Coningsby did not enhance its security but inside it was all happening. IIRC it was about midday Friday that we were warned for a deployment of 29 Sqn to Gibraltar. There were many deployment plans for the squadron but that wasn't one of them.
Throughout the afternoon as the pressure built up I started getting questions from the squadron. The area was strange, the Libyan Air Force Orbat was not known although they were known to have Blinder and Foxbat but their proficiency was unknown. They also had Mirage fighters which presented the most difficult question. How can we recognise them as Libyan?
I fired all the questions up the line at IMMEDIATE and waited in vain for answers. Eventually I rang Command Int who had also been scrabbling for answers. Their priority was briefing the CinC who would make the decision on deployment in conjunction with the Cabinet Office.
Gibraltar poses several problems as the airfield has no overshoot or understood and has contrary winds. Some training flights were laid on to practise. A friend of mine who had been off for 3 weeks was not happy and asked for more time. His sqn cdr, a Nav, virtually accused him of cowardice. On arrival he clipped the edge of the runway, as forecast, and was threatened with a court martial.