A joint operation to enforce a UN-backed no-fly zone over Libya has begun

Western and Arab leaders met in Paris to agree how to enforce the UN resolution

A joint operation to enforce a UN-backed no-fly zone over Libya has begun - aimed at protecting Libyan civilians from government forces.
France, in diplomatic terms, has been one of the main promoters of UN Security Council resolution 1973 allowing the use of force. French aircraft were the first to operate over Libya ensuring, according to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, that Libyan government aircraft could not operate over Benghazi.

But the US and Britain have also been key players, with a barrage of cruise missiles being launched from US and British surface ships and submarines over the weekend.

While the US is overseeing the operation, it has said it expects to hand over control to a coalition headed by France, Britain or Nato in a matter of days.

Canada, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Qatar are also offering military support

 
Country-by-country involvement

Key hardware Usual role Capability Libya deployment

FRANCE

Source: Federation of American Scientists, UK Ministry of Defence, Global Security, Air Force Technology, Naval Technology, news agencies

 Dassault Rafale
A multi-role, twin-engined delta wing aircraft capable of mounting air defence, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions

CapabilityCrew: One/two
Max speed: Mach 1.8

Libya deployment
Weapons: Air-to-ground missile, including Apache and Exocet, air-to-air missiles and anti-ship missiles
France has mobilised 20 warplanes - Rafale and Mirage - and they were
the first to operate over Libya. They were used to strike Libyan targets at the weekend




Mirage 2000
Again a multi-role fighter, the descendant of the famous Mirage III of the 1960s
Crew: One/two

Max speed: Mach 2.2
Weapons: built-in twin DEFA 554 30mm revolver-type cannons. Air-to-air missiles
Mirage 2000 jets are also in action in Libya



Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier
Flagship of the French navy, the nuclear-powered 38,000-tonne carrier can deploy 40 combat planes and conduct 100 air missions a day

Crew: 1,150 ship's crew, 550 aircrew, 50 air support staff

Max speed: 27 knots (50 km/h)

Weapons: Aster 15 missiles, Mistral missiles, Nexter 20mm guns

Libya deployment

The carrier was deployed to the region from Toulon, accompanied by the anti-submarine frigate Dupleix, the Aconit frigate and a refueling ship, La Meuse



UNITED STATES

B-2 stealth bomber
A long-range, multi-role heavy bomber capable of staying airborne for many hours. Its shape is part of its stealth design to minimise its appearance on enemy radar
Crew: Two
Max speed: High subsonic
Weapons: Capacity to carry up to 40,000lb of weapons, including conventional and nuclear weapons, precision-guided munitions, gravity bombs and maritime weapons
The bombers took part in a series of dawn raids - some of the first strikes on Libya over the weekend



F-16
The F-16 "Fighting Falcon" is a compact, multi-role jet
Crew: One
Max speed: Mach 2
Weapons: Capable of deploying a wide range of weapons, including Sidewinder and Maverick missiles, and a range of bombs and rockets
As well as the US, other nations including Norway, Denmark and Italy are sending F-16s to bases in southern Italy



E-3 Sentry (Awacs)
The E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system, or Awacs, aircraft
Crew: Flight crew of four plus mission crew of 13-19
Systems: Command and control battle management system for surveillance, target detection, and tracking
Awacs are currently being used by the US as well as Nato, the UK and France in Libya



RC-135
The RC-135 is a reconnaissance aircraft, based at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska
Crew: Flight crew of five (three pilots, two navigators) plus mission flight crew of 21-27
Systems: Sensor suite for reconnaissance and communications
Aviation expert Paul Eden says the aircraft will be in Libya "sniffing for electromagnetic emissions from air defence radars"



USS Mount Whitney
A sophisticated command, control, communications, computer and intelligence ship
Crew: Ship can carry 450 enlisted personnel and officers
Max speed: 23 knots
Weapons: Armed with two 20mm weapons systems, rockets, 25mm chain guns and .50-caliber machine guns

Currently in the Mediterranian, it is acting as the main command ship for the joint operation in Libya



USS Providence, Scranton and Florida
Nuclear attack submarines
USS Providence,

Crew: Four officers and 115 enlisted men
Max speed: Surfaced - 20 knots; Submerged - 20+ knots

Weapons: The submarine class features a potent weapons array, including the Tomahawk missile
A barrage of cruise missiles
was fired at Libyan targets from USS Providence, Scranton and Florida as well as from destroyers USS Stout and USS Barry



Tomahawk missile
Long-range weapon designed to hit strategic targets with minimum collateral damage
Warhead: Able to deliver a 1,000lb (450kg) warhead Range: About 1,000 miles (1,600km)
US and British warships and submarines launched Tomahawk missiles over the weekend


UK

Typhoon - Eurofighter
The RAF's Typhoon, or Eurofighter, is an agile aircraft which can be used in air-to-air combat
Crew: One
Max speed: Mach 2
Weapons: Air-to-air missiles, Brimstone, Enhanced Paveway, Paveway IV
A number of RAF Typhoons, along with Tornados, are in place in the southern Italian air base of Gioia del Colle


Tornado
The Tornado GR4 is mainly used as a strike or attack aircraft
Crew: Two
Max speed: Mach 1.3
Weapons: Storm Shadow, Brimstone, ALARM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Paveway II, Paveway III, Enhanced Paveway, General Purpose Bombs, Mauser 27mm cannon
British Tornados, flying from RAF Marham in Norfolk, have been carrying out bombing missions on targets around Tripoli. They have been moved to Gioia del Colle in southern Italy


Nimrod
Nimrod R1 reconnaissance aircraft are used for surveillance operations. It can sit over an area, flying at low speeds for long periods - which can be extended by mid-air refuelling
Crew: 29
Max speed: 360 knots
The reconnaissance aircraft are involved in surveillance operations in Libya

Sentinel
The reconnaissance aircraft are fitted with radar and monitoring systems which can be used to track and target enemy ground forces. They are scheduled to be scrapped after the UK withdraws its forces from Afghanistan
Crew: Five
Max speed: Mach 0.89
Systems: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI)
The Sentinel is being used for reconnaissance in Libya


HMS Cumberland
Royal Navy warship
Max speed: 30 knots
Weapons: 114mm MK 8 gun Goalkeeper close-in weapons system, Sea Wolf anti-missile system, Quad Harpoon missile launchers, close-range guns Nato Seagnat decoy launchers
HMS Cumberland and HMS Westminster are in the region ready to support operations, the British government has said


Storm Shadow
Deployed from Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 ground attack aircraft, the Storm Shadow is a conventionally armed cruise missile
Warhead: Armed with conventional explosive warhead
Range: Can be launched 155 miles (250km) from its target
The British government has confirmed the RAF dropped Storm Shadow missiles from Tornado jets over the weekend



CANADA

CF-18 Hornet
The Canadian Armed Forces' front-line multi-role fighter, a version of the US F-18 Hornet, is used for air superiority and tactical support
Crew: One/two
Max speed: Mach 1.7
Weapons: Vulcan cannon, Sniper pod, four AIM-9M Sidewinders - supersonic, heat-seeking air-to-air missiles
Canada has committed six Hornets to help enforce the no-fly zone. The Canadian jets are based in Sicily.



ITALY, DENMARK, BELGIUM

F-16
A multi-role fighter aircraft
As above
Italy has offered four F-16s; Denmark six; and Belgium six



SPAIN

F-18
Used as an interceptor and as an all-weather attack aircraft
As above
Spain has deployed four F-18 fighter planes. They were in action on Monday



QATAR
Mirage
Multi-role fighter - as above
As above
Qatar has offfered four Mirage aircraft to join with the French in patrolling the no-fly zone

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