Opération Harmattan
Encyclopedia
Opération Harmattan is the codename for the French participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya
. It is named for the Harmattan
, which are hot dry winds that blow over the Sahara, mostly between November and March. The United States
' counterpart to this is Operation Odyssey Dawn
, the Canadian
counterpart is Operation Mobile
and the British
counterpart is Operation Ellamy
. The no-fly zone was proposed during the 2011 Libyan civil war
to prevent government forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi
from carrying out air attacks on Anti-Gaddafi forces
. Several countries have prepared to take immediate military action at a conference in Paris
on 19 March 2011.
French
Dassault Rafale
planes began reconnaissance missions on 19 March and were the first among the coalition to attack Libyan forces, destroying four tanks.
anti-air destroyer Forbin and anti-air frigate Jean Bart were already off Libya when the operation commenced.
The French Air Force
deployed in its first strike force eight Rafale
fighters, two Mirage 2000-5 fighters and two Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers supported by other aircraft listed above.
Eight Rafale
fighters patrolled the skies over Benghazi to prohibit the advance of Libyan ground forces. One opened fire on a Libyan military vehicle at 16:45 local time. The Telegraph reported four Libyan tanks destroyed by French aircraft southwest of Benghazi.
Aircraft returning from combat missions landed at Solenzara Air Base on Corsica
from which further combat sorties were launched.
Task Force 473, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its battle group, sailed from Toulon
.
conducting reconnaissance and patrols. The Forbin and Jean Bart, which were already on station off Libya, joined Task Force 473. The number of combat aircraft forward deployed at Air Base 126 Solenzara was increased to 20 with the arrival of two more Mirage 2000-5 and two more Mirage 2000D, with support aircraft operating out of Saint-Dizier and Avord.
missiles. Rafale, Mirage 2000D and Super Etendard aircraft flew four joint interdiction missions against Libyan ground forces. A Rafale destroyed a Libyan Soko G-2 Galeb light attack jet with an AASM
air-to-surface missile as it landed at Misrata. A patrol of two Mirage 2000Ds, equipped with GBU-12
laser guided bombs, attacked loyalist artillery near Ajdabiyah.
i aircraft attached to Operation Odyssey Dawn
and French aircraft conducted joint reconnaissance sorties in the regions of Misrata, Zintan, Sirte and Ajdabiyah. Four Mirage 2000Ds conducted interdiction missions against loyalist artillery near Ajdabiyah. Two French and two Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted air interdiction missions. Three French Mirage 2000-5s were moved from Solenzara to Souda Air Base on Crete
.
helicopters on the ground. French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s continued joint reconnaissance sorties from Souda Air Base.
conducted reconnaissance missions for the first time in the operation.
.
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...
. It is named for the Harmattan
Harmattan
The Harmattan is a dry and dusty West African trade wind. It blows south from the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March...
, which are hot dry winds that blow over the Sahara, mostly between November and March. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' counterpart to this is Operation Odyssey Dawn
Operation Odyssey Dawn
Operation Odyssey Dawn was the U.S. code name for the US part of the international military operation in Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. during the initial period of 19–31 March 2011, which continued afterwards under NATO command as Operation Unified Protector...
, the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
counterpart is Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile was the name given to Canadian Forces activities in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The United States' counterpart to this was Operation Odyssey Dawn, the French counterpart was Opération Harmattan and the British counterpart was Operation Ellamy...
and the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
counterpart is Operation Ellamy
Operation Ellamy
Operation Ellamy was the codename for the United Kingdom participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The operation was part of an international coalition aimed at enforcing a Libyan no-fly zone in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 which stipulated...
. The no-fly zone was proposed during the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
to prevent government forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
from carrying out air attacks on Anti-Gaddafi forces
Anti-Gaddafi forces
The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organised and armed militia groups, participants in the 2011 Libyan civil war, Libyan diplomats who switched their...
. Several countries have prepared to take immediate military action at a conference in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 19 March 2011.
French
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
planes began reconnaissance missions on 19 March and were the first among the coalition to attack Libyan forces, destroying four tanks.
Deployed forces
- French Air ForceFrench Air ForceThe French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
- 5 × RafaleDassault RafaleThe Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
fighters from EC 01.007 Provence, based at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy - 6 × Mirage 2000-5 fighters from EC 01.002 Cigogne1/2 fighter squadron StorksThe 1/2 fighter squadron "Storks" is a French Air Force fighter squadron, currently stationed in 102 Dijon-Longvic Airbase...
, Dijon - Longvic Air Base - 6 × Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers from EC 03.003 Ardennes, Nancy – Ochey Air Base
- 2 × Mirage F1CRDassault Mirage F1The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
reconnaissance aircraft from ER 02.033 Savoie, Reims – Champagne Air Base - 6 × C135 aerial refuelingAerial refuelingAerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
planes from GRV 02.093 Bretagne, Istres-Le Tubé Air Base - A E-3F AWACS plane from 36ème EDCA, Avord Air BaseAvord Air BaseAvord Air Base or BA 702 , named after Captain Georges Madon, is a base of the French Air Force located north northwest of Avord in central France....
- A C-160GTransall C-160|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.-External links:*...
SIGINTSIGINTSignals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
electronic surveillance aircraft from EET 01.054 Dunkerque, Metz-Frescaty Air BaseMetz-Frescaty Air BaseMetz-Frescaty Air Base is a front-line French Air Force base. The base is located approximately south-southwest of Metz ; about east of Paris.... - Commando Parachutiste de l'Air companies 20 and 30 forward deployed to Solenzara Air Base, CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
- 5 × Rafale
- French NavyFrench NavyThe French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
- Task Force 473
- Aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91)
- 10 × Rafale MDassault RafaleThe Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
fighters - 6 × Super-Etendard strike aircraft
- 2 × E-2C airborne early warning aircraft
- 2 × Dauphin multipurpose helicopters
- 2 × Alouette IIIAérospatiale Alouette IIIThe Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
utility helicopters - French Air Force detachment of a Puma and 2 × Caracal transport helicopters
- 10 × Rafale M
- Anti-air destroyer Forbin (D620) (later transferred to Operation Unified ProtectorOperation Unified ProtectorOperation Unified Protector was an NATO operation enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 concerning the 2011 Libyan civil war and adopted on 17 February and 17 March respectively...
) - Anti-air frigate Jean Bart (D615)
- Frigate Dupleix (D641)
- Frigate Aconit (F713)
- Frigate Chevalier Paul (D621)
- Frigate Georges Leygues (D640)
- Frigate Courbet (F712)
- Replenishment tanker Meuse (A607)Durance class tankerThe Durance class is a series of multi-product replenishment oilers, originally designed and built for service in the French Navy. Besides the five ships built for the French Navy, a sixth was built for the Royal Australian Navy, while the lead ship of the class currently serves with the Argentine...
- Nuclear attack submarine Améthyste (S605)
- Aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91)
- Landing helicopter dock Tonnerre (L9014)
- 14 × Aérospatiale GazelleAérospatiale GazelleThe Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...
- 4 × Eurocopter TigerEurocopter TigerThe Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.-Origins:...
- 2 × Eurocopter Puma
- 14 × Aérospatiale Gazelle
- 2 × Atlantique 2 signals intelligence aircrafts based at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy
- Task Force 473
Day 1: 19 March 2011
The French NavyFrench Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
anti-air destroyer Forbin and anti-air frigate Jean Bart were already off Libya when the operation commenced.
The French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
deployed in its first strike force eight Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
fighters, two Mirage 2000-5 fighters and two Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers supported by other aircraft listed above.
Eight Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
fighters patrolled the skies over Benghazi to prohibit the advance of Libyan ground forces. One opened fire on a Libyan military vehicle at 16:45 local time. The Telegraph reported four Libyan tanks destroyed by French aircraft southwest of Benghazi.
Aircraft returning from combat missions landed at Solenzara Air Base on Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
from which further combat sorties were launched.
Day 2: 20 March 2011
Eleven sorties were carried out by French aircraft over Libya.Task Force 473, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its battle group, sailed from Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
.
Day 3: 21 March 2011
Up to this day, 55 sorties were carried out by French aircraft over Libya. The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) claimed a Mirage 2000-D destroyed another Libyan tank 100 km south of Benghazi.Day 4: 22 March 2011
Aircraft from the Charles de Gaulle began operations over Libya, commencing with Rafale F3sDassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
conducting reconnaissance and patrols. The Forbin and Jean Bart, which were already on station off Libya, joined Task Force 473. The number of combat aircraft forward deployed at Air Base 126 Solenzara was increased to 20 with the arrival of two more Mirage 2000-5 and two more Mirage 2000D, with support aircraft operating out of Saint-Dizier and Avord.
Day 5: 23 March 2011
Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft from Solenzara and Rafale and Super Etendard aircraft from the Charles de Gaulle conducted reconnaissance and support sorties over Libya.Day 6: 24 March 2011
Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft attacked a Libyan air base, 250 kilometre inland from the Mediterranean Sea, with SCALP GPStorm Shadow
Storm Shadow is a British, French and Italian air-launched cruise missile, manufactured by MBDA. Storm Shadow is the British name for the weapon; in French service it is called SCALP EG...
missiles. Rafale, Mirage 2000D and Super Etendard aircraft flew four joint interdiction missions against Libyan ground forces. A Rafale destroyed a Libyan Soko G-2 Galeb light attack jet with an AASM
AASM
The Armement Air-Sol Modulaire is a French Precision-Guided Munition developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité. AASM comprises a frontal guidance kit and a rear-mounted range extension kit matched to a dumb bomb. The weapon is modular because it can integrate different types of guidance units and...
air-to-surface missile as it landed at Misrata. A patrol of two Mirage 2000Ds, equipped with GBU-12
GBU-12 Paveway II
The GBU-12 PAVEWAY II laser-guided bomb is an American aerial bomb, based on the Mk 82 500-pound general-purpose bomb, but with the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance. A member of the PAVEWAY series of weapons, PAVEWAY II entered into service c. 1976. It is currently in...
laser guided bombs, attacked loyalist artillery near Ajdabiyah.
Day 7: 25 March 2011
QatarQatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
i aircraft attached to Operation Odyssey Dawn
Operation Odyssey Dawn
Operation Odyssey Dawn was the U.S. code name for the US part of the international military operation in Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. during the initial period of 19–31 March 2011, which continued afterwards under NATO command as Operation Unified Protector...
and French aircraft conducted joint reconnaissance sorties in the regions of Misrata, Zintan, Sirte and Ajdabiyah. Four Mirage 2000Ds conducted interdiction missions against loyalist artillery near Ajdabiyah. Two French and two Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted air interdiction missions. Three French Mirage 2000-5s were moved from Solenzara to Souda Air Base on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
Day 8: 26 March 2011
French aircraft carried out several air strikes around Zintan and Misrata, destroying at least five Soko G-2 Galeb light attack jets and two Mi-35Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
helicopters on the ground. French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s continued joint reconnaissance sorties from Souda Air Base.
Day 9: 27 March 2011
Air Force and Navy Rafales attacked a command centre south of Tripoli. French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted joint patrols and air interdiction missions from Souda Air Base. Rafales and Super The number of French Mirage 2000-5s based as Souda was increased to four.Day 10: 28 March 2011
Air operations were planned to focus on the region around Zintan and Misrata. Air force Rafales and Mirage 2000Ds and a joint patrol of Navy Rafales and Super Etendards bombed an ammunition dump at Gharyan, 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) south of Tripoli. Mirage F1CRsDassault Mirage F1
The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
conducted reconnaissance missions for the first time in the operation.
Day 11: 29 March 2011
Two patrols of Air Force Rafales and Mirage 2000Ds and a patrol of Navy Rafales and Super Etendards attacked anti-aircraft missile sites 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) south west of Tripoli. Two joint patrols of French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted air interdiction sorties. Mirage 2000Ds and Super Etendards bombed a military depot 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) south of Tripoli.Day 12: 30 March 2011
A joint strike force of Air Force Rafales and Mirage 2000Ds and Navy Rafales and Super Etendards attacked anti-aircraft missile sites 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) south of Sirte. A patrol of two French and four Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted air interdiction sorties.Day 13: 31 March 2011
At 0600 GMT, NATO took command of all operations in Libya. Subsequent operations were conducted as part of Operation Unified ProtectorOperation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector was an NATO operation enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 concerning the 2011 Libyan civil war and adopted on 17 February and 17 March respectively...
.