From Flight Global:

 

RAF commits Typhoons to ground attack role

 

[excerpt]

 

The UK has stepped up its commitment to the NATO-led campaign to contain Libya's armed forces by adding four Panavia Tornado GR4s to its contribution and placing an equal number of Eurofighter Typhoons at readiness to conduct offensive action. ... Separately, the MoD announced on 5 April that some of its eight Gioia del Colle-based Typhoons have for the first time been made available to conduct strikes against land-based targets in Libya.

Ya know, I realize that budgets are tight, and that modern precision guided weapons mean that small numbers of aircraft can have large effects, but still, the numbers of aircraft being committed seem ridiculously small. Four aircraft from here, half a dozen from there ... has anybody sent as much as a single squadron?

Ya know, I realize that budgets are tight, and that modern precision guided weapons mean that small numbers of aircraft can have large effects, but still, the numbers of aircraft being committed seem ridiculously small. Four aircraft from here, half a dozen from there ... has anybody sent as much as a single squadron?

 

I think they're committing enough to test those high-priced combat systems of different kinds they've bought, but don't want to support the whole bunch of them.

From DefenseNews:

 

NATO careful as Gadhafi troops change tactics

 

[excerpt]

 

NATO 'Careful' as Gadhafi Troops Change Tactics

By ELLA IDE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 6 Apr 2011 12:02

 

NAPLES, Italy - NATO is being "particularly careful" with its air strikes in Libya as government troops have begun using civilians as human shields, the deputy commander of operations said April 6.

It could be time to begin dropping leaflets over these target areas. Warning that it "could be hazardous to your health" to linger around military targets. And that bombs will fall the next time. This could get the crews to abandon the weapons as well as the civilians

Special Focus - NATO and Libya

 

Special Focus - Libya is a collection of articles by leading experts with their latest analysis on the topic of Libya. Feature articles, opinion pieces, and links to pertinent resources and organizations have been collected by NATO Multimedia Library staff here for easy access.

Two more Rafale Marine F3 added to the Charles de Gaulle air wing in 7 April 2011 (Total now in the air wing 10xRafale, 6xSuper Etendard, 2xHawkeye):

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=115841

 

Updated French air operations. Rafale Air, Mirage 2000D and Mirage F-1CR are operating from Solenzara, Corse.

Latest targets destroyed:

1 April: 1xTank west of Misratah.

2 April: 5xAFV near Sirte/Surt.

3 April: 2xTank Transporters near Ras Lanouf.

5 April: 1xUnidentified military vehicle south-west of Brega.

6 April: 2xSAM sites, one south of Zlitan, another 100 Km south of Sirte/Surt.

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=115870

Thanks for the wealth of information. Anyone has a good article on speculations on the strategy being used? To me it seems Gaddafis plan to just sit it out is tough to counter without a full invasion.

My forecast in the corresponding trend about the "Libyan protest" (this one must be only about the no-fly zone), on 23 February, was:

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?s...12838&st=15

The news are very scarce, and for me, if they are not a clear victory of the opossition in the next 48 hours (my intuitive limit is the next friday afternoon), Gadaffi will keep in charge (and when he dies, his sons ....).

And:

My idea is some media, as Al Jazeera, are doctoring news for support the opossition and the world opinion against Gadaffi, but they are not "real" news, I fear it's only a induced collective delusion, and the opossition to Gadaffi it's not improving his factual position for overthrow Gadaffi by the force (no doubts, for me Gadaffi is a narcissistic mad man, a proved terrorist, and the worst type of dictator, no doubting in kill openly his own people. But history tells us, as in the Tiananmen Square case, a dictatorship can prevail for years after shot openly against his own people in the streets).

 

Now on 9 April 2011 we can see more clearly Gadaffi (or his sons, I remember also some sons of Saddam Hussein were killed in combat for sake of Iraq post-war stability) will keep the power in Libya, perhaps with Libya divided in Tripolitania+Fezzan, ruled by Gadaffi, and Cyrenaica, ruled by the insurgents, but only with the previous support and ulterior stabilization by UN ground forces.

From Flight Global

 

[excerpt]

 

DATE: 13/04/11

SOURCE: Flight International

LIBYA: RAF Typhoons drop first bombs in combat

By Craig Hoyle

 

The UK has given the historic first offensive use to the Eurofighter Typhoon, with two Royal Air Force aircraft having dropped precision-guided bombs on Libyan targets on 12 April.

Found this via SimHQ:

 

Libya from pilots point of view

From DefenseNews

 

[excerpt]

 

U.S. Ignores Plea for More Libya Strikes: France

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Published: 14 Apr 2011 15:12

 

BERLIN - The United States has rebuffed a French request for U.S. warplanes to resume major air raids in Libya, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said April 14 after talks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

From Flight Global

 

[excerpt]

 

DATE: 27/04/11

SOURCE: Flight International

 

LIBYA: NATO confirms F-16 pilot safe after Sigonella ejection

By Craig Hoyle

 

A coalition aircraft involved in the Operation Unified Protector campaign to defend Libyan civilians has crashed on landing at Sigonella air base in Sicily, NATO has announced.

From Army Times

 

[excerpt]

 

NATO: Gadhafi forces caught mining Misrata port

By Slobodan Lekic - The Associated Press

Posted : Friday Apr 29, 2011 19:17:20 EDT

 

BRUSSELS — NATO warships have intercepted several boats laying anti-shipping mines outside the harbor of the Libyan city of Misrata, military officials said Friday.

The French official source of news about French air operations in Libya (that used by meretmarine.com), browsing also information about other French operations and photos:

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/operations/autr...ibye/actualites