Libyan Army Mi-35P are now active

By Green Lemon and Arnaud Delalande

Background

After the election of 2012, Libya was governed by the General National Congress (GNC) headed by Muslim Brotherhood with Nouri Abusahmain as president elected in June 2013. In December, the GNC refused to hold new elections and decided an extension of its 18-month mandate for a year until the end of 2014. On February 14th, General Khalifa Haftar, a former officer under regime of Muammar Gaddafi ordered to dissolve the GNC and called for the formation of a caretaker government committee to oversee new elections with little effect on the GNC. On May 16, “Operation Dignity” was launched by General Haftar against the GNC and Islamist armed groups in Benghazi.
On June 25th, the new House of Representatives elections defeated the Islamists who accused the new Council of Deputies parliament of being dominated by former dictator supporters and continued to support the GNC after August 4th when the Council took office. On July 13th, “Operation Libya Dawn” was launched by Misrata militias and Islamists against Tripoli International Airport captured from Zintan militia on August 23rd. Shortly after, the ex-GNC members voted for the replacement of the Council they rejected by the New GNC with Tripoli for capital and Nouri Abusahmain as president. The new Council of Deputies was then forced to come to Tobruk and supported General Haftar forces.

During the Libyan uprising in 2011, most of the Libyan Air Force aircrafts were destroyed by NATO airstrikes. After the first civil war, the Free Libyan Air Force was reduced to a few former G-2 Galebs, J-21 Jastrebs, L-39s, Mig-21bis, Mig-21UMs, Mig-23MLs and 23UBs, with the adding of the two Mirage F1EDs that defected to Malta and some transport aircrafts like An-32 and C-130H in poor flying conditions. The Libyan Army Aviation consisted in Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters.

Libyan Mi-35 fight in both sides

In 2013, at least three Mi-35s were transferred from Sudan to Libya. Excepted new roundels, these helicopters carried their Sudanese codes (serial 954, 958, 959). Mi-35 serial 958 crashed on July 4th, during an Air Show in the eastern city of Benghazi killing two of the three crew members, co-pilot being severely injured. The accident occurred while a military parade was underway at Benina AB. Another Mi-35 crashed near the coast of Essider under unknown circumstances on February 12th, 2014.

The former Sudanese Mi-35 that crashed on July 4th, 2013 during an Air Show

During “Operation Dignity”, the Hinds were intensively used by General Haftar forces against Benghazi Islamist militia groups’ bases and units of “February 17th Martyrs Brigade”, “Libya Shield No. 1 Brigade” (or “Deraa No. 1 Brigade”) and “Ansar al-Sharia”. "Operation Libya Dawn started two months later, on July 13th, 2014. The "Libya Dawn" Army had only one Mi-35 in services in Zawara airport.

Photos of a Dawn militias' Mi-35 helicopter taking off from Zuwara airport

Libyan Air Force acquires Mi-35P

On April 26th, 2015, four new Mi-35P helicopters were delivered in Marj AB to the Libya National Army (LNA). They appeared to have been delivered from the U.A.E.

One of the four Mi-35P seen on April 26th, 2015

 

On August 11th, first Mi-35Ps delivered in April were seen in Tobruk AB and in flight with new serial “301” (No. 52) and “353” (No.53).

Thanks to Beyond The Levant