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Lybian War News and Discussions

BLACKEAGLE

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Mi-17 military transport helicopter shot down in east Libya
Jul 18, 2016



A Dignity Operation helicopter was shot down in east Libya on Sunday, Defend Benghazi Brigades (DBB) reported.

The LNA, however, says that the helicopter, a Mi-17 gunship, crashed as a result of a technical failure. The four-member crew are reported to have been killed, but there is also confusion as to who they were.

LNA sources say all were Libyans. The BDB’s media outlet, BoshraNews, claims two were foreigners.

The incident comes after police and security forces last night arrested an undisclosed number of people in Gemenis and Soloug, accusing them of collaborating with the BDB.

DBB official news outlet Boshra said the Mi-35 attack helicopter was shot down by a SA-7 shoulder-fired missile near Al-Magrun village, 70km west of Benghazi. 4 crew members including 2 Libyans and 2 foreigners were killed, it added.


http://defence-blog.com/news/mi-17-military-transport-helicopter-shot-down-in-east-libya.html
 

Scorpion

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The Libyan should ask for Tunisian/Saudi/Jordan/Egypt support to get the country back in order. I have heard that the French along with Germany are conducting military operation every now and then, not sure if they have a consent obtained to carry out airstrikes agains the so called ISIS....
 

BLACKEAGLE

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U.S. Marine Corps helicopters aboard amphibious assault ship and USAF drones lead new round of U.S. air strikes on ISIS in Libya
Aug 01 2016 - 2 Comments
Super-Cobra-Wasp-night.jpg

By David Cenciotti
Manned and unmanned aircraft have taken part in the air strikes launched on Aug. 1, against Daesh targets around Sirte, in Libya.
On Aug. 1, the U.S. launched a new round of air strikes against Islamic State positions around Sirte, in northern Libya, mid-way between Tripoli and Benghazi.

According to the Pentagon, the raid was conducted following a request by the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat Daesh in its primary stronghold in Libya.

The raids were just the final stage of a three-phase operation planned and managed by AFRICOM, MilitaryTimes has reported: the first element of this plan was dubbed Operation Odyssey Resolve, consisting of ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) flights in the region; the second, Operation Junction Serpent, provided targeting information; while the third element, Operation Odyssey Lightning, saw the actual air strikes take place.

The latter ones were reportedly launched by the U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones based at Sigonella airbase, in Sicily, Italy, as well as by helicopters aboard the U.S. amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.

USS Wasp, with an Aviation Combat Element of the 22nd MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), consisting of a composite squadron, the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced) – VMM-264, containing MV-22B, CH-53E, AH-1W, UH-1Y helicopters and AV-8B+ Harrier II jets, played a major role in Operation Odyssey Lightning.


160626-N-JW440-229 ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 26, 2016) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Markgerald Zagala signals an AH-1W Super Cobra to land aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is deployed with the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group to support maritime security and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Rawad Madanat/Released)

In particular, at least two Super Cobra from HMLA-467 were launched from USS Wasp and used their AGM-114 Hellfire missiles to destroy some ground vehicles and two T-72 tanks.Here below an interesting infographic put together by Middle East expert, military aviation journalist Babak Taghvaee who has collected some details about the first raid in Libya.According to the details available at the moment, the AV-8B Harriers have not been involved in the air strikes yet.

Top image credit: U.S. Marine Corps
https://theaviationist.com/2016/08/...ew-round-of-u-s-air-strikes-on-isis-in-libya/
 

BLACKEAGLE

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Marine SuperCobra Helicopters Join ISIS Fight Over Libya
ah-1w-super-cobra_007-ts600.jpg

Military.com | Aug 23, 2016 | by Hope Hodge Seck


A new weapon has been deployed in the fight against the Islamic State in Libya: the AH-1W SuperCobra, the Marines' twin-engine attack helicopter.

SuperCobra gunships attached to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit began supporting precision airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Sirte, Libya, within the past few days, a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command, Charles Prichard, told Military.com. The news was first reported by Military Times.

The attack helicopters, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced) aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, have joined efforts with Marine AV-8B Harriers to prosecute the airstrikes, which began Aug. 1 at the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, a U.S. effort known as Operation Odyssey Lightning.

"We have a range of capabilities at various locations in the region that will allow us to carry out these airstrikes," Prichard said in an email to Military.com. "The AH-1 Cobras provide precision airstrike capability and close air support to better enable [Libyan government] ground objectives."

Prichard said he could not go into further detail about why the attack choppers had been called in to support this particular mission for operational security reasons.

Since the first of the month, U.S. forces have completed 77 airstrikes in support of the Libyan government's fight against Islamic State militants, Prichard said. Both manned and unmanned assets, including Marine Harriers and Cobras, have been used in the strikes.

On Monday alone, three airstrikes wiped out a supply truck and 10 enemy fighting positions belonging to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, also known as Daesh, according to an AFRICOM news release published today.

"The U.S. stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya," AFRICOM officials said in the statement. "These actions, and those we have taken previously, will help deny Daesh a safe haven in Libya from which it could attack the United States and our allies."

Libyan ground forces in recent weeks have made advances in reclaiming the Islamic State-held city of Sirte following a three-month offensive that began in May. Air strikes maintained intensity as Libyan forces gain ground; since Aug. 14, U.S. forces have carried out 29 strikes, more than three per day.

The new air offensive over Libya and the addition of Cobras to the fight all come less than a month after the arrival of Marine Gen. Thomas Waldhauser as the new commander of AFRICOM and may signal a more aggressive approach for the command under his leadership.

The 22nd MEU deployed aboard the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group in late June -- the first extended deployment since 2004 for the Wasp, which at 27 is the oldest ship in her class.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related Topics
Headlines Marine Corps Equipment Marine Corps Helicopters Global Hot Spots Libya Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Hope Seck
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