Operation Mobile
Operation Mobile | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of CF-18s refuelling over Libya , 2011 | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Canada |
Libya | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Stephen Harper Peter MacKay Charles Bouchard Walter Natynczyk André Deschamps |
Muammar Gaddafi † Abu-Bakr Jabr † Khamis Gaddafi † Ali Sharif al-Rifi | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Royal Canadian Air Force Royal Canadian Navy | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
See deployed forces. 655 personnel at its peak.[2] | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
None | Unknown |
Operation Mobile (
The no-fly zone was enforced by NATO's Operation Unified Protector.[5] NATO took sole command of all operations in Libya from 06:00 GMT on 31 March, which effectively ended the U.S. Operation Odyssey Dawn, as all U.S. operations were absorbed into NATO's Unified Protector.[6] The Canadian contribution continued to fall under Operation Mobile, which ceased activities on 1 November 2011.[7]
Canadian Forces
On 1 March, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that HMCS Charlottetown would deploy from Halifax on 2 March to take part in Canadian and international operations already under way in Libya. Charlottetown departed CFB Halifax, and joined the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 on 14 March, and arrived on station on 17 March.[8]
HMCS Charlottetown is a Halifax-class frigate with a crew of about 240 officers and sailors, and a CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment. With the other ships of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, HMCS Charlottetown was engaged in regional maritime security operations in the central Mediterranean Sea. On 18 August, HMCS Vancouver took the place of HMCS Charlottetown for the remainder of the NATO mission in Libya. HMCS Charlottetown returned to Canada on 2 September.
Royal Canadian Air Force
Task Force
CF-18 Hornets and CC-150 Polaris assets were based at Trapani-Birgi airbase in Sicily, Italy.
CP-140 Aurora aircraft were based at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy.
Trapani Detachment:
- Seven CF-188 Hornet fighter aircraft (three pairs and a spare) from 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron and 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta;
- two CC-150 Polaris tanker from 437 Transport Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario, and
- two CC-130H Hercules airlifters/air-to-air refuellers from 435 Transport Squadron at 17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba; and
- The Mission Support Flight.
Sigonella Detachment:
- Two CP-140 Aurora aircraft, one from 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and the other from 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron at 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia.
as of 05:30 GMT, 25 October 2011
Sorties to date
- CF-188 Hornet fighters 946
- CC-150 Polaris tankers 250
- CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft 181
- CC-130J Hercules airlifters 23
- CC-130 Hercules tankers 139
Deployed forces
- Royal Canadian Air Force[10]
- 6 ×
- 2 × CC-177 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft
- 2 × CC-130J Hercules tactical transport aircraft
- 2 × air-to-air refuellingtankers
- 2 × CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft[11]
- Royal Canadian Navy
- HMCS Charlottetown, a Halifax-class frigate. (Deployed from 2 March 2011 - 17 August 2011)
- 1 × CH-124 Sea King (Operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force)
- HMCS Vancouver, a Halifax-class frigate. (Deployed from 7 July 2011 – 1 November 2011)
- 1 × CH-124 Sea King (Operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force)
- HMCS Charlottetown, a Halifax-class frigate. (Deployed from 2 March 2011 - 17 August 2011)
- Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
An additional six CF-18s were placed on standby in Canada, ready to deploy immediately if called upon.[13]
Summary of action
- 21 March: Start of Operations
Four
Defence Minister Peter MacKay stated that another six CF-18 fighter jets are on standby to deploy if needed.[15]
- 22 March
Two CF-18s again flew missions on Tuesday, 22 March. However they had to abandon their planned attack on a Gaddafi Libyan airfield as the high possibility of collateral damage was against the strict rules of engagement.[16] For a second day a CC-150 tanker refuelled Canadian aircraft as well as other coalition aircraft.[17]
- 23 March
The third day marked the first time Canadian jets bombed Libya since the campaign began. This occurred as four CF-18s flew two missions against an ammunition depot in Misrata, dropping four 227 kg (500-pound) laser-guided bombs,[18] and supported by two CC-150 Polaris tankers.[19]
In other developments, Commodore John Newton, of the Royal Canadian Navy stated that the crew of HMCS Charlottetown were prepared to conduct boarding operations and had been training for search and rescue of downed pilots.[20]
- 24 March
Two CF-18s flew two
- 25 March
Two CF-18s conducted one sortie and released several precision-guided munitions against
- 27 March
A second ammunition depot, this time located 92 kilometres (57 mi) south of Misrata, was destroyed in an operation by four CF-18s utilizing 227 kg (500-pound) laser-guided bombs; in addition CF-18s coordinated other attacks involving up to 20 other coalition aircraft. Enforcing the arms embargo a CP-140A Aurora flew the first Canadian Maritime Patrol mission.[24]
- 29 March
Two CF-18s help the rebels by attacking targets in Misrata.
- 31 March
From 08:00 EET, NATO took sole command of air operations over Libya under Operation Unified Protector, taking over from U.S. Africa Command.[6][28][29]
- 21 April
Pilots flew more than 100 missions over Libya since the beginning of Operation Mobile. During the past week they were deployed 38 times. They attacked armoured vehicles, ammunition depots, and mobile rocket launchers.[30]
- 13 May
This was the first time since the Korean War that a Canadian warship was involved in a naval battle.[34]
- 19 May
Canadian pilots participated in NATO air strikes that destroyed eight Libyan warships. HMCS Charlottetown also participated in the operation.[35]
- 27 May
Canadian pilots dropped 240 laser-guided bombs on Libyan targets since 31 March.[36]
- 2 June
On Monday morning, HMCS Charlottetown came under heavy fire. The Libyan army had deployed a dozen
- 16 June
During the preceding week throughout four days CF-18s destroyed armoured vehicles, field headquarters, ammunition depots and command-and-control structures with laser-guided bombs. During the same week, CF-18s were recalled to one target because the laser-targeting system on an allied jet failed.[38][39]
- 10 July
HMCS Vancouver under the command of Commander Bradly Peats, with 225 crew members and a detachment from 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, departed CFB Esquimalt en route to the Mediterranean Sea to relieve HMCS Charlottetown, which had been on station off the Libyan coast since March.[40]
- 29 July
Canadian
- 18 August
A change of command ceremony was held in
- 1 November
Operation Mobile officially ceased operations and began mission closure activities.
See also
- List of Canadian military operations
- List of Canadian Peacekeeping Missions
References
- ^ Cohen, Tom (20 March 2011). "Mullen: No-fly zone effectively in place in Libya". CNN. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Operation MOBILE". 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Operation MOBILE". DND, 21 March 2011. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
- ^ Judd, Terri (19 March 2011). "Operation Ellamy: Designed to strike from air and sea". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022.
- ^ "NATO No-Fly Zone over Libya Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR" (PDF). NATO. 25 March 2011.
- ^ a b "NATO Press Briefing". NATO. 31 March 2011.
- ^ "Operation MOBILE: National Defence and Canadian Forces Response to the Situation in Libya". National Defense and the Canadian Forces. 13 January 2012. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
- ^ "Canadian warship departs for Libya". Canada Yahoo News. 2 March 2011. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ "Harper: Libya air mission poses risks". CBC News. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
- ^ "Update on CF Operations in Libya."[permanent dead link] Canadian Forces, 22 March 2011.
- ^ "Canadian patrol planes to join Libya mission". CBC. 24 March 2011.
- ^ Cohen, Tobi. "Canadian warship en route, JTF2 sent to Libya." Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Ottawa Citizen, 2 March 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Libyan mission a 'moral duty,' MacKay says". CBC Canada. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
- ^ "HMCS Charlottetown patrols off Libya". CBC News. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
- ^ Campion-Smith, Bruce (21 March 2011). "Canadian fighter jets fly first mission in Libyan no-fly zone". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ "Canadian fighters abandon planned attack on Libyan airfield". Canada Yahoo News. 22 March 2011. Archived from the original on 26 March 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ "Anti-aircraft fire booms in Tripoli". CBC New. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- ^ "Canadian jets bomb Libyan target in first attack". The Globe and Mail. 23 March 2011.[dead link]
- ^ "Canadian jets target Libyan ammunition depot". CBC News. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
- ^ Brewster, Murray (23 March 2011). "Canadian CF-18s bomb Libyan ammunition depot". The Toronto Star. Toronto. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ "Operation MOBILE: National Defence and Canadian Forces Response to the Situation in Libya". Department of National Defence. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Canada sending two aircraft to aid Libya mission". CBC News. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ a b c "Canada sending 2 aircraft to aid Libya mission". Department of National Defence. 25 March 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Libyan rebels advance on Gadhafi's hometown". CBC News. 28 March 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ "Libyan rebels retreat to Brega". CBC News. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Le Canada s'associe à une opération de propagande en Libye". Radio-Canada (in French). 29 July 2011.
- ^ Brewster, Murray (29 July 2011). "Canadians join war of words in Libya". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- ^ "US Navy P-3C, USAF A-10 and USS Barry Engage Libyan Vessels". Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn Public Affairs. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
- ^ "NATO Assumes Command of Libya Operations". Department of Defense. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011.
- ^ Weese, Bryn (21 April 2011). "Canadian fighter jets attack Libyan targets". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
- ^ Wright, Peter (13 May 2011). "HMCS Charlottetown involved in battle". The Chronicle Herald.
- ^ Hoare, Eva (13 May 2011). "Canadian ship fends off attack by Libyan boats". Winnipeg Free Press.
- ^ "Canadian ship returns fire at Libyan forces". CBC. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
- ^ "International Operations: A shot in the dark". Department of National Defence. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ^ "Des CF-18 frappent des navires libyens" (in French). TVA nouvelles. 19 May 2011.
- ^ "PM wants Libyan mission extended". CBC. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ^ "Rockets fired at Canadian frigate off Libya". Global News. 3 June 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Canadian jet fighters join NATO raids on Tripoli, target armoured vehicles". Winnipeg Free press. June 2011.
- ^ "Les CF-18 canadiens ont bombardé Tripoli". Radio-Canada (in French). 16 June 2011.
- ^ "HMCS Vancouver Departs for the Coast of Libya". Department of National Defence. 7 July 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ "Canadians join war of words in Libya". The Chronicle Herald. 29 July 2011.
- ^ "HMCS Vancouver Relieves HMCS Charlottetown Continuing Canada's Efforts Against Libyan Regime". Department of National Defence. 18 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
External links