Libyan Air Force

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Libyan Air Force
Active since
Country Flag of Libya Libya
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, JetStar, C-130, Il-78 Midas, Bell 212, CH-47, Mi-8

The Libyan Air Force (Arabic: القوات الجوية الليبية‎ - Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Libiyya) is the air force of Libya.

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.

Contents

[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

Libyan Air Force Mi-8
Libyan Air Force Mi-8
Libyan Air Force Aero L-39
Libyan Air Force Aero L-39
Su-22 attack aircraft of Libyan Air Force.
Su-22 attack aircraft of Libyan Air Force.
Libyan Tu-22 flying in the early 1980s.
Libyan Tu-22 flying in the early 1980s.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Library of Congress Country Study Libya, Chapter 5:National Security, 1987

[edit] External links