Live now: German, Chinese and American vessels in Libyan waters.

Originally posted by tommyjo
reply to post by tsawyer2

 

TR-1? Now that is a blast from the past. TR-1s haven't existed since 1992! All TR-1s were re-designated U-2Rs in 1992 and since then USAF U-2Rs have gone through the upgrade to U-2S/TU-2S.

www.af.mil...

TJ

I guess I was dating myself there TJ. We called them TR-1's all the way up until I left the USAF in 1997. They probably were upgraded and re-designated by then, but old habits die hard.

reply to post by tsawyer2


Hi,

No problem. Thanks for the reply. Amazing aircraft and long may they continue to fly!

TJ

Medium size war ship leaving the grand harbour now. Can't see any markings but I think the letters are A1411 -

Coincidence that it has just left at the same time Gaddafi says that he will unleash the fury of the tribes and if he has no support he will burn Libya down.

Hope for peace

Just got info that British special forces landed here in 2 Chinook choppers. I was told they are to extract people from remote oil rigs in Libya. But i think there is more to the story. this might not be 100% solid info. will post any confirmation i get.

reply to post by xinobi666


Nice information, do you know that there are supposed to be ships coming into the waterfront side of the harbour in about 30 mins. Just seen the reporter on sky news standing outside there.

Are you going to the big demonstration in Valletta tomrrow?

Peace

Has anyone noticed that Gaddafi is being addressed as Colonel by everyone from Government to media today?

Could this mean that military action is imminent? With Gaddafi's raging speech earlier today, embassies in Libya being closed and with the UN convening and now that he is being addressed as by his military title suggests to me in may be on the cards.
However, there is so much information overload I could be going into 'analysis paralysis'.

Peace

And as I type this the first Virtu ferry is coming into port

reply to post by LestatG


yes virtu ferries has docked, i don't know about tomorrow , maybe might go to Valletta

Have I just witnessed class segregation in evacuation?

The smaller virtu catamaran that pulled up to the recently refurbished tourist Waterfront and off stepped very nicely dressed looking 'official people' in front of all the media whilst the other larger one who I assume contain the refugees and workers has gone to the industrial older part getting no coverage whatsoever!

RAF C-130s have been used to rescue the workers from the Libyan desert.

news.sky.com...

Two RAF E-3D Sentry AWACS and a VC-10 air-to-air refuelling aircraft have deployed to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. Such assets could be used in enforcing a no fly zone over Libya. The AWACS have been noted operating off Malta.

www.fightercontrol.co.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...

TJ

Originally posted by schuyler
The US Navy has no large ships in that area, no Carrier Strike Groups or Amphibious Ready Groups. There could be some smaller ships like destroyers there. They are unsuited for evacuation issues, but they could provide support for those that are.

What are your sources?

reply to post by LestatG

Facinating thread thank you all!

Live tv.....
www.presstv.ir...
Good Luck and best wishes and kind regards..

Originally posted by tommyjo
RAF C-130s have been used to rescue the workers from the Libyan desert.

news.sky.com...

Two RAF E-3D Sentry AWACS and a VC-10 air-to-air refuelling aircraft have deployed to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. Such assets could be used in enforcing a no fly zone over Libya. The AWACS have been noted operating off Malta.

www.fightercontrol.co.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...

www.raf.mod.uk...

TJ

edit on 26-2-2011 by tommyjo because: Additional info added

Thanks for that update Tommyjo. I would have missed that today if not for that.

Here's a quote from this CNN Report:

"More than 200 Arab organizations and a group of 30 prominent intellectuals from across the Middle East and North Africa urged global bodies, including the Security Council, the European Union and the African Union, to take action to limit further humanitarian consequences."

The African Union, now there is a thought, not that I think much of them, however:

My thought on this is that the time is now for the African Union to step up. Africa has long lagged behind the other continental wide organizations in preventing and policing the violence on it's continent. Not that other continental organizations have been perfect, but here is an opportunity for them to step up and show the world how they can handle a crisis. Libya is a member nation, so they should have the authority to do something. I do need to read up on their charter and goals to be sure, but perhaps this is their time to shine, or fail miserably with one of their member nations.

African Union

The least they could do is prevent other nations in the union from providing mercenaries to this regime.

reply to post by tsawyer2


No problem.

Some more aircraft movements from Malta. Includes images of RAF C-130 Hercules used in the rescue mission. RAF Chinooks are also noted. Note the infra red and anti missile countermeasures fitted to the RAF C-130s. Both types are used to deploy UK Special Forces and are part of the Special Forces team.

Image 12, 18, 19 are examples of the C-130 with the anti-missile countermeasure pods.

www.fightercontrol.co.uk...

TJ

this is definately it this is ww3 get your guns ready

reply to post by tommyjo


Great pictures and nice observation.

Did you also notice that plane does not have any numbers on it whatsoever? All the others do. Definitely special forces equipment.

Colonel is a term for kentucky fried meat,its not ww3 ,he has limited resources but probs go with a bang.Special forces required because of remoteness of oil workers and potential for missile attacks to planes in desert region as no one is with oil workers there is no way to know if rockets facilitated around that region,must be seen on satelite.

Originally posted by tsawyer2
reply to post by tommyjo

 

Great pictures and nice observation.

Did you also notice that plane does not have any numbers on it whatsoever? All the others do. Definitely special forces equipment.

They all carry markings. They have to as it is part of the Geneva Convention. They carry national insignia, title of who is operating it and a full military serial. The full serial is between the RAF Roundel (National marking) and the countermeasures equipment just above the ramp. The aircraft also carries the last three of the serial on the tail and the nose. The aircraft also carry 'Royal Air Force' on the fuselage just behind the cockpit area. It is just that they are small and painted black.

Two of the aircraft that you can see in the images from Malta.

ZH868

www.airliners.net...

jetphotos.net...

ZH877

www.planespotters.net...

TJ

The Chinese have diverted the Frigate Xuzhou from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean.

blogs.wsj.com...

TJ

HMS York is on route to pick up remaining people from Benghazi.
The Hercules are reported to be continuing after 2 sucesses.
Oil workers stranded in the desert say they had to stay tight lipped that the Hercules were coming.
They were sent after all Brit diplomats were evacuated to Cyprus.
Meanwhile there are reports of the Gaddafi militia giving out weapons to supporting civilians in Tripoli to man checkpoints-its understood they have been given money to do this.

Latest from BBC

www.bbc.co.uk...

The Hercules have landed, looks like what xinobi666 stated a day or so ago may have been spot on. More Navy and cruise liners in port today.

So if the SAS are going in unaurothrised what does that mean will happen now. I take it in another few days most foreign nationals will have been evacuated so what will happen after, will NATO go in or leave them to there own devices?

Peace