The Weapons We're Hitting Gadhafi With

I'm sure you've read all about the air strikes going on in Libya right now so I'll spare you from any recap. However, I want to share this quick rundown of all the allied weaponry being thrown at Col. Gadhafi's forces that my old colleague Chris Cavas tacked on to the end of a story about the strikes. It's apparent that the U.S. and our allies are throwing all the tools of modern, high-end war at the Libyan government, from submarine-launched cruise missiles to strikes by B-2 Spirit bombers and British Tornado and French Rafale fighters. Even ancient airframes mounted with modern sensors like the Navy's P-3 Orion and EP-3 Aries patrol planes are in the mix. It's an example of the type of old fashioned, high-tech, knock em dead with overwhelming force, air- and sea-campaign that we haven't seen for a while.

Here we go:

UNITED STATES
 

· Submarines Providence, Scranton and Florida launching Tomahawks.

· Destroyers Barry and Stout launching Tomahawks.

· Amphibious assault ships Kearsarge and Ponce, carrying Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

· Command ship Mount Whitney.

· Support ships Lewis and Clark, Robert E. Peary and Kanawha.

· U.S. Navy aircraft include EA-18G Growler electronic air warfare aircraft, at least four P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and one EP-3E Aries electronic surveillance aircraft, all flying from land bases in the Mediterranean. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jets are operating from the Kearsarge.

· Air Force aircraft include B-2 stealth bombers and F-15 and F-16 fighters.

· The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group will deploy from Norfolk,Va., on March 23 ahead of schedule to support Odyssey Dawn operations. The group includes the amphibious ships Bataan, Mesa Verde and Whidbey Island carrying the 22nd MEU.
FRANCE
 

· Aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle left its base at Toulon March 20 en route to waters off Libya. De Gaulle is carrying 20 aircraft, including Rafale and Super Etendard strike fighters, and is escorted by the destroyers Dupleix and Forbin, frigate Aconit, oiler La Meuse, and an unnamed nuclear attack submarine.

· Destroyer Jean Bart already on the scene.

· French land-based strike aircraft spearheaded the March 19 attacks on Libya.
ITALY
 

· Destroyer Andrea Doria Frigate Euro Support ship Etna As of early March 20, more ships were to be en route from Italy: destroyer Francesco Mimbelli; frigate Fenice; patrol ships Libra and Sirio; amphibious ships San Giorgio and San Marco.

· At least 4 Tornado strike aircraft and 4 other combat aircraft are available.
CANADA
 

· Frigate Charlottetown Six CF-18 Hornet strike fighters Canada's forces are operating as part of Operation Mobile.
UNITED KINGDOM
 

· Unnamed Trafalgar-class nuclear attack submarine launching Tomahawks.

· Frigates Westminster and Cumberland.

· Typhoon and Tornado strike aircraft operating from Gioia del Colle air base in southern Italy. Tornado GR4s with Storm Shadow cruise missiles took place in the initial strikes on March 19, flying from the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Marham in Norfolk, eastern England. Agence-France Presse reported the aircraft conducted four mid-air refueling operations during the 3,000-mile, eight-hour mission, the longest Royal Air Force bombing mission since the 1982 Falklands war.

· Additionally, E3-D Sentry, Sentinel and Tristar surveillance aircraft and VC-10 aerial tankers are operating.

· The British effort against Libya is dubbed Operation Ellamy.
BELGIUM
 

· Six F-16 fighters to be ready for operations March 21.
DENMARK
 

· Six F-16 fighters and a transport are operating from Sigonella air base on Sicily.
QATAR
 

· Four combat aircraft reportedly are in operation by March 20.
SPAIN
 

· Four F-18 strike fighters are operating from Decimomannu air base on the Italian island of Sardinia.

· One aerial tanker and one CN-235 maritime surveillance plane.

· A submarine and frigate are to deploy this week pending parliamentary approval, according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
 

· Strike aircraft are reported en route to Decimomannu air base.

The U.S. aircraft carrier Enterprise, which recently passed through the Mediterranean, is now in the Arabian Sea conducting air operations over Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Compiled from reports from U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Navy, British Ministry of Defence, Canadian Forces, Agence France-Presse, Deutsche Presse-Agentur.