference and a warning against the Soviet-backed arms buildup. After border violations alleged by both sides, fighting escalated on July 19, 1977, with an artillery duel, and, two days later, a drive along the coast by Egyptian armor and infantry during which the Libyan army was engaged. Egypt claimed successful surprise air strikes against the Libyan air base at Al Adem, just south of Tobruk, and surface-to-air missile batteries and radar stations were also knocked out.

When the Egyptians withdrew on July 24, most foreign analysts agreed that the Egyptian units had prevailed, although Libyan forces reacted better than had been expected. Libyan army hailed the encounter as a victory, using the fight as justification for further purchases of modern armaments. [edit] Uganda Main article: Uganda–Tanzania War

In the case of Uganda, Libya had intervened on Idi Amin's behalf during his first confrontation with neighboring Tanzania in 1972 by airlifting a contingent of four hundred troops. During the invasion of Uganda by Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles in 1978, a new Libyan force estimated at 2,000 to 2,500 was sent, assisting in the defense of Entebbe and Kampala by covering road junctions with armored equipment. Unprepared and undermotivated Libyan troops were quickly routed in attacks by foot soldiers. As many as 600 Libyans were estimated to have been killed during the Ugandan operation, and the defeated remainder were hurriedly withdrawn. The troops were led to believe they were being airlifted into Uganda for training exercises with Ugandan units. [edit] Chad Main article: Chadian–Libyan conflict

After nearly two decades Col. Moammar Gadhafi's attempts to annex Northern Chad ended in 1987. In just the first three months of 1987, Libya lost almost all the territory it had held in Chad, between $500 million and $1 billion in weapons and one-third of its 15,000 troops. Over 4,000 Libyan soldiers were killed by Chad's forces between January and March 1987. Libyan army was completely defeated and crushed by a force substantially inferior in numbers and equipment. Chad's victory was the result of a mix of Western money, weapons and intelligence and Chadian courage, tactics and leadership. France provided air cover and troops to protect the Chadian rear areas, while the US provided $50 million in equipment and weapons. The U.S. also contributed $25 million in emergency military aid, including transport aircraft and air defense systems. The Chad forces displayed some remarkable tactical innovations: they used Toyota all-terrain vehicles, lightly armored French-made Panhard cars, and Milan antitank and Stinger antiaircraft missiles to destroy Libyan tanks and planes. Libyan Civil War Main article: 2011 Libyan civil war In 2011 protests against the rule of Gaddafi started in Libya. They were inspired by similar protests in other Arab countries. Gaddafi used police and mercenary forces to violently suppress the protest.[citation

needed] This resulted in an armed uprising in Libya between pro-government and anti-government forces. Parts of the army joined the rebels and weapon depots were plundered by protesters.[7] After initial advances by the rebels pro-Gaddafi forces began a counter offensive and started pushing back the rebel fighters.[8] On 17 March 2011, the United Nations Security Council passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, authorizing the use of "all necessary means" to protect civilians in Libya, "excluding a foreign occupation force".[9] On Saturday, 19 March 2011, France began enforcement of the resolution by deploying French fighter aircraft over Libyan airspace.[10]

• First Battle of Benghazi Feb 17 – Feb 20. • Tripoli clashes Feb 17 – Feb 25. • Battle of Az Zawiyah Feb 24 – Mar 10. • Battle of Misrata Feb 24 - ongoing • Battle of Gharyan Mar 1 - Mar 2. • First Battle of Brega Mar 2. • Battle of Ra's Lanuf Mar 4 – Mar 5 (First phase) / Mar 6 – Mar 12 (Second phase). • Battle of Bin Jawad Mar 6. • Second Battle of Brega Mar 13 – Mar 15. • Battle of Ajdabiya Mar 15 – Mar 17 (First phase) / Mar 21 – Mar 26 (Second phase). • Second Battle of Benghazi Mar 19 – Mar 20. • Battle of Az Zintan Mar 21 – ongoing • Late March 2011 Libyan rebel offensive Mar 26 - Mar 30.

References 1. ^ IISS, The Military Balance 2009, p. 256 2. ^ Library of Congress Country Study: Libya, 1988 3. ^ IISS 2009 4. ^ Russia to upgrade 200 Sovier-era tanks for Libya 5. ^ Middle East Military Balance, (2005), "Libyan Military", Libya, Accessed April 24 2007 6. ^ http://images.wbur.org/wbur/custom/0330_libyan-rebels2.jpg?d=350 7. ^ "Libya rebels gain arms, defectors". Boston.com. February 28, 2011.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2011/02/28/libya_rebels_gain_arms_defectors/. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 8. ^ "Rebel forces retreat from Ras Lanuf". Al Jazeera. 10 March 2011.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/201131041228856242.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. and "Rebel push stalls outside Ras Lanuf". Al Jazeera. 10 March 2011. http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/libya/2011/03/2011310131427537949.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011.

9. ^ "Security Council Approves No-Fly Zone over Libya, Authorizing All Necessary Measures to Protect Civilians". United Nations. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm. Retrieved 20 March 2011.

10. ^ "French military jet opens fire in Libya". British Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12795971. Retrieved 20 March 2011.

Further reading • Kenneth M. Pollack, Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948–91, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln and London,

2002, ISBN 0-8032-3733-2 External links Globalsecurity.org, Libyan armed forces

Libyan Navy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Naval Ensign

Active 1962 - present

Country Libya

Type Navy

Size 8,000 personnel 21 ships

The Libyan Navy is the maritime force of Libya, established in November 1962. It is a fairly typical small navy with a few missile frigates, corvettes and patrol boats to defend the coastline, but with a very limited self-defence capability. The Navy has always been the smallest of Libya's services and has always been dependent on foreign sources for equipment, spare parts, and training. Its first warship was delivered in 1966. Initially the effective force was limited to smaller vessels, but this changed after the rise of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi in 1969. From this time, Libya started to buy armaments from Europe and the Soviet Union. The Customs and Harbour police were amalgamated with the Navy in 1970, extending the Navy's mission to include anti-smuggling and customs duties. The total personnel of the Libyan Navy is about 8,000. Background The Navy's primary mission is to defend the coast. A strengthening of the service was made in the 1970s; the Soviet Union sold six Foxtrot-class SSK submarines, and though two of them were only averagely serviceable, they became the main threats to the US Navy in the Mediterranean Sea. In the meantime, Libya bought four Russian Nanuchka class corvettes, that even in the export versions were well-armed and powerful ships. Another four Assad class corvettes were acquired from Italy. These had Otomat long range missiles (in the Mk.I version without datalink for in-flight course correction) and modern artillery. They were less well-armed as anti-aircraft ships than the Nanuchkas but, with a displacement almost twice that of a typical FAC, had ASW capabilities, with sonar and light torpedoes. Actions The only military action seen by the Libyan Navy was an encounter with the United States Sixth Fleet in March 1986 in the Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986), when one missile boat and a corvette were destroyed, and other ships were damaged by A-6s. Unusually, some of these attacks were performed, successfully, with CBUs like the Mk.20 Rockeye designed as an anti-tank weapon. In July 1984, the Ro-Ro ferry Ghat (or Ghada) is believed to have mined the Red Sea a few kilometres south of the Suez Canal. Approximately nineteen ships were damaged, including a Soviet container ship which was the first to be hit on 9 July. The Islamic Jihad Organisation took responsibility for the incident, however Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak did not believe the claims and blamed Muammar al-Gaddafi and Libya. Other sources agreed after it was learnt that the ship took fifteen days to complete a voyage that normally would take eight days, the head of the Libyan minelaying division was on board, and that, when inspected by French officials in Marseilles the aft door was damaged. Due to concerns about the safety and potential lost revenue from the canal, Egypt asked for assistance in sweeping the mines in complex operation that involved mine-hunters from the French, British, Italian, Dutch, and US navies. The British located a Soviet-made mine, which was most likely sold to Libya after 1981 and was laid to cause problems for Egypt.[1] Broadcast by US forces during the 2011 military intervention in Libya warning Libyan vessels of the naval blockade. During the 2011 Libyan uprising, Libyan Navy missile boats docked in Tripoli and began firing into residential areas outside the city centre leading to many casualites.[2] On February 25, 2011 naval officers in the eastern protester controlled areas declared their full support for the February 17 movement against the government.[3] Anti-government forces claimed that the Libyan navy shelled rebel positions during the battle of Ra's Lanuf.[4] They also conducted a naval landing operation with four boats to flank rebel forces in Ra's Lanuf[5] Ships (1985)

• 1 × Vosper Mk.7 frigate, Dat Assawari, (Built in UK, 1×114 mm Mk.8 gun, 2×40 mm/70 AA guns, 2×35mm/90 Oerlikon, 2×Seacat SAM, 1×Limbo Mk.10 ASW mortar. Upgraded in the 80s with Aspide SAM, OTOMAT SSMs, new search radar and other equipment)

• 4 × Assad class corvettes (Built in Italy, 1×76 and 2×35 mm guns, 6 tls, 4 OTOMAT) • 4 × Nanuchka class corvettes • Some light units of Osa and Jaguar class (16×SS-12 missiles and 2×40 mm) • 3 × Polnocny class landing ships

• One LSD ship • Some minor vessels

Ships (2006) Frigates 2 × Koni class frigates (Type 1159) (one operational)

• 212 Al Hani: (Captured by Rebels at Benghazi) • 213 Al Ghardabia:

Armament: • 4 × SS-N-2C Styx SSMs • 2 × SA-N-4 SAMs • 4 × 76mm guns • 4 × 30mm guns • 4 × 406mm torpedoes • 1 × RBU-6000 A/S mortar • 20 mines

Corvettes 2 × Nanuchka class corvettes • 416 Tariq-Ibn Ziyad: (Captured by Rebels) • 418 Ain Zaara:

Armament: • 4 × SS-N-2C Styx SSMs • 2 × SA-N-4 SAMs • 2 × 57mm guns MFPBs

MFPBs 9 × Combattante II fast attack craft (7 operational) Armament:

• 4 × Otomat SSMs • 1 × 76mm gun • 2 × 40mm guns

12 × Osa class missile boats (Type II) (6 operational) Armament:

• 4 × SS-N-2C Styx SSMs • 4 × 30mm guns

Mine warfare vessels 9 × Natya class minesweepers (Type 266ME) (5 operational) Armament:

• 4 × 30mm guns • 4 × 25mm guns • 2 × RBU 1200 A/S mortars • 10 mines • Acoustic & Magnetic sweep

In addition to several auxiliary and landing craft. Submarines 6 × Foxtrot class submarine (2 left but probably abandoned)[6] Originally Libya received six submarines from the Soviet union in 1982. But there were no patrols since 1984 and one submarine is reported sunk in 1993 and another one was abandoned in Lithuania due to international sanctions. There were reports about one submarine being refitted in 2003 but it is very unlikely that the submarines are still operational.[6] Naval Infrastructure Naval bases

• Al-Khums • Benghazi (under the opposition control) • Misrata • Tobruk • Tripoli (bombed by coalition air strikes on March 21, 2011) • Derna

Ship maintenance and repair facilities Facilities at Tripoli with foreign technicians for repair of vessels of up to 6,000 metric tons deadweight (DWT); a 3,200-ton lift floating dock; floating docks at Benghazi and Tobruk. References

1. ^ Levie, Howard. Mine Warfare at Sea. Dordrecht, NL: Martinus Nijhoff, 1992. 159-62. 2. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/21/arab-and-middle-east-protests-middleeast#block-75 3. ^ "Libya's Defectors". The New York Times.

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/02/25/world/africa/100000000664162/tc-022511-libya.html?ref=libya. 4. ^ Chris McGreal (10 March 2011). "Libyan rebels in retreat as Gaddafi attacks by air, land and sea". The Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/10/libya-gaddafi-takes-ras-lanuf. Retrieved 11 March 2011. 5. ^ "Gaddafi loyalists launch offensive". Al Jazeera. 11 March 2011.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/03/201131041228856242.html. Retrieved 11 March 2011. 6. ^ a b "Submarine forces (Libya), Submarines - Submarine forces". Janes. Nov 10, 2010.

http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Underwater-Warfare-Systems/Submarine-forces-Libya.html. Retrieved 11 March 2011. Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Libyan Navy

• Levie, Howard. Mine Warfare at Sea. Dordrecht, NL: Martinus Nijhoff, 1992. • War machines encliclopedy, Limited publishing, in Italian version Armi da guerra. • Annati Massimo, Al diavolo le mine!, RID magazine, Coop Riviera Ligure, Italy, June 2005.

External links • (English) Libyan navy • (English) Navy Inventory • (English) Libyan Navy Inventory today

Libyan Foxtrot class submarine, 1982. A port beam view of the Soviet built project 205ER (NATO code Osa II) guided missile boat El Mtkhur (525) underway. Libyan frigate Al Ghardabia in Valletta, 2005.

A starboard quarter view of a Libyan (Italian-built) Assad class missile corvette underway, 1982. Burning Libyan corvette, 1986

Libyan Air Force

Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Libiyya From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Active 1970 -present

Size 18,000–22,000 personnel 374 aircraft

HQ Okba Ben Nafi, Tripoli

Engagements Six-Day War 1967 Yom Kippur War 1973 Libyan–Egyptian War 1977 Chadian–Libyan conflict 1978-1987 Gulf of Sidra incidents 1981, 1989 Libyan uprising of 2011

Current commander

General Ali Sharif al-Rifi[1]

Roundel

Attack Su-22, J-21, Mi-14, Mi-24, Bell 206,

Bomber Su-24

Fighter MiG-21, MiG-23, Mirage F1

Trainer SF-260, L-39, G-2, Yak-130

Transport An-26, Falcon 20, Falcon 50, Gulfstream II, Il-76, L-410, C-130, Il-78 Midas, Bell 212, CH-47, Mi-8

The Libyan Air Force (Arabic: القوات الجوية الليبية ) is the air force of Libya, with an air force personnel estimated at 18,000–22,000 and an inventory of 374 combat capable aircraft.[2] There are 13 military airbases in Libya.[3] After U.S. forces had left Libya in 1970, Wheelus Air Base, a previous U.S. facility about seven miles from Tripoli, became a Libyan Air Force installation and was renamed Okba Ben Nafi Air Base. OBN AB housed the LPAF's headquarters and a large share of its major training facilities. LPAF Soviet-made MiG-17/19/25 fighters and Tu-22 bombers were based at Okba Ben Nafi Air Base. Of the combat aircraft, the United States Department of State estimated in 1983 that 50 percent remained in storage, including most of the MiG fighters and Tu-22 bombers. History Cold War The air force was first established as the Royal Libyan Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakiya al Libiyya) in 1951. In 1970 it changed its name to the Libyan Arab Republic Air Force. During the Cold War, aircraft and personnel of the Soviet Air Force took residence at Okba Ben Nafi Air Base. With Soviet assistance, the Libyan Air Force was organized into one medium bomber squadron with Tupolev Tu-22s, three fighter interceptor squadrons, five forward ground attack squadrons, one counter-insurgency squadron, nine helicopter squadrons, and three air defense brigades deploying SA-2, SA-3, and Crotale missiles.[4] In 1971, 11 civilian C-130's were delivered by the USA and converted in Italy to military versions. Four C-100-30's were purchased from the Philippines and Luxembourg in 1981. In 1976, 20 CH-47 Chinook heavy transport helicopters were acquired from Italy, 14 of which were transferred to the army in the 1990s. The Libyan Air Force operated a number of MiG-25, possibly more than 60 were delivered, consisting of MiG-25PD, MiG-25RBK, MiG-25PU and MiG-25RU variants. During the Libyan-Egyptian War in 1977 there were some skirmishes between Libyan and Egyptian fighters. Two LARAF MiG-23MS engaged two upgraded EAF MiG-21MF and one MiG-23MS was shot down by EAF Maj. Sal Mohammad.[citation needed] In the 1970s and 80s Libyan Migs and Tupolevs were common visitors to the international airspace, close to Italy and NATO bases. On July 19, 1980, a Libyan MiG-23 crashed on the Sila Mountains in Castelsilano, Calabria, southern Italy.[5] On 27 June 1980 an Italian plane exploded while on route from Bologna to Palermo, off the island of Ustica. The most accepted theory is that the aircraft was shot down during a dogfight involving Libyan and NATO fighters in an attempted assassination of an important Libyan politician, who was flying in the same airspace that evening.[citation needed] The Libyan Arab Republic Air Force (LARAF) lost a total of four aircraft to United States Navy F-14 Tomcats in two incidents over the Gulf of Sidra, in 1981 and 1989. In addition, many planes were destroyed or damaged on the ground in 1986 when American planes attacked targets at Benghazi and Tripoli airports.The air force was extensively used in the fighting in Chad in the 1980s, in support of Libyan ground units. It was reported that many Libyan bombing raids were carried out at excessively high altitudes when met with anti-aircraft fire so the attacks did not play a decisive role. On 17 February 1986, in retaliation for the French Operation Epervier, a single LARAF Tu-22B attacked the airport at N'Djamena. The French air force bombed the Libyan air base at Ouadi Doum as retaliation. One Tu-22 bomber was shot down by captured SA-6 missile during an attack on an abandoned Libyan base on 8 August 1987. Another Tu-22 was lost on 7 September 1987, when a battery of French MIM-23 Hawk SAMs shot down one of the two LARAF bombers that were attacking N'Djamena. The Chadians seized Ouadi Doum base in 1987 and destroyed or captured two SF.260s, three Mi-25s, two Tu-22B bombers, eleven L-39 jets, two complete SA-8 SAM-batteries and a plethora of additional equipment, weapons, supplies and ammunition, a good deal of which was flown out to France and the USA within the next

five days. Four USAF C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft were sent to N'Djamena to collect the captured Libyan equipment. On 5 September 1987 Chadian technicals crossed into Libya and attacked the Maaten al-Sarra Air Base which is 60 miles (97 km) in Libyan territory. The battle of Maaten al-Sarra was a major victory for Chad and several Libyan aircraft were destroyed on the ground with only minor Chadian casualties.[6] On 8 October 1987, an Su-22M-22K was shot down by a FIM-92A Stinger missile in northern Chad. The pilot, Capt. Diya al-Din, ejected and was captured. The LARAF immediately organized a recovery operation, and a Mig-23 Flogger was also shot down by another Stinger. In December 1988 a Libyan SF.260 was shot down over northern Chad by Chadian troops. The Libyan Arab Republic Air Force (LARAF) was also involved in combat against Tanzania during 1979 as part of the Uganda–Tanzania War to help its Ugandan allies, with a single Tu-22 flying an unsuccessful bombing mission against the town of Mwanza.[citation needed] On the other side, the considerable Libyan cargo plane fleet, was apparently employed capably in Chad and elsewhere. Post–Cold War With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the elimination of military aid by the new Russian Federation, Soviet/Russian support was drastically curtailed. The last major delivery of Soviet aircraft was 15 Su-24 Fencers in March/April 1989. Much of Libyan air doctrine appears now to be of an ad hoc nature and contracted personnel from Yugoslavia, South Africa, Russia, North Korea and Pakistan provide piloting, maintenance and technical services. The 1990s drop in oil prices and UN embargo made purchase of modern equipment almost impossible. UN sanctions were lifted in early 1999 and Libya started prospective negotiations with Russia about upgrades for its MiG-21s and MiG-25s while also expressing an interest in MiG-29s, MiG-31s and long-range SAMs. However, many of the transport and combat aircraft are in storage. In January 2008 Libya bought 4 ATR-42MP maritime patrol aircraft from Italy’s Alenia. The LARAF MiG-21s do not fly at all due to reported serviceability issues and of 170 MiG-23s delivered, only 30-50 are believed to be flyable aircraft. Those ratios may be similar for several other platforms. 2011 Libyan uprising / Libyan Civil War / NATO intervention Main article: Free Libyan Air Force During the 2011 Libyan uprising, Libyan Air Force warplanes and attack helicopters launched repeated airstrikes on protesters, reportedly targeting a funeral procession and a group of protesters trying to reach an army base.[7][8] On 21 February 2011, two senior Libyan Air Force pilots defected and flew their Mirage F1[9] fighter jets to Malta and requested political asylum after defying orders to bomb protesters.[10] On 23 February 2011, pilot Abdessalam Attiyah al-Abdali and co-pilot Ali Omar al-Kadhafi, crew of a Sukhoi-22,[9] ejected with parachutes near Ajdabiya, 100 miles west of Benghazi, after refusing orders to bomb the city of Benghazi.[9][11] Anti-Gaddafi forces and Syrian opposition groups claim that Syrian pilots were flying attacks for the Libyan government.[12] Rebels claim they have shot down Air Force jets over Brega and Ras Lanuf.[9][13][14] At Brega a Mirage F-1 was shot down[9] and at Ra's Lanuf a Sukhoi Su-24 bomber and a helicopter (probably a Mi-24).[9] Exactly how many and what types of aircraft have been shot down have yet to be confirmed by government or independent sources. Using air power, the Libyan army checked the opposition advance westwards, towards Bin Jawad in early March.[15] On March 13, 2011, Ali Atiyya, a colonel of the Libyan Air Force at the Mitiga military airport, near Tripoli, announced that he had defected and joined the revolution.[16] Rebels claim to have shot down what appears to be a MiG-21 outside of Bohadi [17] On 17 March, Su-22M-3K, shot down over Benina AB, pilot ejected safely and captured.[18] On 17 March, a "Free Libya Air Force" MiG-21UM crashed after take off from Benina airport due to technical problems. It was flown from Ghardabiya AB (near Syrte) to Benina by a defecting pilot, on previous day.[19] On 19 March 2011, a rebel Free Libyan Air Force MiG-23BN was shot down over Benghazi by rebel air defence forces in a case of mistaken identity.[20] The pilot ejected, but at a very low altitude, and was reported to have been killed as a result.[21][22][23][24] BBC News reported on 20 March that the rebel aircraft was shot down by its own air defenses[25] Later the same day the no-fly zone began to be enforced by a multi-national military coalition. It was part of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 which was adopted two days earlier. US and British warships launched more than 120 Tomahawk cruise missiles against Libyan air defences and four US B-2 stealth bombers attacked several airfields. A British Trafalgar Class Submarine [26] also fired Tomahawk cruise missiles at Libyan air defences.[27] On 22 March 2011 a German tabloid Bild has reported that a Libyan Air Force transport aircraft was shot down by coalition fighters 60 miles east of Benghazi.[28] On 23 March 2011 British Air Vice-Marshal Greg Bagwell was quoted by the BBC saying that the Libyan air force "no longer exists as a fighting force".[29] On 24 March 2011 several media sources reported that a French Dassault Rafale shot down a G-2 Galeb near Misrata. Initial reports of the French action said the Libyan plane, a G-2/Galeb with a single engine, was in the air when it was hit. French military spokesman Col Thierry Burkhard later said the plane had just landed when the attack took place. On 26 March 2011, French Air Force reported that 5 Soko G-2 Galeb aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Misrata airport together with 2 Mi-35 helicopters.[30] Military airports / Civil War Military airforce bases include [31]:

• Mitiga, (near Tripoli): formerly USAF Wheelus Air Base, later Okba Ben Nafi when used by Soviet Union forces. Damaged by Coalition air and missile strikes on March 20 and 21

• Maaten al-Sarra Air Base south of Libya • Benina (near Benghazi) under anti-Ghadafi forces control • Misrata Airport, damaged by coalition air strikes on March 25 and 26 • Ghardabiya Air Base Map near Sirt, damaged by Coalition air and missile strikes on March 20 and 21 • Ghadames • Sabha Air Base, damaged by coalition air strikes on March 21 • Al Bayda, under anti-Ghadafi forces control • Tobruk, under anti-Ghadafi forces control • El Ademe, under anti-Ghadafi forces control • Ghat • Okba Ibn Nafa Air Base in western Libya • Juffra / Al Jufra Air Base attacked by French Air Force on March 24

Current air force equipment

Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service Notes

Dassault Mirage F1

France Multi role fighter

Mirage F1BD/ED 1 (2 in Malta) 32 delivered in the seventies, most of them have disappeared. Some are based at Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base, south of Tobruk. In 2007,

Dassault Aviation was awarded a contract to put 12 remaining airframes back into flying condition. Only four have been refitted.[32] Two were flown to Malta on 21 February 2011 by pilots who, by their account, chose to apply for asylum after being instructed to bomb protesters.[33] One shot down by anti-Gadaffi forces on 3 March 2011.[34]

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

Soviet Union

Trainer/interceptor

MiG-21UM/bis 23

Most are grounded. On 15 March 2011, one MiG-21bis and one MiG-21UM landed at Benina airport flown by defector Libyan air force pilot who joined the rebellion.[35] On 17 March 2011, a "Free Libyan Air Force" MiG-21UM crashed after take off from Benina airport due to technical problems. It was flown from Ghardabiya AB (near Sirte) to Benina by a defecting pilot, the previous day.[19]

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23

Soviet Union

Ground attack/interceptor/trainer

MiG-23BN/MS/ML/UB

109

Most are grounded. 2011 civil war in February and March: at least 4 captured by rebels in air base in Benghazi February and March 2011.[citation needed] Four captured by rebels at Tobruk air base.[36] Four captured by rebels in hangar at Misrata.[37] One captured by rebels at Al-Abrak.[38] On 15 March 2011, a rebel website reported that opposition forces started using a captured MiG-23 and a helicopter to sink 2 loyalist ships and bombing some tank positions.[39][40] On 19 March 2011, a rebel Free Libyan Air Force MiG-23BN was shot down over Benghazi.[20][41]

Sukhoi Su-22

Soviet Union

Ground attack Sukhoi Su-22M3/UM-3K

37

One lost on 23 February 2011 as the crew of two refused to follow an order to attack protesters and ejected out of their plane, which crashed near Ajdabiya, 100 miles west of Benghazi.[42] A number of other Su-22 are claimed as shot down by the rebels[35] One shot down over Benghazi on March 17[43]

Sukhoi Su-24

Soviet Union

Bomber/Ground attack

Sukhoi Su-24MK 2

One lost in a fire, One reported to have been shot down outside Ra's Lanuf on 5 March 2011 by anti-Gaddafi rebels.[44]

Soko J-21 Jastreb

Yugoslavia Light ground attack

J-21E 13

Aero L-39 Albatros

Czechoslovakia

Light attack/trainer

Aero L-39ZO 110

Aermacchi SF.260

Italy Basic trainer SF.260WL/ML 19 One SF.260ML crushed under a tank at Misrata airport on February 23, 2011.[45]

Soko G-2 Galeb

Yugoslavia Light attack/trainer

G-2A-E 104

One shot down by a French Rafale fighter over Misrata on March 24, 2011.[46] Four captured by rebels in hangar at Misrata airport.[37] On 26 March 2011, French Air Force reported that 6 Galeb aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Misrata airport together with 2 Mi-35 helicopters. [47]

Yakovlev Yak-130

Russia Jet trainer

6 On order (2010); Status up in balance after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announces ban on arms sales to Libya.[48]

Dassault Falcon 20

France Light transport

3

Antonov An-26

Soviet Union

Medium transport

10 17 February 2011. One An-26 captured by protesters in Kufra[35]

Antonov An-72

Soviet Union

Medium transport

5 Google imagery (2011) shows two aircraft parked at Mitiga airport.

Gulfstream II USA Light transport

1

Dassault Falcon 50

France Light transport

1

Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Heavy

17

Union transport

Let L-410T Turbolet

Czechoslovakia

Light utility transport

15

Lockheed C-130H Hercules

USA Heavy transport

10

Antonov An-124

Soviet Union

Heavy transport

2 Google imagery (2011) shows two aircraft parked at Tripoli International Airport

Ilyushin Il-78

Soviet Union

Air to air refueller

4

Mil Mi-24 Hind

Russia Heavy attack helicopter

Mi-24A/Mi-25/Mi-35

35

Three captured by Chadian rebels in the 80s and sent to France and US for evaluation. Some source considers Mi-35; #853 destroyed by fire on the ground on 23 Feb 2011 or days before[citation needed] #854 captured by rebels.[9] Mi-24 shot down by anti-Gaddafi rebels in Misrata, 28 Feb 2011.[citation needed]. Mi-24[citation needed] shot down anti-Gaddafi rebels in Ra's Lanuf, 6 March 2011[49] On 26 March 2011, French Air Force reported that 2 Mi-35 helicopters were destroyed on the ground at Misrata airport together with 5 Galeb aircrafts.[50]

Mil Mi-14 Russia

Medium utility helicopter

12

2011 civil war in February and March: One captured by rebels at Benghazi[51]

Bell 206 JetRanger

USA Training helicopter

4

Bell 212 Twin Huey

USA Light transport helicopter

2 Delivered from Italy

Boeing CH-47 Chinook

USA Heavy transport helicopter

CH-47C 8 Delivered from Italy

Mil Mi-8 Hip Russia

Medium transport helicopter

25

Mil Mi-17 Russia

Medium transport helicopter

?

Status up in balance after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announces ban on arms sales to Libya.[48]

Lavochkin SA-2

Soviet Union

Air defence SAM

88 At least 2 have been reported captured by anti-government protesters and defected military units in Tobruk.[citation needed]

Isayev SA-3

Soviet Union

Air defence SAM

10

SA-5

Soviet Union

Air defence SAM

?

SA-6

Soviet Union

Air defence SAM

43

Retired Aircraft • Dassault Mirage V[52]

• MiG-25 [53]

• Boeing 707

• Tupolev Tu-22 - Grounded due to lack of spare parts. • Aeritalia G222 • Aerospatiale Super Frelon • Mil Mi-2 • F-5 Tiger[54]

References 1. ^ http://www.ansamed.info/en/libia/news/ME.YBL40539.html 2. ^ Military Balance 2010. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2010. p. 263. 3. ^ Middle East Military Balance: Libya 4. ^ Library of Congress Country Study Libya, Chapter 5:National Security, 1987 5. ^ http://www.economypoint.org/a/aircraft-crash-of-ustica.html 6. ^ "THE WORLD: CHAD; NDJAMENA SENDS TROOPS INTO LIBYA". New York Times. September 13, 1987.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEED81131F930A2575AC0A961948260. Retrieved 11 March 2011.

7. ^ "Report: Libya air force bombs protesters heading for army base - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News". Haaretz.com. 2008-04-02. http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/report-libya-air-force-bombs-protesters-heading-for-army-base-1.344775. Retrieved 2011-02-21.

8. ^ Yasmine Ryan. "Report: Libyan protesters fired on - Africa". Al Jazeera English. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/201122116042447579.html. Retrieved 2011-02-21.

9. ^ a b c d e f g "Libyan Air Force during the revolt". Zurf Military Aircraft. http://aircraft.zurf.info/article/libyan-air-force-during-revolt. Retrieved 8 March 2011.

10. ^ "Updated: Libyan fighter jets arrive in Malta". timesofmalta.com. http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110221/local/two-libyan-fighter-jets-arrive-in-malta-two-helicopters-land. Retrieved 2011-02-21.

11. ^ "Libya pilot rejects Benghazi bombing, ditches plane". http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/6298/World/Region/Libya-pilot-rejects-Benghazi-bombing,-ditches-plan.aspx. Retrieved 25 February 2011.

12. ^ "Syrian pilots said to be flying Libyan fighter jets". World Tribune. March 10, 2011. http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_libya0257_03_10.asp. Retrieved 11 March 2011.

13. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me_AtWpu9nI 14. ^ http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/947638--the-star-in-libya-rebels-quash-gadhafi-raid 15. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12673956 16. ^ http://www.libyafeb17.com/2011/03/crowd-mourns-ali-hassan-al-jabir/ 17. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVWge8QTqzY 18. ^ http://theboresight.blogspot.com/2011/03/libyan-conflict-fixed-wing-combat.html 19. ^ a b http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=121151 20. ^ a b http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12794589 21. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/19/c_13787579.htm 22. ^ Libya Feb 17, http://www.libyafeb17.com/. 23. ^ http://www.myfoxlubbock.com/news/world/story/Plane-shot-down-over-rebel-held-city-in-

Libya/9x2_eMAtKU6TqK6LILL-rw.cspx 24. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12795971 25. ^ "Benghazi 'bombarded by pro-Gaddafi forces'". BBC News. 20 Mar 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-

africa-12797941. Retrieved 20 Mar 2011. 26. ^ [1] 27. ^ Sam Dagher , Adam Entous, and Keith Johnson (20 March 2011). "Allied Forces Attack Libya". Wall Street

Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704021504576211690643186556.html. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 28. ^ http://www.bild.de/BILD/Newsticker/news-ticker/2011/03/22/22-18-libyen-abschuss.html 29. ^ "Gaddafi's air force 'defeated'". BBC News. 23 March 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12837330.

Retrieved 23 March 2011. 30. ^ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4048029,00.html 31. ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/libya/airfields.htm 32. ^ "La Libye n'a plus que deux Mirage F1 en état de vol". http://www.marianne2.fr/blogsecretdefense/La-Libye-n-a-

plus-que-deux-Mirage-F1-en-etat-de-vol_a142.html. Retrieved 25 February 2011. 33. ^ "Libyan fighter jets arrive in Malta". http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110221/local/two-libyan-

fighter-jets-arrive-in-malta-two-helicopters-land. Retrieved 25 February 2011. 34. ^ "The Star in Libya: Rebels quash Gadhafi raid". http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/947638--the-star-in-

libya-rebels-quash-gadhafi-raid. Retrieved 5 March 2011. 35. ^ a b c http://theboresight.blogspot.com/2011/03/libyan-conflict-fixed-wing-combat.html 36. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0P-vz4xp1s&feature=related 37. ^ a b http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0orW5K8Xoas&feature=related 38. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2011/feb/24/libya-unrest-in-pictures#/?picture=372053001&index=11 39. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/us-libya-ships-newspaper-idUSTRE72E6C520110315 40. ^ http://www.newsfrommiddleeast.com/?xstart=b&new=75934 41. ^ "Libya crisis: war plane shot down over Benghazi". The Daily Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8392375/Libya-crisis-war-plane-shot-down-over-Benghazi.html. Retrieved 20 March 2011.

42. ^ "Libya pilot ‘rejects Benghazi raid, ditches plane’". www.dawn.com. http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/23/libya-pilot-rejects-benghazi-raid-ditches-plane.html. Retrieved 2011-02-23.

43. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yfzAV4xzQg 44. ^ "Gaddafi and rebel forces in heavy clashes in town of Zawiya".

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8363927/Gaddafi-and-rebel-forces-in-heavy-clashes-in-town-of-Zawiya.html. Retrieved 6 March 2011.

45. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=94933 46. ^ "Gadhafi's Warplane Shot Down by French Fighter Jets in Misrata". ABC. March 24, 2011.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/war-libya-moammar-gadhafi-warplane-misrata-shot-french/story?id=13210685. 47. ^ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4048029,00.html 48. ^ a b "Russia bans arms sales to Libya". http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/03/20113107287576160.html.

Retrieved 10 March 2011. 49. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/06/libya-east-helicopter-idUSLDE72506H20110306%7Ctitle=Libya

rebels say shoot down helicopter in east 50. ^ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4048029,00.html

51. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12588839 52. ^ Libyan Mirages in Use for Pakistan AF Spares, Air Forces Monthly, June 2008 issue, p. 32 53. ^ Libya Opens Up Air Forces Monthly, February 2007, p. 4 & 69 54. ^ "The Northrop F-5 Enthusiast Page". http://home.eblcom.ch/f5enthusiast/AirForces/LibyaAF.html. Retrieved 23

March 2011. World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. File 337 Sheet 03 Further reading Libyan Air Force article, Air Forces Monthly, September 2010 External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Libyan Air Force

• Al Quwwatal Jawwiya al Jamahiriya - Libyan Arab Republic Air Force(LARAF • Libyan Air Force - Globalsecurity.org • Libyan Air Forces - Historical Listings - worldairforces.com • Libyan Detachment in Malta - aeroflight.co.uk • Photos of Libyan military aircraft - airliners.net • http://www.avions-militaires.net/dossiers/armee-air/lby.php (French)

Libyan MiG-25

Damage to the Libyan Air Force airfield Ghardabiya after being attacked by coalition aircraft, 20 March 2011. Su-22M-3K Fitter aircraft.

A USN F-14 destroying a MiG-23 with an AIM-9 Sidewinder, during the Second Gulf of Sidra incident

Royal Libyan Air Force roundel;now adopted by the Free Libyan Air Force.

People on a tank in a Benghazi rally, 23 February 2011