Aircraft
Vital Role for British Airpower over Libya
British commanders are counting the cost of a major and successful contribution to NATO’s Operation Unified Protector.
Tornados on the flight line at Gioa del Colle airbase in Italy. The sun has not yet set on this capable and flexible strike aircraft. (Crown Copyright/MoD 2011)
Tornados on the flight line at Gioa del Colle airbase in Italy. The sun has not yet set on this capable and flexible strike aircraft. (Crown Copyright/MoD 2011)

British commanders are counting the cost of a major and successful contribution to NATO’s Operation Unified Protector. The UK and France were the biggest contributors to the campaign, after the first week when U.S. forces provided an initial boost. British aircraft and helicopters flew more than 3,000 sorties, including more than 2,100 strike missions. They successfully attacked about 640 targets with more than 1,400 precision-guided munitions.