U.S., Coalition Attack Libya Air-Defense Systems With ‘Operation Odyssey’

Mar 19, 2011
By Nicholas Johnston and Tony Capaccio
Bloomberg

President Barack Obama said he’s authorized U.S. armed forces to begin “limited” operations to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya, as U.S. and coalition ships and aircraft hit the North African nation’s air defenses.

“Today we are part of a broad coalition, we are answering the calls of a threatened people and we are acting in the interests of the United States and the world,” Obama said in Brasilia, Brazil, where he has started a scheduled five-day trip to Latin America.

The nations taking part, including the U.K. and France, are acting to protect Libyan civilians from attack by forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi, who hasn’t met the demands of the United Nations to abide by a cease-fire, Obama said. By continuing his assault on anti-government strongholds, Qaddafi ignored an opportunity to avoid a military confrontation, he said.

As many as 25 U.S., Canadian and Italian vessels, including the USS Mount Whitney command vessel, led an attack, dubbed “Odyssey Dawn,” that included U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles and aerial jamming, according to a Pentagon official who spoke on the condition he not be identified. Aircraft from the U.K. and France were in the air over Libya.

Targets included four Libyan airfields near Tripoli and air-defense sites in the east, the official said. The official declined to speculate on the duration of the air-defense suppression operation.

Firing on Armor

French fighter jets fired on Libyan armored vehicles today in two separate incidents, Colonel Thierry Burkhard, a French defense ministry spokesman, said.

“This is not an outcome that the United States or any of our partners sought,” Obama said.

“Despite the hollow words of his government, he has ignored that opportunity,” Obama said of Qaddafi. “His attacks on his own people have continued, his forces have been on the move. And the danger faced by the people of Libya has grown.”

The UN Security Council voted March 17 to ground Qaddafi’s air force and to grant military authority to the U.S. and its allies to protect civilians and population centers threatened by his forces.

Libya has about 30 sites with surface-to-air missiles, linked to 15 early-warning radar, that pose a “significant threat” to foreign warplanes over or near Libyan airspace, according to information provided by the Pentagon.

Limited Opposition

Libya has a limited air force, with about 80 percent of its aircraft “non-operational.” Libyan pilot training levels and air combat tactics “have remained far inferior to those of U.S. pilots and well-trained Middle Eastern pilots,” such as those from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, according to the Pentagon.

American, European, Canadian, and Arab leaders met in Paris earlier today to discuss the details of their operation to protect civilians from attacks by Qaddafi’s forces.

Shortly after the meeting, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. would use its “unique capabilities” and support “all necessary measures” to implement the no-fly zone authorized on March 17 ago by the UN Security Council.

Libya has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa, though it accounts for less than 2 percent of global production, according to Bloomberg estimates. Crude oil for April delivery slipped 9 cents to $101.07 a barrel this week on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures are up about 23 percent from a year ago, partly on concern that the turmoil that has spread across the Middle East and North Africa will engulf major oil- producing states.