Operation Odyssey Dawn/Unified Protector

These would likely be aircraft upgraded with very modern capabilities, some of which USAF do not even employ or fund.

Greek Reporter wrote:6 Belgian F-16 deployed in Greece – Dutch aircraft still to come against Libya?
Posted on 19 March 2011 by Apostolos Papapostolou

Six Belgian F-16 fighter jets are currently stationed at the Greek air base of Araxos, near the city of Patras. The fighter jets together with a frigate in the Mediterranean Sea have been deployed in the context of a possible NATO military intervention against Libya. The Belgian government is ready to participate in a military action in Libya NATO umbrella, European Affairs Minister Oliver Chastel said Friday. The government decided to “tell NATO that we are available, offer what we have and wait for a common command” Chastel told reporters after a government meeting (AFP ). It has not been revealed when the F-16 arrived in Greece.

Prime Minister and Socialist International President George Papandreou departed for Paris on Saturday in order to attend a meeting organised by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss the UN Security Council resolution for Libya.

A warplane crashed in flames in a residential area of Benghazi (photo), triggering celebratory gunfire from the rebels, but an insurgent commander later admitted it was one of theirs and had been shot down by Gaddafi’s forces.

The pilot ejected from the aircraft, which was initially identified as a Russian-built MiG-23 fighter but said later to have been a French-made Mirage.

source: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2011/03 ... nst-libya/

Royal Danish Air Force wrote:F-16 bound for Sicily
By Lars Skjoldan 19-03-2011

Six Danish F-16 fighter jets took off Saturday morning, bound for Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily.

132 soldiers and a quantity of goods arrive during Saturday 19 March at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily's southern tip. It is an Italian naval base with a permanent U.S. presence.

The Danish soldiers are using flight day today to find their feet and put the equipment up and it is expected that they are ready to engage in international cooperation during Sunday.

- Our staff is ready, "said Maj. Gen. Henry Røboe Dam and continues:
- I am sure that pilots have little butterflies in my stomach right now, but they are well prepared for the tasks they may encounter.



source: http://forsvaret.dk/FTK/Nyt%20og%20Pres ... ilien.aspx

Geogen
Mig-23? Hope the pilot got out... if not, RIP.

FlightDreamz wrote:

Geogen
Mig-23? Hope the pilot got out... if not, RIP.

Looks like a MiG-23/27 to my untrained eye as well. See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/1 ... 37911.html I echo your sentiments that I hope the pilot survived (looks like he ejected awfully low). Have mixed emotions that N.A.T.O. and the U.S. are getting drawn into this. See <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/19/extremists-among-libya-rebels_n_837894.html">Anti-America Extremists among Libyan Rebels</a> (doesn't the U.S. have enough bad blood in the Muslim world already)? Hopefully they'll be a resolution to this crisis relatively soon (although I highly doubt that). I don't relish the idea of the U.S, being involved in Iraq, Afghanistan AND Libya too - might be time to bring back the draft (but Congress will never go for that).

Looks like a MiG-23/27 to my untrained eye as well. See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/1 ... 37911.html I echo your sentiments that I hope the pilot survived (looks like he ejected awfully low). Have mixed emotions that N.A.T.O. and the U.S. are getting drawn into this. See Anti-America Extremists among Libyan Rebels (doesn't the U.S. have enough bad blood in the Muslim world already)? Hopefully they'll be a resolution to this crisis relatively soon (although I highly doubt that). I don't relish the idea of the U.S, being involved in Iraq, Afghanistan AND Libya too - might be time to bring back the draft (but Congress will never go for that).