French Fighter Jets Spent 1986 and ’87 Chasing Libyans Over Chad

In mid-February 1986, French forces launched Operation Épervier — France’s intervention in the Libya-Chad war. The French air force deployed to Chad’s capital N’Djamena around a dozen Jaguar A fighter-bombers and up to six Mirage F.1C interceptors from various units along with a few Mirage F.1CR tactical reconnaissance fighters.

The warplanes spent months chasing away Libyan planes and, more than once, came close to shooting them down.

French Fighters Spent 1986 and ’87 Chasing Libyans Over Chad - Lots of intercepts, no shoot-downs

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 10 - 31 August 2016

Following the death of commander of Misrata Air Force, Brigadier General Mukhtar Fakroun and Colonel Omar Dogha, in the crash of their L-39 near university of Sirte on 10th August, Air Force emergency operations room has commissioned pilot Mohammed Umesh as spokesman on 15th. Very few activities were reported by aircraft affiliated to GNA (Government of National Accord).

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 21 July - 10 August 2016

This period was caracterized by the 'official' engagement of US aircrafts in the battle of Sirte on 1st August and the death of commander of Misrata Air Force, Brigadier General Mukhtar Fakroun and Colonel Omar Dogha, in the crash of their L-39 near university of Sirte and claimed shot down by IS on 10 August.

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 9 - 20 July 2016

This period was characterized by the lost of one LNA AF Mi-17 from al-Abraq air base on 17th July killing three crew members (pilot Capt Omar Drissi, co-pilot Boubacar Omar al-Hassi and air engineer Fathi Warfali. The Sherkasi’s DBB (Defend Benghazi Brigades) Militia (also named Saraya Defend Benghazi or SDB) claimed to have down a Mi-35 'Hind' with a SA-7, but pictures of the wreckage published on the social media show clearly a Mi-17.

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 2 - 8 July 2016

Very little communication on air strikes this week from GNA affiliated Air Force, but many were performed each day. The main information from the LNA Air Force side, is the lost of one of its two MiG-23BNs (probably serial number '4136') and especially one of its most experienced pilots, colonel Idriss Al Obeidi well known for his low pass onboard Floggers.

Libyan National Army Air Force lost one of its two MiG-23BNs

On 6th July morning, one of the two MiG-23BNs in service with 1070th Squadron of the LNA AF (Libyan National Army Air Force) crashed west of Benghazi killing its pilot Col. Idriss Al Obeidi who died of his injuries. Obeidi was well known for his low pass onboard Floggers especially over the Benina airbase runway.

The first MiG-23BN, serial '8985', made its first flight on 30th April. One of peculiarities of the two aircrafts is that both was featured with IFR probes (for more detail, read the story of the LAAF IFR probes project on War Is Boring).

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 4 - 10 June 2016

GNA forces offensive against ISIS in Sirte

GNA affiliated forces continued their offensive in Sirte last week capturing key points near the city. On 4th June, Misrata militia captured Al Gardabiya airbase. Shortly before, the GNA Air Force performed five successful airstrikes in Al Gardabiya, Abu Hadi and south of Sirte. Libyan fighter jets carried out five other strikes against concentrations of ISIS militants in the vicinity of runway 17. Another five strikes were made against militants fleeing from Al Gardabiya airbase, bringing the number of offensive sorties to ten.

Pictures of airstrikes from LDAF on ISIS positions west of Al-Gardabiya base, south of Sirte (approx 20 km)

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 28 May - 3 June 2016

During this week, the GNA Air Force intensified its airstrikes against ISIS positions in Sirte in support of ground troops. It was during one of these air raids that a Mirage F1ED crashed 30 km west of the city of Sirte due to a fuel pump failure. GNA has also lost an air ambulance Mi-8T (serial number '8334') that crashed near Zuwara, west of Tripoli without casualties yesterday.

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 21 - 27 May 2016

On 20th May 2016, in an interview for the French channel I-Tele, general Haftar, head of the Libyan National Army, asked the dismantling of the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces as a prerequisite for a possible rapprochement in the fight against the Islamic State group : "An army can not unite to militias. So these militias must be dismantled. It is unthinkable for us to work with these armed factions". He added : "We are not facing Daech for seize the oil. When we fought at Derna, there was no oil. When we fought in Benghazi, there was no oil either. A Adjabiya, it was the same, there was no oil. But actually in Libya, there are huge resources that the Libyan people will benefit after the return to calm."

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 7 - 13 May 2016

The situation update of this week is characterized by multiple events. Airstrikes were very intense in Benghazi, Derna by LNA AF (Libyan National Army Air Force) and in Abu Grein area by LDAF (Libya Dawn Air Force). In addition, the first images of new MiG-23 being refurbished appeared.

New MiG-23s for LNA AF

After the commissioning of one MiG-23ML and two MiG-23BNs the last months, mechanicians and engineers started working on MiG-23UB serial number '8008' and MiG-23BN serial number '9119'. This aircraft has no refueling probe contrary to MiG-23BNs serial '4136' and '8985'.

Libyan National Army Air Force has now two MiG-23BNs operational

After the first flight of MiG-23BN serial number "8985" performed on 30th April, it is the turn of the serial number "4136" to fly for the first time on 4th May in the sky after ten years of storage. The refurbishing of these two aircrafts, which must be added the MiG-23ML serial number "26453", allows the LNA AF to regain the number of Flogger equivalent at the end of last year before losing its entire fleet in a month and a half.

Video of the first flight of Libyan MiG-23BN "8985"

On 30th April 2016, Libyan National Army Air Force MiG-23BN serial number "8985" made its first flight in the hands of Capt. Adel Jihani. This aircraft started to be refurbished few weeks ago, together with serial number "4136". These two fighter jets will be assigned to the new 1070 Sqn. This is the second "Flogger" operational in LNA AF since the lost of three of them in January and February.

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 16 - 22 April 2016

This week began by the large communication (video and photos) made by the LNA AF about the refurbishing of the two MiG-23BNs (serial number "4136" and "8985") and ended with the lost of one Mi-14 helicopter.