Some 10,000 anti-aircraft missiles are missing in Libya, a new threat for the civil aviation 0310111

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Defense News - Libya
 
 
Monday, October 3, 2011, 10:34 AM
 
Some 10,000 anti-aircraft missiles are missing in Libya, a new threat for the civil aviation.
The NTC Of Libya ( National Transitional Council ) estimates that almost 5 000 SAM-7s from Gaddafi's stockpiles are still unaccounted for - raising concerns that the missiles could fall into the wrong hands and be used against civilian aircraft.
     
The NTC Of Libya ( National Transitional Council ) estimates that almost 5 000 SAM-7s from Gaddafi's stockpiles are still unaccounted for - raising concerns that the missiles could fall into the wrong hands and be used against civilian aircraft.
The Libyan army had a large quantity of Russian made SA-7 portable anti-aicrfat missile.
     

The SA-7 GRAIL (Strela-2) man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude SAM system is similar to the US Army REDEYE, with a high explosive warhead and passive infrared homing guidance. The SA-7 was the first generation of Soviet man portable surface-to-air missiles. Although classed as "fire and forget" types, the missiles were easily overcome by solar heat and, when used in hilly terrain, by heat from the ground.

Some 10,000 anti-aircraft missiles are missing in Libya, NATO reportedly acknowledged in a secret meeting with German MPs. Fears of where the missing missiles may end up are worsened by the alarm that Gaddafi’s abandoned arsenals are still unguarded.

For several months, Libya’s stockpile of weapons, abandoned in the anarchy that followed the retreat of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s troops, has been climbing higher on the international forces’ agenda. The volume of unaccounted weaponry differs from report to report. Thus, Washington on Tuesday meeting estimated that 20,000 surface-to-air Libyan missiles are missing.

The US State Department has provided $3 million to help destroy weapons in Libya and pledged to increase efforts to secure Libyan arms stockpiles. But now fears are high that the missing missiles might fall into the hands of terrorists and be used against civil aviation.