NATO sinks eight Libyan warships in air raid

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Defense News - Libya
 

Saturday, May 21, 2011, 11:36 AM
 
Nato sinks eight Libyan warships in air raid
 
NATO aircraft sank eight warships belonging to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces in overnight attacks, the alliance said on Friday.
     

One of two Libyan navy Koni Class Frigate destroyed during the NATO air raid on Al Khums naval base
     
The ships were sunk in coordinated attacks on the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte, an alliance statement said.

"Given the escalating use of naval assets, NATO had no choice but to take decisive action to protect the civilian population of Libya and NATO forces at sea," Rear-Admiral Russell Harding, deputy commander of the NATO mission in Libya, said in the statement.

In the above picture, we can clearly recognize the only Koni class Frigate remaining in the Libyan Navy inventory.
The second unit has been captured at the begining of the conflict by the rebels in the port of Benghazi, as shown in our March report on the Libyan Naval Forces.
     


RAF aircraft destroy Gaddafi regime warships and a military building at Al Khums as part of coordinated NATO strikes in Libya. © Crown Copyright/MOD 2011
     

Royal Air Force statement about the raid:
RAF aircraft participated in a major NATO strike against Colonel Qadhafi's navy, as part of Operation Unified Protector. The RAF attack was mounted against the naval base at Al Khums, the nearest concentration of regime warships to the port of Misratah. Colonel Qadhafi has repeatedly attempted to close the port of Misratah to humanitarian shipping.

As well as hitting two ships in the harbour, RAF Tornados successfully targeted a dockyard facility constructing fast inflatable boats.

The destruction of the facility and a significant stockpile of the boats will reduce the regime's ability to sustain such tactics.

With 8 ships destroyed, needless to say that Libyan Navy's power and capability have been significantly reduced.

     

3 Destroyed Combattante II belonging to the Libyan Navy in the port of Al Khums