04 June 2011
A week after Britain’s biggest warship broke off from exercises in Cyprus, she sent her Army Air Corps helicopters against government targets – a checkpoint and a radar site – at Brega in the south-eastern Gulf of Sirte, 120 miles south of Benghazi.
Overnight, the helicopters used their Hellfire missiles and 30mm cannon to eliminate their targets before returning to the Mighty O.
The strike was part of another night of concerted NATO raids against the Libyan military machine: the RAF struck at ammunition bunkers deep inside the country at Waddan, some 300 miles south-east of the capital Tripoli, while French attack helicopters from the assault ship FS Tonnerre also took out land targets.
Yesterday it was announced that the bulk of the Royal Navy’s Responsive Force Task Group had broken off its amphibious exercises in the eastern Mediterranean – Cougar 11 – and had instead been dispatched to the sea off Libya to tighten the screw on the Gaddafi regime.
“The successful and safe operations by Apache Attack Helicopters required a first class performance by the sailors, soldiers and Royal Marines across the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group,”
said Cdre John Kingwell, directing the RN task force off Libya from flagship HMS Albion.
“I am very proud of all of their work so far which yet again underlines the versatility of this force."
“This action highlights NATO’s resolve to protect the Libyan people and it is a further example of the increasing pressure on Colonel Gaddafi and his regime to recognise the will of the international community and cease attacks on his own people."
“We remain ready for further operations.”
This is the first deployment by the Apaches of 4 Regiment, 656 Squadron Army Air Corps, at sea.
They recently completed successful live firings of their weaponry off Gibraltar to prove their ability to fight at sea.
There are now eight Royal Navy warships and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries committed to Operation Unified Protector: destroyer HMS Liverpool, minehunter HMS Brocklesby, submarine HMS Triumph with her cruise missiles and the five ships from the task group: Albion, Ocean, frigate HMS Sutherland, tanker RFA Wave Knight and support ship RFA Fort Rosalie.
Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said the UK and NATO would continue to exert pressure on Tripoli to
“ensure that the people of Libya are free to determine their own future."
“The Attack Helicopter is yet another potent and formidable aircraft type which has now been added to the NATO forces engaged on this operation. Those who are still supporting Colonel Gaddafi would do well to realise that the best way to remove themselves from danger is to understand that their future lies with the Libyan people, not a discredited regime.”
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