Libyan Air Force
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| Libyan Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Libiyya |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1978 - |
| Country |  Libya |
| HQ | Okba Ben Nafi, Tripoli |
| Engagements | Chadian-Libyan conflict 1978-1987
Gulf of Sidra incidents 1981,1989 |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| 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, Berber: Adwas Alibyan Ujnna) is the air force of Libya, with an air force personnel estimated at 22,000.
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.
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[edit] History
[edit] Cold War
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, three fighter interceptor squadrons, five forward ground attack squadrons, one counterinsurgency squadron, nine helicopter squadrons, and three air defense brigades deploying SA-2, SA-3, and Crotale missiles.[1]
[edit] Post–Cold War
With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the elimination of military aid by the new Russian republic, 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.
UN sanctions were lifted in early 1999 and Libya has talked to 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.
[edit] Combat History
LAF has lost a total of four aircraft to United States Navy F-14 Tomcats in two incidents, in 1981 and 1989.
[edit] Aircraft Inventory
- Combat Aircraft - most aircraft are grounded and considered withdrawn from service
- 12 Dassault Mirage F1BD/ED[2] - all grounded but to be refurbished and return to service
- 25 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis
- 125 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23BN/MS/ML/UB
- 40 Sukhoi Su-22M3/UM-3K
- 5 Sukhoi Su-24MK- one lost in fire
- 13 Soko J-21 Jastreb
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25
- Trainers
- 110 Aero L-39ZO Albatros
- 20 Aermacchi SF-260WL - 12 of them will refubished
- 116 Soko G-2 Galeb
- 6 Yakovlev Yak-130[2] - on order
- Transport Aircraft
- 10 Antonov An-26 - plans to procure new transport planes to replace them
- 3 Dassault Falcon 20
- 1 Dassault Falcon 50
- 3 Gulfstream II
- 15 Ilyushin Il-76
- 15 Let L-410 Turbolet
- 10 Lockheed C-130H Hercules
- Refuellers
- Attack Helicopters
- 8 Aerospatiale Gazelle
- 4 Bell 206 JetRanger
- 12 Mil Mi-14
- 43 Mil Mi-24 - 13 of them modernised in South Africa
- Transport Helicopters
- 2 Bell 212 Twin Huey
- 8 Boeing CH-47 Chinook - another 12 sold to U.A.E
- 25 Mil Mi-8 including Mi-17
- ? Mil Mi-17
- Air Defence
- 90 Lavochkin SA-2
- 10 Isayev SA-3
- 48 SA-6
- Future Aircraft
- 14 Dassault Rafale - March 2009. Commercial and technical negotiations on a sale of 14 French Rafale fighter jets to Libya have been largely completed, and politics will dictate the timing of any announcement of a deal. The Rafales expected to be sold to Tripoli would be similar to the F3 standard entering service in the French Air Force, capable of aerial combat and ground strikes.
- 12 Eurocopter EC 665 Tiger - MoU signed December 9, 2007 runs until July 1, 2008
- 20 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29SMT - under study
- 12 Sukhoi Su-30MK - under study
- 15 Eurocopter EC 725
- 10 Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil
- Retired Aircraft
- Dassault Mirage V[3]
- Boeing 707
- Tupolev Tu-22 Grounded due to lack of spare parts.
- Aeritalia G222
- Aerospatiale Super Frelon
[edit] References
- ^ Library of Congress Country Study Libya, Chapter 5:National Security, 1987
- ^ a b Libyan military aviation OrBat
- ^ Libyan Mirages in Use for Pakistan AF Spares, Air Forces Monthly, June 2008 issue, p. 32
[edit] External links
- 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
- (French) http://www.avions-militaires.net/dossiers/armee-air/lby.php
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