Navy 4, Libya 0
4 JANUARY 1989
NAVY 4, LIBYA 0
Since 1973 Libyan strongman COL Muammar Kaddafi had claimed territorial sovereignty over the international waters of the Gulf of Sidra–a claim the United States never recognized. In obvious rejection of Kaddafi’s claim, our warships unambiguously challenged Kaddafi’s “line of death” across the northern gulf, actions that occasionally sparked an armed response from Kaddafi. In August 1981, observing only a 12-mile territorial limit, US Navy ships cruised the Gulf of Sidra. Two Libyan Su22M “Fitter-J” warplanes launched to intercept but were shot down by Navy F-14s. Four years later Operations “Prairie Fire” and “El Dorado Canyon” again pressed Libyan territorial claims and reacted to the Libyan-backed terrorist bombing of the La Belle discotheque in West Berlin, in which one American was killed and 78 wounded.
On this morning, USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67) was cruising east, well north of the “line of death,” on route to a port call in Haifa, Israel. At 1155 an American E-2 “Hawkeye” spotted two Libyan MiG-23 “Floggers” turn north after taking off from Al Bumbah airfield near Tobruk. The closest pair of F-14As of VF-32, flying combat air patrol (CAP), were directed to intercept. Tensions with Libya were high over Kaddafi’s fear of a preemptive American strike on his chemical factory Rabta. At 72 miles, the F-14As’ radar “painted” the MiGs, but this time the radar sweep alone did not turn the aggressors away. Indeed, the E-2 picked up radio chatter from Bumbah directing the MiGs to contest the American planes. Over the next several minutes the F-14As turned away from the advancing MiGs four times and descended to 3000 feet to position for a lateral intercept. Each time the MiGs turned to maintain a head-on approach. At 1201 American weapons were armed.
Now only 12 miles separated the pairs, closing at 1000 knots. “Weapons free,” CDR Joseph B. Connelly in Gypsy 207 fired an AIM-7 “Sparrow” missile at the onrushing MiGs. This, and a second, failed to track the targets. The F-14As now split, turning in opposite directions. Both MiGs turned left after Gypsy 202, at which point Connelly broke sharp right to gain the MiGs’ “six.” At 1 1/2 miles, Connelly fired an AIM-9 “Sidewinder” that tracked perfectly, exploding one MiG in a fireball. A second AIM-9 seconds later downed the other aggressor. Both Libyan pilots perished.
No further aggression unfolded. Indeed, the true intent of the Libyans may never be known. They may have wished only to identify the American aircraft as either bombers or fighters–but a communications breakdown with Al Bumbah prevented “waiving off” the MiGs. A House Armed Services Committee review of the incident months later supported the US action.
Watch for more “Today in Naval History” 11 JAN 23
CAPT James Bloom, Ret.
Pear, Robert. “U.S. Downs 2 Libyan Fighters, Citing Their ‘Hostile Intent’ Chemical Plant Link Denied.” New York Times, 5 January 1989. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
Rosenthal, Andrew. “Pentagon Defends Tactics of Pilots Off Libya.” New York Times, 11 January 1989. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
Stanik, Joseph T. El Dorado Canyon: Reagan’s Undeclared War with Qaddafi. Annapolis, MD: USNI Press, 2003, pp. 228-31.
Sweetman, Jack. American Naval History: An Illustrated Chronology of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-Present, 3rd ed. Annapolis, MD: USNI Press, 2002, pp. 246, 253, 254-55, 264.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: The Navy’s claim of self-defense was justified by the House Armed Services Committee review, citing the MiGs’ continued acceleration head-on, the capability of Libyan AA-7 missiles to strike head-on, and the history of Libya firing first in similar encounters. The Chairman of the committee was Rep. Les Aspin (D-Wis), future Secretary of Defense under President William Clinton.