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Libyan Arab Air Force’s Ghardabiya - Sirte
Super Air Base
After the revolution the Libyan Arab Republic Air Force inherited only two real military airport (RAF El Adem and the USAFE Wheelus AB) and more civil airport (for example, Misrata and Benina). The Libyan Air Force needed new and large airports so construction of four modern military airports began in the 1970s.
Between 1976 and 1983, the Al-Watiya, Ghardabiya (Sirte), Al-Bombah (Martyr Ali Al-Rais), and Al-Jufra air bases were handed over. Of these, Ghardabiya was the the biggest, a real super airbase! The Ghardabiya airbase built south of the city of Sirte, close to the coast of Sidra Bay.
The new Ghardabiya airbase near Sirte city was huge! It had two 3,600-meter-long runways, an extensive taxiway network and five air squadron's zone. Each zone had 16 hardened shelter, one central hangar, and aprons, offices, workshops and other facilities.
One air squadron's zone out of five. Image: Maxtar
The central apron was used by L-39s. Photo: J. Eréniyho
The hardened shelters were NATO standard and provided protection for two Su-22 ‘Fitter’s or one MiG-25 ‘Foxbat’ combat aircraft. A total of eighty large shelters were built at Ghardabiya Air Base!
1978-1980 period - Ghardabiya (Sirte) Air Base
The airport opened in the late 1970s. The first air unit, the 1022nd Air Squadron, relocated from Mitiga Airport in October 1978 with Su-22 (S-32M2K) ‘Fitter’ reconnaissance bomber aircraft.
Then, in 1979, two squadrons from the Libyan Air Force Tripoli Air High School moved here, also from Mitiga Airport, with L-39ZO Albatros aircraft, Czechoslovakian instructors, and Libyan cadets.
These training squadrons made a brief detour to Al-Watiya Air Base in 1979, but the conditions were not ideal. They then flew to Ghardabiya Air Base, where both the accommodation conditions for the personnel were adequate and the huge airport was ideal for flight training.
Libyan crew with their Su-22 (S-32M2K) ‘Fitter’ reconnaissance bomber at Ghardabiya Sirte airbase.
Sirte Air High School’s cadets and Czechoslovakian instructors at Ghardabiya airbase in 1979.
Then, between 1979 and 1981, a further significant number of L-39ZO Albatros training aircraft and new Su-22M (S-52K) ‘Fitter’ reconnaissance bomber aircraft type arrived at Ghardabiya airport.
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A total of 180 L-39ZOs Albatros were delivered to Libya by the Czech Aero factory between 1978 and 1983, which were distributed among three schools. Of these, the Sirte Air High School used nearly fifty L-39 training aircraft here in the first half of the 1980s.
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According to Soviet foreign trade data, 72 Su-22M (S-52K) ‘Fitter’ reconnaissance bomber aircraft were delivered to Libya between 1979 and 1981. All of them were sent to Ghardabiya Airport, where the new 1032nd Air Squadron was formed alongside the 1022nd Air Squadron. The older 1022nd Air Squadron used the new Su-22M type, while the old Su-22s (S-32M2K) were transferred to the new 1032nd Training Air Squadron.
Sirte Air High School’s cadets and Czechoslovakian instructor with their L-39ZO Albtros trainer aircraft at Ghardabiya airbase in the early eighties
The 1022nd Squadron's two pilot with their Su-22M (S-52K) reconnaissance bomber aircraft in front of aircraft shelters at Ghardabiya (Sirte) Air Base in 1981.
Ghardabiya Air Base’s order of battle in 1980:
According to Soviet data, between 1977 and 1981, the USSR delivered
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24 bcs Su-22 (S-32M2K)
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72 bcs Su-22M (S-52K)
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16 bcs Su-22U/UM (S-52UK) two-seat
reconnaissance bombers to Libya. That is a huge number! Libya received Su-22M (S-52K) aircraft from the following factory series:
* The 29th series was the first Su-22M (S-52K) factory series in 1978. The first five aircraft from this series remained in the Soviet Union, while the other ten very early examples were sent to Libya. Every each Su-22M ‘Fitter’ factory series consisted of 15 aircraft.
The even serial numbers were used in the factory for the Soviet Su-17M3 series.
Whether these aircraft was actually delivered is still a matter of research. In any case, only two squadrons at Ghardabiya airfield used the Su-22 type, and the surplus was stored.
However, unlike Western sources claim, Libya never used the Su-22M3 (S-52M3K) variant! The Soviet Union only supplied this advanced Su-22M3 (S-52M3K) variant (50-57 series), capable of launching precision weapons, to the Hungarian People's Republic, Syria, and Iraq!
Libyan Su-22s at Ghardabiya (Sirte) Air Base. The photo on the right clearly shows the smaller window of the simpler Su-22M (S-52K) type Fon laser rangefinder in the nose cone. Photo: Mahmoud Salem Bin Salim
Initially, only more senior pilots flew the Su-22s. Then the first 12 novice Su-22 ‘Fitter’ pilots arrived from the USSR in 1980. They had previously been trained at the Soviet Krasnodar Air Force Academy between 1977 and 1980, flying L-39Cs and then Suchoi Su-22s. Six of them were assigned to the 1022nd Air Squadron, and the other six to the 1032nd Air Squadron at Ghardabiya air base.
Beginning Libyan pilots flew on Su-22 ‘Fitter’s in the Soviet Union when they were trained on this reconnaissance-bomber type at Krasnodar College. The photos above were taken in 1984 at Krasnodar Airport, showing Libyan students with their Soviet instructor in front of a Soviet Su-22M.
In the 1970s, relations between Libya and the United States steadily deteriorated. From 1973 the Libya claimed the Gulf of Sidra as a closed bay and part of its territorial waters. In 1981, Reagan authorized a large naval force led by a pair of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, USS Forrestal and USS Nimitz, to deploy to the disputed area. The two carriers had embarked a total of four interceptor squadrons:
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the VF-74 "Be-Devilers" and VMFA-115 "Silver Eagles" flying F-4J Phantoms from USS Forrestal
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and the VF-41 "Black Aces" and VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" with F-14A Tomcats from USS Nimitz.
The Libyan Air Force responded by deploying a high number of interceptors and reconnaissance. In 1981 the Ghardabiya-Sirte airbase was at the center of events and deployed its Su-22 ‘Fitter’ reconnaissance-bomber aircraft types as air defense fighter.
Air Defence patrol over Gulf of Sidra - Libyan 1032rd Air Squadron’s Su-22 (S-32M2K) ‘Fitter’ with newer R-13M missile in 1981. Photo: US NAVY
Air Defence patrol over Gulf of Sidra - Libyan 1022rd Air Squadron’s Su-22M (S-52K) ‘Fitter’ with the obsolete R-3S missile in 1981. Photo: US NAVY
In August 1981, both the Libyan 1022nd and 1032nd squadrons flew Air Defense patrol missions with Su-22 and Su-22M aircraft from Ghardabiya airfield. Interestingly, the older Su-22s were armed with the newer R-13 missiles, while the newer Su-22M types were used with the older-obsolete R-3S missiles.
In the incident on August 19, F-14A aircraft from VF-41 'Black Aces' Squadron shot down two Su-22M aircraft from the Libyan Air Force's 1022nd Squadron. The Libyan pilots: Captain Belkacem Emsik al-Zintani, and 1st Lieutenant Mokhtar el-Arabi al-Jaafari ejected about 75km off the coast of Syrte. After several hours in the water, a Libyan search and rescue (SAR) helicopter rescued them.
The question arises: after the US Navy warned Libyan forces about Freedom of Navigation (FON) operations, why did the Libyan Air Force command not deploy Mirage or MiG fighter jets from the Ghardabiya base in the middle of the Gulf of Sidra in August 1981? Why did they only send Su-22s , which are less suitable for air combat, against US forces?
Was it negligence, or did they believe Soviet advertising materials? Previously the Soviet Union advertised the Su-22 as a interceptor fighter aircraft. This was based on the following facts:
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The Su-22s had excellent climbing ability
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Unlike the Su-17M/M2s manufactured for the Soviet Air Force, the export Su-20/22/22M variants could deploy R-3S and R-13 air-to-air missiles
However, all these capabilities and the preparedness of the Libyan personnel were insufficient against the US Navy's F-14A Tomcat fighter jets.
The official Libyan version is different is this. According to Libya, in the incident of August 19, 1981, Captain Emsik al-Zintani first shot down a US Navy F-14 Tomcat aircraft before he and his wingman were shot down. This was confirmed by Libyan media, with american aircraft wreckage found by a Libyan fisherman in Gulf of Sidra.
Left: According to Libyan media, presumably part of the wreckage of the American F-14 aircraft that was shot down in the aerial engagement. It bears the aircraft's name and part number and is located at the headquarters of 1022nd Squadron at Ghardabiya (Sirte) Air Base.
In November 1981 in Tripoli the press conference following the incident. Photo: Al-Tommy Center
After the press conference at Mitiga airport in November 1981 in front of the 1345th Squadron SA 321GM Super Frelon SAR helicopter. Photo: Al-Tommy Center
After the incident, the Libyan Air Force reinforced its search and rescue and air defense capabilities at the Ghardabiya airbase! In 1981, the 1314th Helicopter Squadron was formed here with Mil Mi-14PL Haze-A search and rescue and anti-submarine helicopters. Between 1981 and 1983, a total of thirty such helicopters were delivered to Libya by the USSR.
Libyan 1314th Squadron’s Mil Mi-14PL Haze-A search and rescue and anti-submarine helicopter at the Ghardabiya (Sirte) Air Base in the early eighties.
In parallel with the Mi-14s, France also delivered six radar-equipped Aérospatiale SA 321GM Super Frelon helicopters fitted with Omera ORB-32WAS radar to Tripoli International Airport in 1980.
These two types were used to organize search and rescue services over Libyan coastal waters in the early 1980s.
Major Libyan SAR bases and their patrol areas in the first half of the 1980s. Until the Saipem incident in 1980, Libya also operated SAR helicopters from Malta. But after that, relations between the two countries deteriorated.
Libyan 1314th Squadron Mil Mi-14PL Haze-A search and rescue and anti-submarine helicopter with Type 12-M search radar. Photo: Chris Lofting
Libyan 1345th Squadron’s Aérospatiale SA 321GM Super Frelon SAR helicopter with Omera ORB-32WAS radar. Photo: AircraftSlides
The Libyan Air Force could only fly SAR missions from Malta until the end of 1980. The remaining older SA 321M helicopters were used by 1345th Squadron in SAR and transport roles. Photo: John Visanich
After 1981 the lower-performance Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III helicopters were mainly used the 1315th Squadron in the country's inland areas. Photo: John Visanich
Air defense was also developed in the first half of the 1980s. From 1982, the 1090th Air Squadron moved here from Benina Airport with MiG-23MF ‘Flogger-B’ aircraft. In addition, five firing positions were built around the Ghardabiya airbase and Sirte city for Soviet origin air defense missile systems. These forces were part of the Libyan Air Defense Force's HUN air defense sector in the early eighties.
A pilot of the Libyan 1090th Air Squadron and his MiG-23MF ‘Flogger-B’ fighter jet at the Ghardabiya air base in the 1980s. The MiG-23MF has an unusual dark camouflage pattern for the desert, similar to that of the Czechoslovak MiG-23MFs. It was armed with R-3S ‘Atoll’ and R-23R ‘Apex’ missiles.
Typical SAM site around the Ghardabiya airbase and Sirte city. It is interesting that each of the five sites only contains three launch positions. This configuration was only used in the early S-125 Pechora Air Defence System. But this was not a typical design feature of the SA-75 Volhov system, for example. image: Maxtar
The above is the only known photo of the MiG-23MF ‘Flogger-B’ aircraft of the 1090th Squadron az Ghardabiya airbase. It shows that at least this particular aircraft was not painted in the Middle Eastern camouflage pattern, but in the European camouflage pattern at the factory before being delivered to Libya. This caused a lot of misunderstanding.
Also according to Western sources, this is a second-hand soviet MiG-23M, which was converted to the MF version in the Soviet Union and delivered to Libya in 1984. All this because it does not have Middle Eastern camouflage paint. But of course, none of this is true. Both Soviet factory data and the recollections of the 1090th Squadron crew refute the above.
A contract for the delivery of the MiG-23MF was signed between Libya and the Soviet Union in 1980. The Libyan crew traveled to the Soviet 5th Training Center in Frunze for retraining in 1980. The Libyan MiG-23MF aircraft were manufactured between 1981 and 1982, based on their serial numbers (between 131st and 142nd factory series). The first MiG-23MF aircraft arrived in Libya Benina airport in 1981, and after further training, the new 1090th Air Squadron moved to Ghardabiya Airfield in 1982 with 15 pilots and technical personnel.
The number of MiG-23s in Ghardabiya airbase was far below the number of local Su-22s. The number of MiG-23MFs did not reach twenty in the first half of the 1980s at this airfield. In addition, a few two-seater MiG-23UBs arrived with the 1090th Squadron in 1982.
Some known Libyan MiG-23MF ‘Flogger-B’ series and production year data:
It is unclear why some of the Libyan MiG-23MF ‘Flogger-B’s wore European camouflage, but they were probably not intended for the Middle East at the time of painting. In any case, all of them were factory-new MiG-23MFs, which were used to reinforce the defense of the Ghardabiya airbase after the 1981 incident.
By 1982, the Ghardabiya air base's order of battle was complete with the new types:
Ground support capabilities were further developed. Between 1982 and 1983, a new helicopter squadron was formed at the Ghardabiya airbase. The new 1325th Squadron received brand new Mi-25 (Mi-24D) ‘Hind-D’ combat helicopters from the Soviet Union.
This was Libya's second combat helicopter squadron. The first Libyan Mi-24 squadron was the 1391st at Al-Watiya Air Base and used second-hand Mi-24A/D ‘Hind-A/D’ variants.
Originally, 24 Mi-25 (Mi-24D) ‘Hind-D’s combat helicopter arrived from the Soviet Union, followed by another one in the mid-1980s, probably as a warranty replacement.
Left: The 1325th Squadron’s Mi-25 (Mi-24D) ‘Hind-D’ combat helicopter and the crew at Misurata airport.
From 1982 onwards, the air squadrons based at Ghardabiya Air Base also took part in the Chadian–Libyan conflict. The first loss of Libyan Su-22 fighter-bomber aircraft type over Chad, took place on 4 August 1983. Major Abdel-Salam Muhammed Shafraddine was shot down by a FIM-43A Redeye MANPAD operated by a group of French mercenaries near Faya Largeau airport, while flying a Su-22 'Fitter' reconnaissance bomber aircraft.
Soon, the new Mi-25 (Mi-24D) 'Hind-D' combat helicopters of the 1325th Squadron were also deployed over Chad.
Major Shafraddine, the pilot of the first Libyan Su-22 shot down, as a prisoner in Chad in 1983.
Libyan Su-22 ‘Fitter’ reconnaissance-bomber aircraft flew missions from the following airfields in south Libya and northern Chad in the eighties.
The Soviet Union supplied classic, contemporary air to ground weaponry for the Libyan Su-22s. S-5 and S-24 rockets with various warheads. Various types of FAB, RBK free fall bombs and ZAB incendiary bombs, and UPK-23/250 gun pod. These were deployed in Chadian–Libyan War, where their shortcomings became apparent. There was a need for weapons that could be deployed at low altitudes, as well as bombs with greater explosive power. Therefore, such weapons were ordered from Spain in the mid-1980s.
The Spanish BRPS-250 was a series of high-explosive, general-purpose aircraft-bombs family. A parachute slowed the bomb's descent, allowing it to be dropped from low altitudes. While Spanish BRI-P-400 bomb was a 400 kg high-explosive general-purpose aircraft bomb. The Spanish bombs' suspension-lugs allowed them to be mounted on Soviet aircraft as well. Both Spanish bomb types were tested in 1986 at the Ghardabiya air base on Su-22 bomber aircraft.
The Spanish bomb weapons Evaluation at Ghardabiya Sirte Air Base in 1986.
The Spanish-made bombs were also used in the Second Libyan Civil War. Several BRPS-250 parachute bomb in the photo at Benina airbase after 2014.
In the late 1970s, the Soviet Union considered Libya unreliable. Therefore, it did not supply precision weapons for the Su-22. According to recollections, only the Kh-28E AS-9 'Kyle' anti-radiation missile was supplied to Libya, but no photos of this have yet been found.
Later, in the early 1980s, Kh-23 Grom AS-7 'Kerry' missiles and Delta guidance system pods arrived with the MiG-23MFs. These could also be deployed by the Su-22 bombers.
Western sources mention that some of Libya's Su-22s were upgraded to the Su-22M-2K variant as in Syria and Iraq. What's more, they also delivered the Su-22M3 variant, which was capable of carrying the more modern Kh-25/27 and Kh-29 missiles. But, None of this is true!
On the Su-22 aircraft the 'KLEN-PS laser rangefinder and target designator' and 'LO86E guidance system' are required for the guidance of more modern, precision weapons. Based on the photos, none of the Libyan Su-22s were equipped with these!
Comparison of Libyan Su-22s with more modern or upgraded Syrian Su-22s:
Other sources have made the presence of a ventral fin under the fuselage of the Su-22 a determining factor in whether the aircraft is modernized?!? This is utter nonsense! The ventral fin under the fuselage of the Su-22 stabilized the aircraft during flight. However, the longer under fuselage weapons could not accommodate from the fin. For example, the Kh-28E AS-9 'Kyle' anti-radiation missile. Therefore, the fin was designed so that it could be detached by removing several screws. The only difference was that the early series of Su-17M3/Su-22M (S-52M3/S-52K) aircraft, manufactured side by side on the Soviet production line, did not have this fin as standard. However, the late Libyan Su-22 (S-52K) factory series equipped with a ventral fin under the fuselage were just as incapable of guidancing more modern weapons as the early models without fins.
Libya had basic, export versions of the Su-22 (S-32M2K) and Su-22M (S-52K), which were never further upgraded with modern guidance systems and precison missile weapons!
To be continued next weekend.