There are reports that the United Nations Security Council has just authorised a No Fly Zone over Libya.
Other Reports suggest that air forces from the Arab World will participate in the operation.
Italy is said to be prepared to allow it's bases to be used.
Italy had previously been opposed to the no fly zone.
Italian bases such as Sigonella are far closer to Libya than the British base at Akrotiri on Cyprus.
Italian "Host Nation Support" (H.N.S.) will make it far more practical for British combat aircraft to operate over Libya if they are based there.
This highlights how Britain is now dependent on foreign assistance to conduct combat operations.
The above graph shows the time on station at various radii of a typical modern fighter with 3 hours unrefuelled endurance at 500 miles per hour and also the number of such aircraft required to sustain a single aircraft on patrol for 24 hours assuming each aircraft flies 1 sortie per day.
Long distances between the base and operational area dramatically increase the assets which are required to generate a given level of air power.
Shortening those distances increases the air power which can be delivered by the available assets.
It will be interesting to see where British combat aircraft are based.
It will also be interesting to see where Canadian aircraft will be based as they are said to be contributing 6 CF18 Hornets to the operation.
Though we do not know how many aircraft will be involved in the no fly zone,the historic norm is that the nearest bases cannot accommodate them all.
Aircraft become spread across a spider's web of bases stretching across continental distances at ever increasing radii from the operational area.
This has the effect of increasing the number of combat aircraft required and increasing the demand for tanker aircraft.
The United States Ship (U.S.S.) Enterprise,a nuclear powered aircraft carrier was apparently in the Red Sea recently having left the Arabian Sea but is now reported to have returned to the Arabian Sea rather than passing through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.
The assault ship U.S.S. Kearsarge is in the Mediterranean Sea.
She usually carries a small force of Harriers in addition to helicopters and marines but can carry a larger,all Harrier air wing.
We do not know how many Harriers she has aboard at present.
The French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle was recently in port in Toulon.
The United States Air Force has said that F22 Raptors may take part in operations,possibly the combat debut for that type as well as the Typhoon.
There are also American F16s based at Aviano.
It is not known if Greece will allow the use of facilities at Souda Bay on Crete.
Libya's 150 mile range SA-5 missiles are likely to be prime early targets for destruction.
A number of warships and submarines in the Mediterranean are capable of engaging such sites with cruise missiles.
Western air defence ships can also provide some air defence capabilities in coastal areas.
There is a possibility of 250 mile range Libyan Scud B missiles being used against targets on Malta which may be defended by Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
Italy is said to be prepared to allow it's bases to be used.
Italy had previously been opposed to the no fly zone.
Italian bases such as Sigonella are far closer to Libya than the British base at Akrotiri on Cyprus.
Italian "Host Nation Support" (H.N.S.) will make it far more practical for British combat aircraft to operate over Libya if they are based there.
This highlights how Britain is now dependent on foreign assistance to conduct combat operations.
Long distances between the base and operational area dramatically increase the assets which are required to generate a given level of air power.
Shortening those distances increases the air power which can be delivered by the available assets.
It will be interesting to see where British combat aircraft are based.
It will also be interesting to see where Canadian aircraft will be based as they are said to be contributing 6 CF18 Hornets to the operation.
Though we do not know how many aircraft will be involved in the no fly zone,the historic norm is that the nearest bases cannot accommodate them all.
Aircraft become spread across a spider's web of bases stretching across continental distances at ever increasing radii from the operational area.
This has the effect of increasing the number of combat aircraft required and increasing the demand for tanker aircraft.
The United States Ship (U.S.S.) Enterprise,a nuclear powered aircraft carrier was apparently in the Red Sea recently having left the Arabian Sea but is now reported to have returned to the Arabian Sea rather than passing through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.
The assault ship U.S.S. Kearsarge is in the Mediterranean Sea.
She usually carries a small force of Harriers in addition to helicopters and marines but can carry a larger,all Harrier air wing.
We do not know how many Harriers she has aboard at present.
The French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle was recently in port in Toulon.
The United States Air Force has said that F22 Raptors may take part in operations,possibly the combat debut for that type as well as the Typhoon.
There are also American F16s based at Aviano.
It is not known if Greece will allow the use of facilities at Souda Bay on Crete.
A number of warships and submarines in the Mediterranean are capable of engaging such sites with cruise missiles.
Western air defence ships can also provide some air defence capabilities in coastal areas.
There is a possibility of 250 mile range Libyan Scud B missiles being used against targets on Malta which may be defended by Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
