Friday, 29 March 2024
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OPERATION Ellamy is the UK's contribution to NATO forces enforcing UN Resolution 1973 to protect civilians in Libya.

Sept 29

NATO maintained a constant aerial presence over both towns and during the morning a formation of Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s were tasked with a strike on a staging post and ammunition store being used by Qadhafi's remaining tanks and armed vehicles in Sirte.

Severe damage was inflicted on a number of targets at the location.  An armed reconnaissance patrol over Bani Walid meanwhile destroyed with four Paveway guided bombs ammunition stores which had been successfully located by NATO surveillance operations.

In the course of the afternoon, one of our flights inflicted further destruction on ammunition stockpiles in Bani Walid, then proceeded east to Sirte where it joined another RAF patrol in a precision strike on another supply point being used by former regime tanks and rocket launchers.

Sept 27

Royal Air Force and other NATO aircraft were very active over Sirte and our Tornado GR4s twice conducted precision strikes on a large ammunition and vehicle storage depot which has been serving as one of the main bases for Colonel Qadhafi's garrison within the city.

A total of six laser and GPS guided Paveway bombs were dropped, scoring direct hits which destroyed multiple military facilities within the depot, including storage bunkers.

As ever, these and other allied combat missions were well supported by NATO's large fleet of surveillance platforms and tankers, including RAF VC10, Sentry and
Sentinel aircraft.


At sea, Royal Navy vessels have maintained their patrols off the Libyan coast, with HMS Bangor providing security to merchant shipping by conducting precautionary mine counter-measure surveys to ensure there is no residual mine threat from the conflict.

Sept 26

NATO maintained an intensive air presence over both Sirte and Bani Walid and in both locations Royal Air Force aircraft saw action against former regime forces.

In Sirte, a formation of Tornado GR4s attacked ammunition stores, destroying their targets with Paveway guided bombs.  To the west, at Bani Walid, NATO reconnaissance had identified a psychological warfare centre and a firing position used by those of Qadhafi's troops who continue to dominate areas of the town.
These were also subjected to precision strikes by GR4s.

Sept 21

In the early hours, an RAF armed reconnaissance patrol of Tornado and Typhoon aircraft were tasked by NATO to strike two command and control facilities which had been identified in Sirte.

Our aircraft used 1000lb and 500lb laser and GPS guided Paveway bombs toengage both targets successfully.

At sea, Royal Navy vessels, including the destroyer HMS Liverpool, remain on patrol off Libya, ensuring the safety of shipping and providing an invaluable surveillance capability along the coast.

Sept 20

A Royal Air Force armed reconnaissance patrol carried out successful attacks on Qadhafi's troops in three different locations across western and central Libya.

At Bani Walid, they destroyed a command and control facility which had been identified by NATO surveillance operations, then proceeded south east to the area of Hun, over 200 miles away, and demolished a second such headquarters, again using Paveway guided bombs.

The Tornado GR4s next headed some 160 miles north to prosecute a third target, this time in Sirte: a former school which had been commandeered by Qadhafi's men as a base for armoured vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery.  Paveway bombs destroyed the military targets at the site.

During the afternoon, another formation of RAF Tornados was tasked by NATO to mount a precision strike on a military vehicle depot which had been identified near Hun.  This proved another successful mission, their Paveways destroying the installation with a number of direct hits.

Since the start of military operations on 19 March, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps strikes have damaged or destroyed more than 970 former regime targets that presented a threat to the Libyan people.

Sept 18

NATO maintained regular reconnaissance missions over those areas where Qadhafi's remaining troops continue to dominate the civilian population, and during the early evening, a Royal Air Force patrol of Tornado and Typhoon aircraft identified hostile vehicles near Waddan.

A multiple rocket launcher and an armed pick-up truck were destroyed by our aircraft using Paveway laser and GPS guided bombs.  Also during the evening, another armed reconnaissance patrol over Bani Walid located a former regime main battle tank, which was subsequently disabled by a direct hit from a Brimstone missile.

Sept 17

Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s were tasked by NATO to conduct a precision strike against a military headquarters near Hun in central Libya.  Seven Paveway bombs destroyed the target.  Further north, other RAF aircraft played their part in NATO's intensive armed reconnaissance missions over the city of Sirte, and one patrol destroyed an armoured personnel carrier and a pair of armed pick-up trucks, using Brimstone and Paveway munitions.

Early this morning, Tornadoes mounted a further strike against one of Qadhafi's ammunition facilities, just to the west of Sirte.  Again, the Paveway bombs proved extremely accurate and destroyed the target.

Since the start of military operations on 19 March, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps strikes have damaged or destroyed more than
960 former regime targets that presented a threat to the Libyan people.

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