Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986)
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| Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986) | |||||||
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 A VMFA-314 F/A-18A lands on USS Coral Sea (CV-43). |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |
 Libya |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| Ronald Reagan | Muammar al-Gaddafi | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 30 warships 225 aircraft |
2 missile corvettes several patrol boats |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | Several Patrol boats were sunk or damaged, probable destruction or damage to SAM sites, unknown number of human casualties | ||||||
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In the spring of 1986, the US Navy deployed aircraft carrier groups into the Mediterranean Sea, specifically the disputed Gulf of Sidra. Libya claimed that the entire Gulf is their territory, 32 degrees, 30 minutes north with an exclusive 62 nautical miles (115 km) fishing zone[1], Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi asserted this in 1973 and dubbed it The Line of Death. The United States claimed its rights to conduct naval operations on international waters, a standard of 12-mile (19 km) territorial limit from a country's shore. The 1986 naval operations, prior to Operation El Dorado Canyon, resulted in several armed clashes between the United States and Libya.
Identifications of the name of the operation vary. This source[2] claims it as Operation Attain Document, while this source[3] claims it was dubbed Operation Prairie Fire.
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[edit] Background
Tensions between the US and Libya heightened after the hijacking of the TWA Flight 847 in 1985, and the Rome and Vienna airport attacks that same year. The US claimed that the Libyan leader was involved in these actions through his support of the alleged perpetrator, Palestinian terrorist Abu Nidal. At the same time Libya began the installation of SA-5 surface-to-air-missile batteries that they had received from the Soviet Union in late 1985, along with radars, to beef up their air defence. As the US Navy had done for several years, they continued to challenge Libya’s claim to the Gulf of Sidra by crossing the so called “Line of Death”. Following the terrorist attacks of December 1985 in Rome and Vienna, the US Navy began several Freedom of Navigation operations in the area around Libya in an operation named “Attain Document”, which the first two parts of the operation were held between January 26 and January 30, and February 12 and February 15. These two occurred without incident. The third part of the operation were held between March 23 and March 29 when three carrier task forces, USS America, USS Coral Sea and USS Saratoga from the Sixth Fleet with 225 aircraft and some 30 warships began operations.
Apparently an operation had been planned in the Pentagon sometime in the autumn of 1985. The plan was simple; operations already underway would likely cause some kind of Libyan reaction, which could be declared as “provocations” which would give the US Navy a reason to strike back. Although the operations prior to the end of March 1986 went without incidents, the US Navy had made 130 intercepts of Libyan fighters in the airspace above the Gulf of Sidra, although neither side could be provoked to open fire. Muammar al-Gaddafi had threatened to shoot down or destroy US aircraft or ships moving into the “Line of Death”, but during the 32 days prior to hostilities nothing happened, although both sides had aircraft close to each other. Even some Soviet Tu-16’s appeared several times to take a look at the US Navy but was escorted away.
[edit] Hostilities
On March 24, two MiG-25s took off from Benina air base with an order to intercept and shoot down some of the US fighters[4], but before they could get close enough a US E-2C detected the Libyans and soon two F-14s from VF-33 intercepted the two Libyans at 20,000 feet (6,100 m). This had been routine for the past weeks, but that was soon about to change as the Libyans started aggressive manoeuvring head on in an effort to get into firing positions on the two F-14s, this was a clear sign of hostile intentions.
The F-14 wing leader reported “excessive hostile actions and intentions” and the air warfare commander back on USS America gave the pilots “warning yellow, weapons hold” which meant the F-14s could open fire if deemed necessary. An intense dogfight ensued, without any missiles fired. The F-14s dropped to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) where they had a distinct advantage of the MiG-25s, and positioned themselves between the sun and the Libyans and the F-14s ended at the high six o’clock behind the hostile MiGs and locked them up with their radars and acquired AIM-9 Sidewinder tones. The Libyans soon had enough and returned to base. But one of the MiGs turned around against the F-14s and the wing leader acquired the MiG and requested permission to open fire, but before permission was granted, the MiG-25 turned away and headed south. At the same time, F-14s from VF-102 were patrolling some 40 kilometres away from the Libyan coast (still international waters) and were fired upon by two SA-5s. The SA-5 being a big weapon was not especially dangerous for fast moving aircraft such as the F-14s and dropped harmlessly into the waters. Two additional SA-5s were launched but were jammed by an EA-6B.
Several Libyan patrol boats headed out towards the US battle groups and the Americans responded by sending up aircraft to counter the patrol boats. USS Saratoga launched A-7s armed with AGM-88 missiles from VA-83 and A-6s armed with AGM-84 missiles and Mk-20 Rockeye II cluster bombs from VA-85 and EA-6Bs from VAQ-132, USS America had A-6Es from VA-34 and the USS Coral Sea had A-6Es from VA-85 in the air, these were supported by several E-2Cs, F-14s, F/A-18s and KA-6Ds. The first air strikes occurred around 19:26 when two A-6Es from VA-55 found a French built Combatante-II patrol boat, the ship was first disabled by an AGM-84 and then destroyed by another Intruder with Rockeye cluster bombs. 40 minutes later, F-14s, F/A-18s, A-7Es and EA-6Bs headed towards the SA-5 site near Surt at low level and suddenly climbed which caused the Libyans to activate their radars and launch missiles at the incoming strikers; this prompted the A-7Es to launch several AGM-88 missiles, the strike formation then descended to 30 meters above sea level and turned back. It’s unknown if any of the missiles struck their intended targets, but A-6Es from VA-86 and VA-55 turned to engage several Libyan missile boats. At around 21:55, two A-6Es from VA-55 attacked a Nanuchka-class corvette which were heading towards the USS Yorktown, which prompted the Yorktown to open fire with an AGM-84 which struck the Libyan boat and subsequently started a fire; the corvette survived the attack and was towed back to Benghazi. The USS Yorktown launched two Harpoon missiles which damaged a second Combatante-II boat.
Around midnight the Libyans launched several SA-2s and SA-5s, this time at A-6Es and A-7Es which responded by heading towards the coast. A-7Es from VA-83 launched several AGM-88s disabling several Libyan radars, and three more SA-5s form Syrte were launched with a single SA-2 near Benghazi. At 07.30 on another Libyan corvette was intercepted by A-6Es from VA-55 and disabled by Rockeye munitions and later sunk by an AGM-84 missile launched from an A-6E from VA-85 with no Libyan surface-to-air missiles launched. The operation was terminated after this strike with no losses to the American side, and an unknown number of human losses to the Libyan side.
