Defense News - Libya

NATO air strikes in Libya destroyed two Scud missiles, part of deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi's arsenal, the military alliance said on Friday, September 9, 2011.

Russian made Scud SS-1 medium range ballistic missile which can be equipped with nuclear, chemical or conventional HE warheads.

"Over the last 24 hours, NATO intelligence revealed the presence of two Scud missiles in the vicinity of Bani Walid," NATO spokesman Colonel Roland Lavoie said in a statement.

The Scud SS-1 medium range ballistic missiles are battlefield support weapons designed to strike at targets such as marshalling areas, major storage dumps and airfields behind enemy lines. Warheads can be nuclear, chemical (persistent) or conventional HE.

"Therefore, at approximately 0600 hours ... NATO aircraft conducted a precision strike against the warehouse hiding the missiles. The strike was successful and the missiles were destroyed," he said.

Forces loyal to Gaddafi have fired the Soviet-made Scuds during Libya's civil war, and NATO has targeted the rockets in the past.

The military alliance says the highly inaccurate rockets pose a serious threat to civilians in Libya, but do not have significant military potential.