F-22S Stealth Fighter May Be First Enforcer of Libyan No-Fly Zone
Gen. Schwartz on how the Air Force might enforce a No-Fly Zone.
March 18, 2011 -- With the United Nations authorization for an internationally monitored no-fly zone over Libya, it seems clear that the United States will play a role enforcing it.
It is not yet clear exactly that U.S. military's role would be. The White House has made clear that they want help in particular from other countries in the Middle East. All planning could be altered by reports of a truce between Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi and rebel forces in Benghazi.
But Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norman Schwartz provided a House panel with some insights on what the United States could do, beginning with the deployment of F-22 stealth fighters, which can avoid Libyan air defenses. While some have said that the implementation of a no-fly zone could begin within hours, Schwartz said it would take "upwards of a week" to implement a no-fly zone.
What Could the U.S. Air Force Use To Help Carry Out a No-Fly Zone?
First, Schwartz called public comments by some that a No-Fly Zone could be done in a few days "overly optimistic" and said it would take "upwards of a week."
As for what the U.S. could offer to help: "It would entail numerous assets. Certainly fighter aircraft, F-16, F-15, both air to ground and anti- radiation capabilities." He said the F-22 stealth fighter "would be useful, and I would have the expectation that at least in the early days it certainly would be used." F-22's are based only in the U.S.
More Than Fighter Jets - A Total Force
Fighter jets need support, however. In addition, surveillance aircraft and tankers to fuel all the other planes would be needed. Schwartz called t he mobilization of a "total force sort of application."
Schwartz: "You've going to have RC-135s, you're going to have surveillance kinds of capabilities that would be used to surveil both the integrated air defense system and others areas as tasked. You'll have tankers to support the short-legged platforms. You would have Compass Call and other capabilities that, again, can jam communications and affect the effectiveness of the integrated air defense and so on. And you would have undoubtedly some bomber aircraft that would give you long dwell over specific target areas.
Compass Call is the name given to a specialized C-130 that provides electronic jamming of radars, communications, etc. RC-135's are specialized intelligence gathering aircraft that specializes in communications intercepts.
"So the bottom line, if we do this, this is a complete force kind of a total force sort of application of our air and space capabilities," he said.
Where Would American Assets Come From?
Schwartz said for the Air Force to undertake this mission "it would undoubtedly require resources in Europe as well as those that are based in the U.S. I would like to say, however, that for me the question is not can we do it, but should we, and if so, how. "
He acknowledged there are limited available reconnaissance assets -- unmanned UAV's/drones -- because most are in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What Are Libyan Forces Capable Of?
Enforcing a no-fly zone means keeping Libyan aircraft on the ground. Their air force, according to Scwhartz, is not enormous.
"They have multiple tens of combat aircraft and certainly I would say in the low hundreds of helicopter rotary wing aircraft" and they're flying "in the neighborhood of tens of sorties a day," said Schwartz.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress last week the Libyan air force was large in raw numbers, but only a small number of aircraft were actually flying. He put it at about 85 with a third being fighter aircraft, a third cargo aircraft and the remaining third helicopters.
Libya's air force includes only one squadron of advanced ground attack aircraft, the Russia SU-2, and about 30 helicopters.
A Pentagon analysis said, "The overall readiness of Libyan aircraft is poor by western standards and most aircraft are now dated or obsolete in terms of avionics or upgrades. Eighty percent of the air force is judged to be "non-operational and overhaul and combat repair capability is also limited." Libya's attack helicopter squadron is made of Russian Hinds aircraft and "readiness is reportedly poor."
The Pentagon analysis also tracks with what Clapper said about the readiness of the Libyan air force and about the number of air defense sites.
Clapper said there are about 30 surface to air missile sites in Libya mostly along the coast.
Some air defenses are more difficult for an international force to take out. Anti-Gadhafi Rebels control much of the eastern part of the country, where a no-fly zone would be focused. But most of Gadhafi's permanent air defense systems are in the west. This means that an international force could bypass many of these systems. But there is also the threat of shoulder fired missiles, what the military calls MANPADS for man portable air defense. There are hundreds of these.
Air defense missiles used by Libya include Russian-made SA-2, SA-3, SA-5, SA-6, and SA-13 systems with the SA-5 providing Libya " "significant standoff capability" with a range of 300 kilometers.
The "existence of these systems poses a significant threat to U.S. and NATO aircraft," according to the Pentagon assessment.
With the United Nations authorization for an internationally monitored no-fly zone over Libya, is seems clear that the United States will play a role enforcing it.
It is not yet clear exactly that U.S. military's role would be. The White House has made clear that they want help in particular from other countries in the Middle East. All planning could be altered by reports of a truce between Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi and rebel forces in Benghazi.
But Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norman Schwartz provided a House panel with some insights on what the United States could do, beginning with the deployment of F-22 stealth fighters, which can avoid Libyan air defenses. While some have said that the implementation of a no-fly zone could begin within hours, Schwartz said it would take "upwards of a week" to implement a no-fly zone.
What Could the U.S. Air Force Use To Help Carry Out a No-Fly Zone?
First, Schwartz called public comments by some that a No-Fly Zone could be done in a few days "overly optimistic" and said it would take "upwards of a week."
As for what the U.S. could offer to help: "It would entail numerous assets. Certainly fighter aircraft, F-16, F-15, both air to ground and anti- radiation capabilities." He said the F-22 stealth fighter "would be useful, and I would have the expectation that at least in the early days it certainly would be used." F-22's are based only in the U.S.
More Than Fighter Jets - A Total Force
Fighter jets need support, however. In addition, surveillance aircraft and tankers to fuel all the other planes would be needed. Schwartz called t he mobilization of a "total force sort of application."
Schwartz: "You've going to have RC-135s, you're going to have surveillance kinds of capabilities that would be used to surveil both the integrated air defense system and others areas as tasked. You'll have tankers to support the short-legged platforms. You would have Compass Call and other capabilities that, again, can jam communications and affect the effectiveness of the integrated air defense and so on. And you would have undoubtedly some bomber aircraft that would give you long dwell over specific target areas.
Compass Call is the name given to a specialized C-130 that provides electronic jamming of radars, communications, etc. RC-135's are specialized intelligence gathering aircraft that specializes in communications intercepts.
"So the bottom line, if we do this, this is a complete force kind of a total force sort of application of our air and space capabilities," he said.
Where Would American Assets Come From?
Schwartz said for the Air Force to undertake this mission "it would undoubtedly require resources in Europe as well as those that are based in the U.S. I would like to say, however, that for me the question is not can we do it, but should we, and if so, how. "
He acknowledged there are limited available reconnaissance assets -- unmanned UAV's/drones -- because most are in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What Are Libyan Forces Capable Of?
Enforcing a no-fly zone means keeping Libyan aircraft on the ground. Their air force, according to Scwhartz, is not enormous.
"They have multiple tens of combat aircraft and certainly I would say in the low hundreds of helicopter rotary wing aircraft" and they're flying "in the neighborhood of tens of sorties a day," said Schwartz.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress last week the the Libyan air force was large in raw numbers, but only a small number of aircraft were actually flying. He put it at about 85 with a third being fighter aircraft, a third cargo aircraft and the remaining third helicopters.
Libya's air force includes only one squadron of advanced ground attack aircraft, the Russia SU-2, and about 30 helicopters.
A Pentagon analysis said, "The overall readiness of Libyan aircraft is poor by western standards and most aircraft are now dated or obsolete in terms of avionics or upgrades. Eighty percent of the air force is judged to be "non-operational and overhaul and combat repair capability is also limited." Libya's attack helicopter squadron is made of Russian Hinds aircraft and "readiness is reportedly poor."
The Pentagon analysis also tracks with what Clapper said about the readiness of the Libyan air force and about the number of air defense sites.
Clapper said there are about 30 surface to air missile sites in Libya mostly along the coast.
Some air defenses are more difficult for an international force to take out. Anti-Gadhafi Rebels control much of the eastern part of the country, where a no-fly zone would be focused. But most of Gadhafi's permanent air defense systems are in the west. This means that an international force could bypass many of these systems. But there is also the threat of shoulder fired missiles, what the military calls MANPADS for man portable air defense. There are hundreds of these.
Air defense missiles used by Libya include Russian-made SA-2, SA-3, SA-5, SA-6, and SA-13 systems with the SA-5 providing Libya " "significant standoff capability" with a range of 300 kilometers.
The "existence of these systems poses a significant threat to U.S. and NATO aircraft," according to the Pentagon assessment.
With the United Nations authorization for an internationally monitored no-fly zone over Libya, is seems clear that the United States will play a role enforcing it.
It is not yet clear exactly that U.S. military's role would be. The White House has made clear that they want help in particular from other countries in the Middle East. All planning could be altered by reports of a truce between Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi and rebel forces in Benghazi.
But Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norman Schwartz provided a House panel with some insights on what the United States could do, beginning with the deployment of F-22 stealth fighters, which can avoid Libyan air defenses. While some have said that the implementation of a no-fly zone could begin within hours, Schwartz said it would take "upwards of a week" to implement a no-fly zone.
What Could the U.S. Air Force Use To Help Carry Out a No-Fly Zone?
First, Schwartz called public comments by some that a No-Fly Zone could be done in a few days "overly optimistic" and said it would take "upwards of a week."
As for what the U.S. could offer to help: "It would entail numerous assets. Certainly fighter aircraft, F-16, F-15, both air to ground and anti- radiation capabilities." He said the F-22 stealth fighter "would be useful, and I would have the expectation that at least in the early days it certainly would be used." F-22's are based only in the U.S.
More Than Fighter Jets - A Total Force
Fighter jets need support, however. In addition, surveillance aircraft and tankers to fuel all the other planes would be needed. Schwartz called t he mobilization of a "total force sort of application."
Schwartz: "You've going to have RC-135s, you're going to have surveillance kinds of capabilities that would be used to surveil both the integrated air defense system and others areas as tasked. You'll have tankers to support the short-legged platforms. You would have Compass Call and other capabilities that, again, can jam communications and affect the effectiveness of the integrated air defense and so on. And you would have undoubtedly some bomber aircraft that would give you long dwell over specific target areas.
Compass Call is the name given to a specialized C-130 that provides electronic jamming of radars, communications, etc. RC-135's are specialized intelligence gathering aircraft that specializes in communications intercepts.
"So the bottom line, if we do this, this is a complete force kind of a total force sort of application of our air and space capabilities," he said.
Where Would American Assets Come From?
Schwartz said for the Air Force to undertake this mission "it would undoubtedly require resources in Europe as well as those that are based in the U.S. I would like to say, however, that for me the question is not can we do it, but should we, and if so, how. "
He acknowledged there are limited available reconnaissance assets -- unmanned UAV's/drones -- because most are in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What Are Libyan Forces Capable Of?
Enforcing a no-fly zone means keeping Libyan aircraft on the ground. Their air force, according to Scwhartz, is not enormous.
"They have multiple tens of combat aircraft and certainly I would say in the low hundreds of helicopter rotary wing aircraft" and they're flying "in the neighborhood of tens of sorties a day," said Schwartz.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress last week the the Libyan air force was large in raw numbers, but only a small number of aircraft were actually flying. He put it at about 85 with a third being fighter aircraft, a third cargo aircraft and the remaining third helicopters.
Libya's air force includes only one squadron of advanced ground attack aircraft, the Russia SU-2, and about 30 helicopters.
A Pentagon analysis said, "The overall readiness of Libyan aircraft is poor by western standards and most aircraft are now dated or obsolete in terms of avionics or upgrades. Eighty percent of the air force is judged to be "non-operational and overhaul and combat repair capability is also limited." Libya's attack helicopter squadron is made of Russian Hinds aircraft and "readiness is reportedly poor."
The Pentagon analysis also tracks with what Clapper said about the readiness of the Libyan air force and about the number of air defense sites.
Clapper said there are about 30 surface to air missile sites in Libya mostly along the coast.
Air defense missiles used by Libya include Russian-made SA-2, SA-3, SA-5, SA-6, and SA-13 systems with the SA-5 providing Libya " "significant standoff capability" with a range of 300 kilometers.
The "existence of these systems poses a significant threat to U.S. and NATO aircraft," according to the Pentagon assessment.
Some air defenses are more difficult for an international force to take out. Anti-Gadhafi Rebels control much of the eastern part of the country, where a no-fly zone would be focused. But most of Gadhafi's permanent air defense systems are in the west. This means that an international force could bypass many of these systems.
But there is also the threat of shoulder fired missiles, what the military calls MANPADS for man portable air defense.
The Pentagon list does not include a tally for how many of these portable launchers there are in Libya, but Clapper said "they have a large, large number of MANPADS…and of course there's great concern there about them falling into the wrong hands"
ABC's Martha Raddatz contributed to this report.