Operation Ellamy: Difference between revisions
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** 3 x [[Boeing E-3 Sentry|Sentry AEW.1]] [[Airborne early warning and control|AWACS]] aircraft |
** 3 x [[Boeing E-3 Sentry|Sentry AEW.1]] [[Airborne early warning and control|AWACS]] aircraft |
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** 1 x [[Raytheon Sentinel|Sentinel R1]] airborne standoff radar aircraft from [[RAF Waddington]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm |title=Coalition Operations n Libya to Continue |work=MOD |date=21 March 2011}}</ref> |
** 1 x [[Raytheon Sentinel|Sentinel R1]] airborne standoff radar aircraft from [[RAF Waddington]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm |title=Coalition Operations n Libya to Continue |work=MOD |date=21 March 2011}}</ref> |
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** 2 x [[Vickers VC10|VC-10]] air-to-air refuelling tankers{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} |
** 2 x [[Vickers VC10|VC-10]] air-to-air refuelling tankers from [[RAF Brize Norton]]{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} |
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** [[Lockheed TriStar (RAF)|TriStar K1]] air-to-air refuelling tankers.All support aircraft are designated under 907 Expeditionary Air Wing.<ref>http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm</ref> |
** [[Lockheed TriStar (RAF)|TriStar K1]] air-to-air refuelling tankers from [[RAF Brize Norton]]. All support aircraft are designated under 907 Expeditionary Air Wing.<ref>http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm</ref> |
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==Summary of operation== |
==Summary of operation== |
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Revision as of 19:39, 21 March 2011
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (March 2011) |
| Operation Ellamy | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of 2011 Military intervention in Libya | |||||
 A Eurofighter Typhoon from the RAF | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 United Kingdom |
 Libya | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
|
Rear Admiral Ian Corder (Maritime)[1] |
Muammar al-Gaddafi | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| See Deployed Forces | Unknown | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| None | Multiple air force defences severely disabled.[citation needed] | ||||
|
Unknown, unverified claim by Gaddafi-controlled Libyan state media of 48 civilians killed, 150 wounded as a result of all UN operations[2][dubious – discuss] Coalition forces have not reported any casualties on either side. | |||||
Operation Ellamy is the codename for the United Kingdom participation in the 2011 Military intervention in Libya.[3] The operation is part of an international coalition aimed at enforcing a Libyan no-fly zone in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1973 which stipulated that "all necessary measures" shall be taken to protect civilians.[4] The United States' counterpart to this is Operation Odyssey Dawn, the Canadian counterpart is Operation MOBILE and the French counterpart is Opération Harmattan.
The no-fly zone was proposed during the 2011 Libyan uprising to prevent government forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi from carrying out air attacks on rebel forces. Several countries have prepared to take immediate military action at a conference in Paris on 19 March, 2011.[5]
The operation includes Eurofighter Typhoon and Panavia Tornado combat aircraft, as well as Sentry AEW.1, Sentinel R1 surveillance aircraft and Tristar air-to-air refuelling aircraft.[6] HMS Triumph, a Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine, fired Tomahawk cruise missiles.[7]
Background to operation
The UN Security Council Resolution 1973 passed on the evening of 17 March 2011 gave a mandate to countries wishing to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya militarily. A conference involving international leaders took place in Paris on the afternoon of Saturday 19 March 2011.[8] International military action commenced after the conference finished, with French military fighter jets being the first to participate in the operation only a few hours after the conference finished in Paris with the first shot fired at 1645 GMT against a Libyan tank.[9]
Deployed forces
- Royal Navy[1]
- Royal Air Force
- Joint Force Air Component Headquarters at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
- Est. 8-12 x Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters from RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars[5], around 10 deployed to Italy as 906 Expenditionary Air Wing[12][13]
- Est. 6-12 x Tornado GR4 interdictor/strike aircraft from RAF Marham and RAF Lossiemouth[1]
- 3 x Sentry AEW.1 AWACS aircraft
- 1 x Sentinel R1 airborne standoff radar aircraft from RAF Waddington[14]
- 2 x VC-10 air-to-air refuelling tankers from RAF Brize Norton[citation needed]
- TriStar K1 air-to-air refuelling tankers from RAF Brize Norton. All support aircraft are designated under 907 Expeditionary Air Wing.[15]
Summary of operation
- Day 1 - 19 March 2011
On the afternoon of 19 March, the Royal Navy Trafalgar-class submarine HMS Triumph[16] fired Tomahawk cruise missiles.[17] A combined total along with US over the day was reported by the US to be over 110 missiles.[18] The Royal Navy also has a Type 22 frigate (HMS Cumberland) and a Type 23 frigate (HMS Westminster) engaged in a naval blockade.
David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, confirmed that British aircraft were in action over Libya on the 19th,[19] although it was the French Air Force who made the first coalition aerial presence over Libya earlier the same day.
Sentry, Sentinel and VC-10 aircraft were said to be carrying out operations from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.[1] The home base for the VC-10 aircraft was RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and for the Sentinel and Sentry aircraft was RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.
On the night of 19-20 March 2011, Storm Shadow missiles were launched by Tornado GR4 aircraft.[20] Tornados of No. 9 Squadron from RAF Marham had sortied on a 3,000 mi (4,800 km) mission to fire Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Libya. They required refuelling by British tanker aircraft three times on the outward journey and once on the return. Tristar aircraft were involved.[21]
- Day 2 - 20 March 2011
The MoD announced that Tornado and Typhoon aircraft would be deployed to the Italian Gioia del Colle Air Base.[1]
A Trafalgar-class submarine launched further Tomahawk cruise missiles at targets in Libya.[1]
Tornados GR4s, flying from Marham, were about to attack a target but did not fire their missiles due to reports of civilians near the target[12]
- Day 3 - 21 March 2011
The Prime Minister announced to Parliament that RAF Typhoons from Gioia del Colle would fly in support of the NFZ on 21 March. 3 Typhoons have successfully conducted a mission and returend to Gioia del Colle[22]
Military equipment used
Military action commenced on 19 March 2011 with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force participating.
Royal Navy
Royal Air Force
See also
- Opération Harmattan - French contribution to the enforcement of UNSCR 1973
- Operation Odyssey Dawn – US contribution to the enforcement of UNSCR 1973
- Operation MOBILE - Canadian contribution to the enforcement of UNSCR 1973
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Libya update". Ministry of Defence. 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Gaddafi denounces foreign intervention". Al Jazeera English. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Libya assault: UN's calculated gamble", BBC News, 19 March 2011, retrieved 20 March 2011
- ^ "Security Council authorizes 'all necessary measures' to protect civilians in Libya". United Nations. un.org. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b Judd, Terri (19 March 2011). "Operation Ellamy: Designed to strike from air and sea". The Independent. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "RAF fighter jets head off ready for Libya mission". The Press and Journal. 19 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ^ "Updated: British Armed Forces launch strike against Libyan air defence systems", Ministry of Defence: Defence news, mod.gov.uk, 20 Mar 11, retrieved 20 March 2011
{{citation}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "David Cameron meets allies for Libya crisis talks". BBC News. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Libya: French plane fires on military vehicle". BBC News. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Libya: French jets resume sorties as coalition builds". BBC News. 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Libya: RAF 'comfortable' with outcome of airstrikes". BBC News. 20 March 2011.
- ^ a b http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/UpdatedSecondUkStrikeAgainstLibyanDefenceAssets.htm
- ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm
- ^ "Coalition Operations n Libya to Continue". MOD. 21 March 2011.
- ^ http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/CoalitionOperationsInLibyaToContinue.htm
- ^ Daily Mail Reporters (21 March 2011). "RAF strikes against Gaddafi's forces branded 'a success' as bombed out tanks and cars litter the roads near Benghazi". Daily Mail. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
- ^ "British Armed Forces launch strike against Libyan Air Defence systems". Ministry of Defence. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ^ "US fires 110 missiles as no-fly zone is enforced". Irish Independent. 20 March 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Libya: Coalition launches attacks from air and sea". BBC News. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ^ "British jets fired on Libyan targets" Mar 20, 2011 monstersandcritics.com (c) Deutsche Press Agentur
- ^ "TARGET LIBYA: RAF reveals Marham jets' 3,000-mile mission, as aircraft prepare to deploy to Italy", edp24.co.uk, 20 March 2011
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12776418
