Libyan Air Force

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Libyan Air Force"Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Libiyya"


caption=
country= Flag|Libya
allegiance=
dates= 1978 -
branch=
type=
role=
size=
command_structure=
garrison= Okba Ben Nafi, Tripoli
garrison_label= HQ
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
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march=
mascot=
equipment=
equipment_label=
battles= Chadian-Libyan conflict 1978-1987
Gulf of Sidra incidents 1981,1989
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=
commander1=
commander1_label=
commander2=
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commander3=
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notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Roundel
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=
aircraft_attack=Su-22, J-21, Mi-14, Mi-24, Bell 206,
aircraft_bomber=Su-24
aircraft_electronic=
aircraft_fighter=MiG-21, MiG-23, Mirage F1
aircraft_interceptor=
aircraft_patrol=
aircraft_recon=
aircraft_trainer=SF-260, L-39, G-2, Yak-130
aircraft_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 ( _ar. القوات الجوية الليبية - "Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Libiyya") 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.

History

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. [Library of Congress [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ly0149) Country Study Libya] , Chapter 5:National Security, 1987]

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.

Combat History

LAF has lost a total of four aircraft to United States Navy F-14 Tomcats in two incidents, in 1981 and 1989.Also it was incidents that involved Laf and the egyptian air force in witch at least one LAF MiG-23 was shot down by egyptian Mig-21 armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder.

Aircraft Inventory

*Combat Aircraft - most aircraft are grounded and considered withdrawn from service
** 12 Dassault Mirage F1BD/ED [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/libya/index.php Libyan military aviation OrBat] ] - all grounded but to be refurbished and return to service
** 25 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis Fishbed-L/N
** 125 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23BN/MS/ML/UM Flogger-E/F/G/H
** 40 Sukhoi Su-22M3/UM-3K Fitter-G/H
** 5 Sukhoi Su-24MK Fencer-D- one lost in fire
** 13 Soko J-21 Jastreb

*Trainers
** 110 Aero L-39ZO Albatros
** 20 Aermacchi SF-260WL - 12 of them will refubished
** 116 Soko G-2 Galeb
** 6 Yakovlev Yak-130 [ [http://www.milaviapress.com/orbat/libya/index.php Libyan military aviation OrBat] ] - on order
*Transport Aircraft
** 10 Antonov An-26 Curl - plans to procure new transport planes to replace them
** 4 C-27J Spartan on order
** 3 Dassault Falcon 20
** 1 Dassault Falcon 50
** 3 Gulfstream II
** 15 Ilyushin Il-76 Candid
** 15 Let L-410 Turbolet
** 10 Lockheed C-130H Hercules

*Refuellers
** 4 Ilyushin Il-78E Midas

*Attack Helicopters
** 4 Bell 206 JetRanger
** 12 Mil Mi-14 Haze
** 43 Mil Mi-24 Hind - 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 Hip including Mi-17
** ? Mil Mi-17 Hip-H

*Air Defence
** 90 Lavochkin SA-2 Guideline
** 10 Isayev SA-3 Goa
** 48 SA-6 Gainful
** BAC Rapier missile 'Jernas' system - under study

*Future Aircraft
** 14 Dassault Rafale - MoU signed December 9, 2007 runs until July 1, 2008 [fr [http://www.lejdd.fr/cmc/scanner/economie/200828/armes-exclusivite-france-lybie-prolongee_132428.html?popup Armes: Exclusivite France-Lybie prolongee] ]
** 12 Eurocopter EC 665 Tiger - MoU signed December 9, 2007 runs until July 1, 2008
** 20 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29SMT Fulcrum - under study
** 12 Sukhoi Su-30MK Flanker - under study
** 15 Eurocopter EC 725
** 10 Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil

*Retired Aircraft
** Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat
** Dassault Mirage V ["Libyan Mirages in Use for Pakistan AF Spares", Air Forces Monthly, June 2008 issue, p. 32 ]
** Boeing 707
** Alenia G-222
** Tupolev Tu-22

References

External links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/libya/af.htm "Libyan Air Force"] - Globalsecurity.org
* [http://www.worldairforces.com/countries/libya/lib.html Libyan Air Forces - Historical Listings] - worldairforces.com
* [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/malta/libya_det.htm Libyan Detachment in Malta] - aeroflight.co.uk
* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?airlinesearch=Libya%20-%20Air%20Force&distinct_entry=true Photos of Libyan military aircraft] - airliners.net
* http://www.avions-militaires.net/dossiers/armee-air/lby.php