Sunday, March 20, 2011

Spain has six aircraft, a frigate and a submarine to the coalition against Gaddafi

The international community has broken into Libyan airspace to stop the attack Gaddafi's forces against citizens who have risen up against his regime. A dozen French fighters opened fire on military tanks in Southwest Benghazi. It was the first attack. United States and Britain have launched missiles by sea to destroy anti-air defenses.

Responsible for directing the entire operation will be precisely the commander of the Sixth Fleet in the United States in Europe, Vice Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr. However, each country will retain control of their troops, but will be the head of the Sixth Fleet coordinator. The Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, has said that Spain "will put the necessary resources to meet agreed objectives: to establish no-fly zone and the arms embargo on Gaddafi's regime." "For the establishment of incorporating deploy fly in the coalition of countries that a tanker aircraft and four F-18 that made air patrol duties," clarified the president.


These media have gone this afternoon at an Italian base which will be incorporated into the coalition. The operation mobilized about 450 Spanish troops, of which about a hundred are part of the Air Force budget. In addition, Spain will also provide other means: "To the arms embargo actions we will deploy a frigate F-100, a submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft." The deployment of the frigate and the submarine takes a little longer.

The frigate Alvaro de Bazan ", equipped with the AEGIS combat system, an advanced missile guidance system. French fighters have been responsible for opening the Allied military operation against the Libyan regime. France has for the military operation twenty aircraft: Rafale Eight, including four interceptions, two of recognition and two for ground and air operations, two Mirage 2000-D, two Mirage 2000-5 (air defense); six C-135 (tanker), an AWACS (detection and control).

Its battle group includes three frigates, a supply ship fuel and an attack submarine. Moreover, Sarkozy's government has already given permission for the aircraft carrier 'Charles De Gaulle' is transferred to the Libyan coast, as announced by the spokesman of the Frenchman, Colonel Thierry Burckhard.

France also has air bases and Istres near Marseille, an hour and a half of Libya. Once Tornado aircraft have landed in the British military base in Cyprus, as part of the operation to control the air exclusion zone in Libya. The devices belonging to the crew of 'Red Arrows' of the British Royal Air Force, departed on Friday Lincolnshire base for their "annual spring training" at the British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, which is about half an hour flight to Libya.

A spokesman for the British base has clarified that soon will communicate the mission of these devices. The arrival of the British Tornados Cyprus practically coincided with the announcement by French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Gauls planes "and prevent the attacks," the Libyan Army on the civilian population.

The Italian Government has insisted that his country, for now, the mission will only participate in giving the use of military bases. However, in some of the locations chosen, were preparing for the intervention also moving aircraft. In particular, there are several military fighter Tornado, which are prepared on the basis of Trapani (western Sicily) for a possible intervention.

Tornado units under the division of Piacenza, which specializes in the destruction of missile defenses and radar, and unity of Ghedi (Brescia), able to attack, specify the means. On the same basis, were also prepared several Eurofighter fighter type of Grosseto ready to intervene, according to various media.

In the Sicilian base are also F-16 fighter jets, AWACS surveillance planes and several Tanker aircraft for in-flight refueling. Italy has also offered the use of a NATO base near the city of Naples to the command center of the joint operation. Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa said that the seven bases in Italy (in Amendola, Gioia del Colle, Sigonella, Aviano, Trapani, Decimomannu and Pantelleria) were available and some allies had already asked to use them.

In the last few hours have also landed on the island of Sicily, Sigonella air base, six Danish fighter jets F-16 that departed from Denmark to collaborate on the military operation against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, while expected to arrive in the coming hours units in Belgium and Spain.

Several U.S. aircraft are currently based in Aviano, northern Italy, according to media. Also, the aircraft carrier Garibaldi, with six Harrier fighter aircraft vertical takeoff, went in the last hours from the port of Taranto (Puglia, southern Italy) to the Augusta (Sicily) with several dozen soldiers assault and action specialists tamper.

In addition, the U.S. government has three submarines equipped with Tomahawk missiles in the Mediterranean prepared for military action against Libya, according to a defense official. In total, the U.S. Navy has five warships in the Mediterranean. Canada supports the idea of  taking swift military action in Libya but need two days to prepare their ships for an operation, said a government spokesman during the negotiations in Paris.

"Although Canada supports swift action, the Canadian fighter jets have recently arrived in the region and require two days to prepare for any mission," clarified a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Initially, a source close to negotiations said France, Britain and Canada could launch the first wave of air strikes as soon as completion of negotiations on Saturday afternoon, in order to stop the latest advance on the rebels Muammar Gaddafi .

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