List of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Libyan Civil War (2011)

Summary

This list of aviation shootdowns and accidents during the Libyan Civil War of 2011 includes shootdowns, accidents and incidents with Libyan (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, National Transitional Council) aircraft and NATO aircraft.

  • Libyan Air Force 23 February 2011 – In the opening days of the uprising, one SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 was crushed by a tank during a rebel attack on Misrata air base.[1]
  • Libyan Air Force 23 February 2011 – During the Battle for Benina Airport, one Mi-35 (serial number 853), was destroyed on the ground. In the same action, serial number 854 Mi-24 was captured by the rebels together with a Mi-14 of serial number 1406.[citation needed]
  • Libyan Air Force 23 February 2011 – A Libyan Su-22UM-3K crashed near Benghazi. The crew members, Captain Attia Abdel Salem al Abdali and his co-pilot, Ali Omar Gaddafi, were ordered to bomb the city in response to the Libyan Civil War. They refused, bailing out of the aircraft and parachuting to the ground.[2][3]
  • Libyan Air Force 5 March 2011 – Rebels shot down a Libyan Air Force Su-24MK during fighting around Ra's Lanuf with a ZU-23-2 antiaircraft gun. Both crew members died. BBC reported from the scene after the crash and filmed an aircraft part at the site showing the emblem of the 1124th squadron.[4][5][6]
  • Free Libyan Air Force 17 March 2011 – a Free Libyan Air Force MiG-21UM suffered a technical fault and crashed after takeoff from Benina airport, the aircraft defected on 15 March together with a MiG-21bis landing at Benina airport, departing from Ghardabiya AB, near Sirte to become part of the Free Libyan Air Force. .[7]
  • Free Libyan Air Force 19 March 2011 – a MiG-23BN of the Free Libyan Air Force was shot down over Benghazi by its own air defenses, who mistook it for a loyalist aircraft.[8] The pilot was killed after he ejected too late.[9]
  • Roundel of the USAF 21 March 2011 – An F-15E Strike Eagle, Tail #91–304, from the 492d FS crashed near Bengazi, Libya.[10] Both crew members parachuted into territory held by resistance elements of the Libyan population and were eventually rescued by US Marines.[11][12] Equipment problems caused a weight imbalance and contributed to the crash when leaving the target area.[13]
  • Libyan Air Force 24 March 2011 – a G-2 Galeb was destroyed after landing by a French Air Force Dassault Rafale after it had violated the declared No-Fly Zone over Misrata.[14][15]
  • Libyan Air Force (7) 26 March 2011 – five MiG-23s together with two Mi-35 helicopters were destroyed by the French Air Force while parked at Misrata airport, early reports misidentified the fixed wing aircraft as G-2 Galebs.[16]
  • Libyan Air Force 27 March 2011 – A Libyan Air Force Su-22 was destroyed on the ground by a Belgian Air Force F-16AM.[17]
  • Free Libyan Air Force 9 April 2011 – A Free Libyan Air Force Mi-25D (serial number 854, captured at the beginning of the revolt) violated the no-fly-zone to strike loyalist positions in Ajdabiya. It was shot down by Libyan ground forces during the action. The pilot, Captain Hussein Al-Warfali, died in the crash.[citation needed]
  • Roundel of the USAF 21 June 2011 – a MQ-8 from USS Halyburton (FFG-40) was shot down by pro-Gaddafi forces during a reconnaissance mission.[18][19]

References edit

  1. ^ Harro Ranter. "ASN Aircraft incident 23-FEB-2011 SIAI-Marchetti SF.260ML 5A-DME". Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Report: Libyan aircraft crashes after troops refuse bombing orders." Archived 2011-02-26 at the Wayback Machine CNN, 23 February 2011.
  3. ^ "UPDAT 1-Libya crew abort bombing mission on Benghazi: Report." Archived 2016-08-08 at the Wayback Machine Reuters, 23 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Gunfire rings out in Libyan capital". CNN. Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  5. ^ "Libya Live Blog – March 6". Al Jazeera. 6 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  6. ^ Simpson, John (5 March 2011). "Libya: Gaddafi fighter bomber is shot down in Ras Lanuf". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  7. ^ "MiG-21UM/bis Fishbed K." Aviation Safety Net. Retrieved: 9 May 2011.
  8. ^ Pannell, Ian. "Fighter jet 'shot down' over Benghazi." BBC, 19 March 2011.
  9. ^ "Benghazi 'bombarded by pro-Gaddafi forces'." BBC News, 20 March 2011.
  10. ^ Crilly, Rob. "Libya: US fighter jet crash lands in field near Benghazi." The Telegraph, 22 March 2011.
  11. ^ "U.S. F-15 fighter crashes in Libya." CNN, 22 March 2011. Retrieved: 27 February 2011.
  12. ^ Meyer, Sebastian. "Libyan residents discover wreckage of US plane." The Daily Telegraph, 22 March 2011.
  13. ^ "United States Air Force Aircraft Accident Investigation Board Report – F-15E Strike Eagle, T/N 91-000304." Archived 21 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine USAF, 26 October 2011.
  14. ^ "U.S. Welcomes NATO's Decision to Enforce No-Fly Zone Over Libya". Fox News. 24 March 2011.
  15. ^ Hoyle, Craig. "Rafale destroys Libyan jet, as France steps up action." Flight International, 25 March 2011.
  16. ^ "Update 1-French forces destroy seven Libyan aircraft on ground." Reuters, 26 March 2011.
  17. ^ G1 – Imagens mostram ataque de caça belga a aeronave na Líbia – notícias em Revolta Árabe Archived 2011-04-04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved: 18 November 2012.
  18. ^ "Libya conflict: Nato loses drone helicopter" Archived 2011-06-25 at the Wayback Machine. BBC, 21 June 2011.
  19. ^ Stewart, Joshua (August 5, 2011). "Navy: UAV likely downed by pro-Gadhafi forces". Navy Times. Retrieved 20 August 2011.