Libyan Mirages Defect to Malta.

[Vim_Fuego]

'The arrival of the jets was unexpected and initial reports point towards the scenario where the pilots defected Libya after being ordered to fire on protesters. The Guardian quoted Soula al-Balaazi, a Libyan activist in Tripoli, saying that fighter jets opened fire against protesters in many areas around Tripoli.'

maltastar.com (http://www.maltastar.com/pages/r1/ms10dart.asp?a=14294)

Things seem to be hotting up...

[dropintheoggin]

I'd defect to Malta if I could. What a great night out there is to be had in Paceville!

[Tashengurt]

They probably went there for the Kinnie. Don't blame them.

[Geehovah]

I think I operated from that dispersal a few times!

timesofmalta.com - Updated: Libyan fighter jets arrive in Malta (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110221/local/two-libyan-fighter-jets-arrive-in-malta-two-helicopters-land)

Gutsy move Mav!

[Toddington Ted]

RAF El Adem anyone?:ok:

[high spirits]

A deal struck with tyranny - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/8337433/A-deal-struck-with-tyranny.html)

One is a 2 faced lying dictator, who sacrifices his people for a vainglorious cause.... and the other one is Col Gadaffi!

[Trim Stab]

If it is true that the Libyan Air Force is bombing civilians, then it amounts to a war crime. So where is our response? Why aren't we imposing a no-fly zone over Libya?

Are we just waiting for the yanks to finish their holiday?

[high spirits]

Don't worry Trim Stab, the cupboard is not bare. There are 2 Squirrels on their way from Shawbury to do the NEO. They will launch off the only rib that the RN haven't punctured. 2 Tutors will provide CAP. LRMP is being provided by the SkyNews helicopter.

[rp122]

Video from Malta here (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a6b_1298310998)

LiveLeak.com - Libyan fighter jets arrive in Malta - pilots request asylum (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a6b_1298310998)

[draken55]

I would like to think that someone like say the Italian Air Force was aware that EU airspace was being entered into by the Libyan Mirages.

[JFZ90]

LRMP is being provided by the SkyNews helicopter.

LOL. That is worth a GEMS suggestion.

[Bill Macgillivray]

Many times in the "Sixties". Not the best place for a detachment or diversion but still welcoming and I had some great times there. Maybe our aspirations change as we get (much) older!!:ok::ok:

[Pontius Navigator]

Hi Bill, I too remember El Adem with some pleasure. We were there once when a Hastings crew was attached as supernumerary when the fleet was grounded. They were general dogsbodies, we OTOH, were well fed in the aircrew feeder. I still remember the Fillet Mignon that was served routinely as a post-flight meal.

[ORAC]

Such acts prove that, in such circumstances, some people have the moral strength to hold to values of honour and moral value. Such values are independent of nationality or religion.

I praise them for them decision, which throws away their past, property and careers, and pray that it does not cause harm to their families.

Whilst not braver than those in the street, this was a decision which had to be made in the cold light of day.

As-Salamu Alaykum

[dogle]

Seconded.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01831/mirage_1831425c.jpg

The image published by the Telegraph - if apposite?? - shows stores remaining on the outboard mountings which I cannot place - any ideas?

(Tender regards to anyone at El Adem back in '65 - not least the catering crew!).

[chopd95]

No problem, we have a PR and maritime squadron there, and can swiftly fly in AD and GR and ............. I woke up

[Archimedes]

dogle - rockets. At a guess something along the lines of Matra 155s complete with 68mm rockets...

There are some better photos here (http://www.daylife.com/search/photos/1/grid?q=malta+airport+libyan), BTW, which give a slightly better view of the items in question.

[NutLoose]

Interestingly they asked for re-fuelling, no doubt they were heading for the UK having heard they would be given a nice home, lots of allowances and aid....... :p

Do you think they thought they would be given fuel and allowed to swan around all over Europe in an armed fighter whilst they sought out their ideal retirement location?

[TEEEJ]

Dogle,

Rocket pods. The following links show the two Mirage F.1s in Malta.

502 - Libya - Air Force Dassault Mirage F1 Aircraft Photo | Airplane-Pictures.net (http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image123028.html)

508 - Libya - Air Force Dassault Mirage F1 Aircraft Photo | Airplane-Pictures.net (http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image123045.html)

TJ

[TBM-Legend]

well done to the pilots who defected. Some moral courage shown there. Their families are now probably being rounded up, tortured and who knows what.

[Pontius Navigator]

Interestingly they asked for re-fuelling, no doubt they were heading for the UK having heard . . .

That Quadaffi's son has a mansion here - nice target.

Or, as Mrs PN says, "What price the Ark sitting off Tripoli?"

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Excuse me for asking, PN, but what would 'Ark' contribute to solving the mess in Libya? No sarcasm meant, just honest curiosity.

[Pontius Navigator]

An RN presence has often served to calm a situation however she would also be useful in any ex-pat evacuation.

I think you would find most FCO contingency plans include the RN; hopeful rather than realistic maybe.

[langleybaston]

FCO contingency plans? Only the Israelis have them, these days.

[TEEEJ]

Image links to one of the Mirage F.1s coming into land at Malta.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2011-2/21/123005.jpg

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2011-2/21/123032.jpg

TJ

[Pontius Navigator]

You have to admit those aircraft are smart unlike some of the jets we used to have.

Anyone notice the flying boots? They are not French pattern and look more like UK '67 pattern or maybe the later pattern.

[Runaway Gun]

Perhaps they were from the recently stolen truckload of boots in Oxfordshire...

[BEagle]

Anyone notice the flying boots? They are not French pattern and look more like UK '67 pattern or maybe the later pattern.

So now we have boot spotters on PPRuNe....:rolleyes:

Actually I was more interested in the fact that the rocket pods seemed to contain actual projectiles.

[TBM-Legend]

When the riots start in London at least the "new" RAF can't be called on to suppress the 'locals' with jets.

[sitigeltfel]

well done to the pilots who defected. Some moral courage shown there. Their families are now probably being rounded up, tortured and who knows what.

I read that the pilots were Colonels. Were their families on the choppers that also "defected".

[Airborne Aircrew]

I would like to think that someone like say the Italian Air Force was aware that EU airspace was being entered into by the Libyan Mirages.

Don't worry, they saw them very early on and withdrew to Milan...:}

[TEEEJ]

Sitigeltfel,

The helos (French registered) belonged to Heli Union. This is a company that provides support to the oil and gas industry in Libya. Link to image of one of them arriving in Malta.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/images/uploaded-images/2011-2/21/123040.jpg

TJ

[TEEEJ]

Meanwhile in Egypt earlier today....

Two Iranian warships, the frigate Avland and the supply ship Kharg, entered the Suez Canal at 05:45 (03:45 GMT) on transit to Syria.


Israel concerned as two Iranian warships transit the Suez Canal | The Economic Voice (http://www.economicvoice.com/israel-concerned-as-two-iranian-warships-transit-the-suez-canal/50016866#axzz1Egnm6t3M)

TJ

[BEagle]

Enough to keep the Malta-based Nimrods really busy.....

.....about 35 years ago :{

But hey, Dave and his MoD pongoes know best...:\

[Pontius Navigator]

BEagle, don't you remember your CSRE lectures all those years ago and the 'advantages' of the unique pattern of the '51 boots - no tread at all - or the unique tread of the '67 boots - Ah, RAF Aircrew!

The latest boots have a different tread again.

The other E&E giveaway was the distinctive white with black thread paracord that you might leave around.

[Green Flash]

The F1's look very tidy, I beleive they've just come out of deep spannering with Dassault? Good news for Malta though - bit of a step change in capability for the Maltese Air Arm - hope they aren't thinking of handing them back?!:}

[Thelma Viaduct]

Or, as Mrs PN says, "What price the Ark sitting off Tripoli?"

Yeah, I'm sure they would be sh1tting bricks at the thought of half a dozen Harriers with the RCS of a barn door laying just off the coast.

Ark Royal would last about 2 mins if 'Colonel G' gave the order.

P.S. Why is he only a Colonel, I'd have thought you would need to be at least a General to get away with a Goatee.

[RetiredSHRigger]

Excellent pictures on Aviation Forum including this close up showing the SNEB pod from the rear!! 502 - Libya - Air Force Dassault Mirage F1 Aircraft Photo | Airplane-Pictures.net (http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image123028.html) :mad:

Just noticed the hanging bomb ring at the rear of the inboard pylon which would suggest he has jettisoned stores prior to landing!

[Willard Whyte]

As a mere Flt Lt I've sported a goatee whilst on det. (only whilst the aircraft were u/s of course).

[ormeside]

At the end of April 1958, on detachment with 120 at Luqa, the Maltese got nasty, threw rocks at Luqa Mess, and we had to take our Shackletons to Idris in Libya so that the aircraft would not be targets at Luqa. How times change!! It all passed after a couple of days and we returned. We had an MPA Force then. Happy days.:)

[wrecker]

Just wondering what had been dropped/jetisoned of the inboard pylons?

[wileydog3]

In one of the photos, it does appear that something WAS on the inboard pod with that tightening device still in place.

[RetiredSHRigger]

:ok:I would imagine the jettisoned stores would be a bomb of some sort, as the dangling bomb ring at the rear of the inboard pylon would normally be connected to the aft fuse on said bomb.

[TEEEJ]

Reports of Libyan Naval vessels in Malta.

LIBYA: Warship defects to Malta | Babylon & Beyond | Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/libya-warship-defects-to-malta.html)

February 22, 2011 | 7:03 pm
A Libyan warship arrived in Malta on Tuesday after its crew refused to carry out orders to bomb Benghazi, the satellite network Al Jazeera reported.
A second Libyan ship has also reportedly been sighted in the area, the network reported.

TJ

[Buster Hyman]

Malta will be putting up the Full House signs soon!

[sitigeltfel]

Just wondering what had been dropped/jetisoned of the inboard pylons?

And who/what were they jettisoned on?

[MTOW]

I wonder if we'll find that the large scale air attacks on cities turn out to be a repeat of the weapons of mass destruction/mobile chemical weapons labs story spun by the lone Iraqi deserter... sorry, dissident that sent the US to war in 2003 and now admitted by the man who told them to be a pack of lies.

What better yarn to spin for some military man, possibly - probably - with quite a chequered past, wanting the magic ticket to guaranteed asylum in the West.

[henry crun]

A report in R&N says Benghazi airport runways have been destroyed, so maybe thats where whatever was on the inboard pylons was dropped/jettisoned.

[NutLoose]

LIBYA: Maltese 'selling' Libyan fighter jets | Babylon & Beyond | Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/02/libya-pranks-humor-malta-air-force-.html)



A prankster in Malta is "auctioning off" the two French-made Libyan fighter jets that landed on the small island nation Monday on a local classifieds website called Malta Park.
The two pilots have reportedly sought asylum in Malta after they refused orders to bomb protesters who had taken over the Libyan city of Benghazi.
The ad describes the two Mirage fighter jets as being in "excellent condition" with "power steering, central locking, electric windows, fluffy pink dice and custom Muammar Gaddafi bobblehead figurine."
"Pilots not included," it added.
-- Meris Lutz in Beirut



:}:}:ok::ok: Almost as bad as OUR Government :mad:

[Pontius Navigator]

Yeah, I'm sure they would be sh1tting bricks at the thought of half a dozen Harriers with the RCS of a barn door laying just off the coast.

Ark Royal would last about 2 mins if 'Colonel G' gave the order.

P.S. Why is he only a Colonel, I'd have thought you would need to be at least a General to get away with a Goatee.

Would you care to apologise?

HMS Cumberland is rather less of a show of force even.

[NutLoose]

HMS Cumberland is rather less of a show of force even.

Perhaps if she took in tow the three type 42's that are on Edisposal and sailed line astern up and down the coast you would have a force multiplier without the added cost, it would also partially deliver them to the Scrappies in Turkey who no doubt will buy them afterwards :p

The British Government in a bid to enhance their credibility could then announce that they were sending three additional Type 42 Destroyers, HMS Exeter, HMS Southampton and HMS Nottingham to join HMS Cumberland, and the SUN/Daily Mirror would run all the "Our Boys" go to the rescue stories without checking their facts first, and unless Gaddafi reads Edisposal or here, he would be totally unaware of our cunning plan. :p

[bizjets101]

Armed Forces of Malta - AFM have issued a statement saying no Libyan ships have defected, none have berthed in Malta - and the Government is not monitoring any Libyan Ships.

AFM deny media reports on arrival of Libyan naval vessels - Gozo News.Com (http://gozonews.com/16667/afm-deny-media-reports-on-arrival-of-libyan-naval-vessels/)

A second source states there is activity South of Malta involving Italian Naval ships.

timesofmalta.com - AFM denies Libyan warships arrival reports (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110223/local/afm-denies-libyan-warships-arrival-reports)

[TheWizard]

Breaking News:

Libyan newspaper reports air force plane crashed near Benghazi after its crew refused to bomb city and bailed out, from Reuters

[bizjets101]

Just saw that in CNN World news - reporting a Su-22 crew bailed out rather than perform orders to bomb the city of Benghazi.

Aircraft crashed west of the city of Ijdabiya, 160 km (100 miles) southwest of Benghazi,

[Heathrow Harry]

I think legally the Maltese will have to return them sometime

Pity as they are building up quite a nice little air force at no cost to the taxpayer..............

The French are probably already there offering them spares

[Pontius Navigator]

Just saw that in CNN World news - reporting a Su-22 crew bailed out rather than perform orders to bomb the city of Benghazi.

Aircraft crashed west of the city of Ijdabiya, 160 km (100 miles) southwest of Benghazi,

Ajdabiya is 143km (80nm) due south of Benghazi and 422 SE of Malta. That is inside the range of an Su-22 but it depends on their nav kit if they wanted to risk such a long crossing. Also after the previous defection they may have been under-fuelled.

There is a 4000 ft strip there which looks to be a sand runway.

Benghazi looks interesting. The HAS site appears unused although each appears to have a fence around the front of each HAS. The concrete is pristine except where there is a number of wheel tracks where vehicles appear to have been doing high-speed turns. The main apron OTOH appears to have 5 Fencer but there are also some 7 ac that look like Transall. The Su-24 look interesting as Wikipedia says they have 4, one lost in a fire.

The Google imagery is 2009. Interestingly the 2004 imagery shows the same number of transports in exactly the same spots. There are no fences (or wheel marks) around the HAS in 2004.

edited to add:

Given that Gaddaffi control is in the west of the country it is possible the Fitter was launched from Tripoli. The crash site was about 360nm from Tripoli and Benghazi is also 360nm from Tripoli. It would suggest that they had insufficient fuel to fly to Benghazi and then Malta. Maybe they banged out near their home city.

[Willard Whyte]

I think legally the Maltese will have to return them sometime

Whatever did happen to the Iraqi air force that defected to Iran...

[Willard Whyte]

They are G-222's in the Google Earth overhead.

No, I'm not a spotter: Air Force Equipment (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/libya/af-equip.htm)

[Pontius Navigator]

WW, thank you.

As for the ex-Iraqi Air Force, I believe it was finders keepers.

When the US EP3A landed in China the PDRC duly returned it. Similarliy when the Firebar landed in West Berlin we also returned it.

[wileydog3]

I thought most of the SU-22s were single seat. Could it have been one of the old Tu-22s with pilot and copilot?

[Pontius Navigator]

WD, the TU-22 is a 3-man crew and downward ejection even.

Su-17UM3 (S-52UM3, 'Fitter-G')
Revised trainer with the same avionics suite as the Su-17M3. The export version was designated Su-22UM3 with R-29 engine, and Su-22UM3K with the AL-21 engine. Manufactured 1978-1982.

Wikipedia says that the Libyan Air Force has SU22M3 and UM3K. It could therefoe have been the UM3K and the two crew to ensure no defections :)

Wikipedia also states that the TU-22 were grounded for lack of spares it also shows the G222 as retired. They don't have appeared to have moved between 2004-2009; maybe we could ask them to look after a few Harriers for us.

[Willard Whyte]

I'd assume some, if not all, of Libya's UM-3K trainers have some combat capability, particularly if serviceability is an issue.

[TEEEJ]

Willard Whyte,

The Iranians put most of the Iraqi defecting fleet into service.

Ex-Iraqi Su-22 Fitters in Iranian service.

Photos: Sukhoi Su-22M4K Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran---Air/Sukhoi-Su-22M4K/1870959/L/)

Ex-Iraqi IL-76 in Iranian service.

Photos: Ilyushin Il-76TD Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran---Air/Ilyushin-Il-76TD/1860702/L/)

Ex-Iraqi Mirage F1 in Iranian service.

Photos: Dassault Mirage F1BQ Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran---Air/Dassault-Mirage-F1BQ/1693424/L/)

Photos: Dassault Mirage F1BQ-1 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran---Air/Dassault-Mirage-F1BQ-1/1779721/L/)

Ex-Iraqi Su-24 Fencer with the big wing fences fitted. Iran also bought Su-24s direct from Russia.

Photos: Sukhoi Su-24MK Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran---Air/Sukhoi-Su-24MK/1690418/L/)

Ex-Iraqi Il-76 AWACS in Iranian service. This aircraft crashed in 2009.

Photos: Ilyushin Il-76MD Adnan 1 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Iran---Air/Ilyushin-Il-76MD-Adnan/1445788/L/)

Iran also put into service the ex-Iraqi MiG-29 and Su-25s.

In April 1991, the Iraqi foreign ministry published the following list of Iraqi aircraft flown out to Iran, and accordingly requested these aircraft back. The Iranians didn't return anything.

- 24 Mirage F.1EQ/BQ
- 24 Su-24MK
- 40 Su-22
- 4 Su-20
- 7 Su-25
- 4 MiG-29
- 7 MiG-23ML
- 4 MiG-23BN
- 1 MiG-23UB
- 15 Il-76
- 2 Boeing 747
- 2 Boeing 737
- 1 Boeing 727
- 1 Boeing 707

TJ

[rjtjrt]

Teeej
Interesting list.
I wonder what happened to the Iraqi aircrew that took the aircraft to Iran?

[TBM-Legend]

(CNN) -- A Libyan military aircraft crashed Wednesday southwest of Benghazi after the crew refused to follow orders to bomb the city, Libya's Quryna newspaper reported.
The pilot and co-pilot parachuted out of the craft, and the plane crashed in an uninhabited area, the paper said.
The Russian-made Sukhoi-22 aircraft crashed west of the city of Ijdabiya, 160 km (100 miles) southwest of Benghazi, Quryna reported, citing military sources.

:ok:Good boys..

[Buster Hyman]

I find it fascinating (with all due respect to the loss of life) how a city like Tobruk, once again, finds itself in a pivotal moment in history.

[Pontius Navigator]

(CNN) -- A Libyan military aircraft crashed Wednesday southwest of Benghazi

TBM, please note posts 54 and 56 et al yesterday.

[Willard Whyte]

TEEEJ

My use of the ellipsis was quite deliberate...

[TEEEJ]

Rjtjrt wrote,

I wonder what happened to the Iraqi aircrew that took the aircraft to Iran?

I would imagine that they were detained, given the choice to remain and or released? It took a long time for Iran to repatriate Iraqi POWs from the Iran-Iraq war from 1980-1988. They were still repatriations 10 years plus after the conflict. They probably detained them for violating their airspace?

Iran/Iraq: 1,999 Iraqi prisoners of war go home (http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/57jqbn.htm)

Iran/Iraq: Iraqi prisoners released (http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/57jrke.htm)

BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Iran returns Iraqi POWs (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/707335.stm)

BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | Iran releases Iraqi POWs (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1772451.stm)

TJ

[dionysius]

I used to be a frequent visitor to Benghazi a few years back, calling in there for cheap fuel on the way back with flowers/veg from NBO to MSE, the G222's in the HAS are prepped for storage and have not moved for years.

There were a few Chinooks on the military apron but they never seemed to move,not much activity apart from the occasional SU22 training flight.:ok:

[TEEEJ]

Libya attempted to retrieve the two Mirage F.1s on Malta. The Maltese Government sent them packing.

Libyan plane brought pilots to Malta to return jets

Libyan plane brought pilots to Malta to return jets | News by Country | Reuters (http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE71Q0JU20110227)

TJ

[Buster Hyman]

Defecting Libyan pilots return home to heroes welcome. (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xl60jq_defecting-gaddafi-pilots-return-home-to-heros-welcome_news?utm_source=OutBrain&utm_campaign=cpc&utm_campaign=OB_newslook&from=outbrain_newslook) :D

[son of brommers]

The general populas of Malta seem fairly evenly divided between the "by letting NATO planes land we're breaking our constitutional neutrality clause" camp and the "since the NATO action began we've been treated to better aviation displays than at the actual Malta Airshow" camp.
I'm with the airshow....................

[KeyPilot]

Nice to see some follow-up on this story.

Well done to the guys - a courageous decision being rightly hailed by their approving countrymen!

Hope nothing ill happened to their families

[son of brommers]

Mirage gets colours of liberated Libya - timesofmalta.com (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110926/local/Mirage-gets-colours-of-liberated-Libya.386367)
:ok:

[ORAC]

Defected Mirage Jets Return to Libya with New Colors (http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120222/DEFREG04/302220009/Defected-Mirage-Jets-Return-Libya-New-Colors?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE)

VALLETTA — Two fighter jets that defected to Malta at the start of the Libyan uprising last year returned to their home country on Feb. 22 with the colors of the new regime freshly painted on their sides.

The Mirage jets were flown back to Libya by the same pilots — Col. Alial-Rabti and Col. Abdullah al-Salheen — who landed them in Malta in February 2011 when they disobeyed the Gadhafi regime’s orders to bomb civilians in Benghazi. The two pilots were given protection in Malta during the Libyan uprising. The jets were decommissioned and kept in Malta despite calls by Tripoli on the Maltese government to return them.

The green roundels on the two jets have been replaced with the new Libyan independence flag. The fighter jets were official handed over to the two pilots by Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at a ceremony on the airfield on Feb. 21.

The jets were unable to leave Malta due to bad weather and spent an extra day on the tiny island, which played a key humanitarian role in the conflict. The pilots performed a low fly-past over the island before roaring off.

inLfYVDP4QI&feature=player_embedded#!

[pubsman]

Looks like 1 of the 2 returned jets may have crashed:

Mirage returned by Malta crashes in Libya - report - timesofmalta.com (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120412/local/mirage-returned-by-malta-crashes-in-libya.415211)