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**Naval_Gazer** · 25-04-12, 13:37

It's not often we see a 'Victory Parade' through L0ndon these days so here's another entry for the log courtesy of Soleil:

Navy News photo by LA(Phot) Abbie Herron, RNAS Yeovilton

Sailors ‘cheered all the way’ through L0ndon as MPs thank sailors for their deeds in Libya

Originally Posted by Navy News 25 Apr 2012

Four dozen sailors joined their RAF and Army comrades on a parade through the nation’s capital as MPs thanked them for the contributions in Libya last year. Some 120 personnel from the three Services paraded through the heart of L0ndon before attending a reception in Parliament...

The Naval personnel – drawn from nine warships, submarines, squadrons and auxiliaries – formed two fifths of a parade of Servicemen and women invited to march through L0ndon and into Parliament for a reception honouring their deeds off and over Libya last year.

In all 16 Royal Navy units were involved in the crisis in North Africa – from the first days of the humanitarian evacuation at the beginning of 2011 (courtesy of vital contributions from HMS Cumberland and York) to the fall of the last pro-government strongholds in the autumn.

Personnel enforced a UN arms embargo to the Gaddafi regime, choreographed the complex air campaign, kept the sea lanes open by clearing mines and struck at the belly of the beast with strikes from Tomahawk cruise missiles, Army Apache gunships from HMS Ocean, and the main guns of HMS Sutherland, Iron Duke and especially Liverpoo1. To mark their contributions to the campaign – codenamed Operation Ellamy – the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces invited a representative sample of personnel to the seat of government.

Cdr Williams, who’s just left HMS Liverpoo1 now that she’s decommissioned, was the platoon commander for the Naval contingent. As well as his former shipmates, personnel from HM Ships Ocean, Triumph – the submarine which fired Britain’s opening salvo in the conflict courtesy of her Tomahawks – Sutherland, Bangor, Brocklesby, 815 and 847 NAS and RFA Fort Rosalie took part in the parade. They were joined by nine soldiers and 60 RAF air and ground crew, plus a Royal Air Force band...

**Naval_Gazer** · 07-08-12, 08:25

Nice follow-up story:

Echo pays historic visit to a Libya no longer under the Gaddafi yoke

Originally Posted by Navy News 6 Aug 2012

Survey ship HMS Echo made history as the first Royal Navy ship to visit Libya since the fall of Colonel Gaddafi. She spent five days in the capital Tripoli as part of initial steps helping the Libyans to forge a new navy after last year’s civil war.

The survey ship spent five days in Tripoli as part of initial steps to rebuild the republic’s Navy after the 2011 civil war – most of Colonel Gaddafi’s fleet was knocked out in the conflict. As part of efforts to forge a new navy, senior and junior sailors joined the Plymouth-based survey ship both alongside in Tripoli harbour and at sea – where they were treated to an object lesson in modern hydrographic work...

**Naval_Gazer** · 08-08-12, 19:57

With acknowledgement to trelawney126:

British forces could receive Libya campaign medal

Originally Posted by Daily Telegraph 8 Aug 2012

Discussions are being held about awarding a Nato medal to thousands of servicemen and women involved in the war last year. British warships and aircraft delivered humanitarian aid as rebel forces fought to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi's regime. They also rescued refugees and enforced the United Nations' no-fly zone.

Nato is keen for its Libyan operational medal to be awarded in the UK and the MoD is holding talks about who will be eligible for the award...

Among those in line for the medal would be sailors from HMS Liverpool, which became the first UK warship since the first Gulf War to come under enemy fire during her 207 days of patrols off the Libyan coast. HMS Brocklesby, York, Westminster and Iron Duke - all based in Portsmouth, Hants - may also be honoured.

Nato spokesman Tony White said: "We would be thrilled if nations recognise the commitment to an operation that was in our eyes very successful and saved thousands of lives. The Royal Navy in particular did an outstanding job and I would go as far as to say they were the unsung heroes. From a humanitarian point of view, what the navy did to keep those ports open in Misrata is a story that needs to be told because that saved the country."

The former head of the navy, Admiral Lord West, said: "The general trend has been for Nato to produce a medal for operations of this kind and it would be appropriate to have a medal. The criteria will have to be carefully looked at but certainly ships which operated close to the coast deserve a medal."

Penny Mordaunt, Conservative MP for Portsmouth North, added: "It would be great if their contribution is recognised. It was a dangerous theatre and there was a great range of roles, particularly from the navy. It was a hell of an achievement and it would be right to mark that."...

Also see Portsmouth News: Nato medals set to be awarded for Libyan conflict

**Naval_Gazer** · 13-08-12, 21:48

Commodore returns to HMS Ocean to Commend Libya Heroes

Originally Posted by RN website 13 Aug 12

Commodore John Kingwell ADC visited HMS Ocean to present his personal commendations to twelve Royal Navy, Army and Royal Marines personnel who, in his opinion, represented the highest ideals of their respective services during Operation Ellamy, the name for the UK mission in Libya.

HMS Ocean, currently moored on the Thames as part of the Olympic security operation, was used as a command platform and a base for Army Apache attack helicopters and Royal Navy Sea King helicopters during the Libyan conflict. Along with HMS Liverpool, she was part of the UK’s Response Force Task Group – a rapid reaction force capable of deploying at short notice anywhere in the world...

(RN website photo)

**Naval_Gazer** · 15-08-12, 16:59

The Royal Aeronatical Society has just published a report titled Lessons Offered from the Libya Air Campaign. I thought the following observations were particularly pertinent:

...The sustainability of complex aircraft when deployed remains a challenge despite the years over which GR4 (and Harrier GR9) has operated in Afghanistan. Operating from a well found base such as Gioia del Colle is one thing; an austere base is more difficult while a bare base will be very challenging. In this respect, carrier aviation has much to offer. The carrier itself is a well found base and one that can be deployed to any scenario with a coastline. While expensive to buy and to operate, that must be compared to the cost of deploying land based air to a host nation and sustaining it there. While a carrier can scale the degree of its presence in theatre and withdraw readily, deploying an air wing to another country arguably involves greater overt political commitment. The decision to deploy will be made more reluctantly but once made the decision to withdraw may be delayed owing to the possible connotation of retreat...

Naval contemplation

The Royal Navy was involved through the provision of HMS Ocean for Apache operations and the firing of Tomahawk cruise missiles from the Trafalgar class submarine HMS Triumph. Interest in land attack capabilities from surface vessels has, unsurprisingly, been spurred by the Libyan experience. The Royal Navy are investigating options of embarked precision attack systems and UAV. One possible option is that of the Lockheed Martin Army Tactical Missile System (ATacMS) which can deliver a 500lb (225kg) warhead around 180 miles (300km).

Naval platforms have much to offer in terms of air power capability. Surface ships and submarines have far greater endurance than aircraft; they can adopt the ‘poise’ role for weeks on end off a coastline or other operational area such as a communications bottleneck. The former can be either covert (over the horizon) or overt for a more direct presence and hence influence. The latter, by their nature, add a considerable degree of uncertainty to the opposition in terms of presence, location and intention.

Operating rotary and fixed wing aircraft from carriers offers considerable capability and flexibility. The need for host nation support is much reduced or even eliminated. Transit time to theatre may appear slow (20 knots compared to an aircraft’s cruising speed of 400kt) but a carrier’s aircraft are ready for action immediately it arrives in theatre. Sending fast jets to a host nation may be ‘fast’ but the support tail can take time to deploy and then prepare so delaying the start of actual operations. An ‘airfield’ in the littoral (such as Charles de Gaulle and its Rafales) may also offer shorter reaction times than land based aircraft in a host nation.

The reach of systems such as Tomahawk (between 700nm (1,300km) to 1,350nm (2,500km)) also compares favourably with aircraft carried weapons. The drawback is the relatively small weapon load and the specialist facilities required for reloading. As has long been the case, air and naval systems are complementary and together can offer great flexibility and capability in many cases...

CONCLUSIONS

Air power was central to and essential for success in Libya. Highly capable air assets enabled the anti-regime ground forces to overcome an opponent that otherwise greatly outmatched them. The Libyan campaign was markedly different from the COIN stabilisation operations of Iraq and Afghanistan. While it may not be a blueprint for all future use of force it serves to prove that we are highly like to face a challenge we have not anticipated. Moreover, OUP was pivotal for NATO. The US role in NATO has changed and will continue to change as the focus of America shifts from Europe to Asia-Pacific. The European members must be more ready and more able in future to take the lead and provide the weight of effort required.

Despite the declaration of “Let’s play Libya at arm’s length”, the USA did provide substantial support to OUP though not to the same scale as on previous occasions. In both the 1995 Bosnian and 1999 Kosovan campaigns, Europe was in the embarrassing position of having little ability to project power in Europe such that the USA had to supply the bulk of the combat power and support functions.

Sending forces around the world is one thing, but dealing with trouble in your own back yard is quite another. Though located in another continent, Libya is still relatively close to Europe with all the facilities of the southern NATO countries to hand. Should Europe have to project military power to a truly out of area location then this will be a very significant challenge indeed. Britain will not have fixed-wing carrier aircraft until 2020 at the earliest. In the interim, Europe’s capability in this area will be limited to the Rafales of the Charles de Gaulle and the Harriers of the Italian and Spanish navies. Both of those countries face major financial difficulties so the readiness and even the continuance of those assets is somewhat uncertain.

The Allied air offensive started on 19 March 2011 with cruise missile attacks by US and UK submarines plus raids by Rafales from the Charles de Gaulle, Harrier AV-8Bs from USS Kearsarge and miscellaneous land-based aircraft including Tornados from RAF Marham. I had proposed sending a carrier (if we'd still had one) to stand off Libya on 1 March 2011, the day after the PM had announced to Parliament that he had asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone (link).

**Naval_Gazer** · 29-09-12, 10:08

NATO Libya Medal.jpg

Queen awards medal to navy’s Libya war heroes

Originally Posted by Portsmouth News 29 Sep 2012

THE Queen has given the green light to award a medal to military heroes who helped topple Colonel Gaddafi in Libya, The News can reveal. Hundreds of naval personnel are now eligible to receive and wear the Nato medal after Her Majesty gave her assent for the award yesterday.

At its peak, the UK had about 4,000 personnel committed to last year’s operation to support Libyan civilians. British warships, Royal Auxiliary Fleet vessels and aircraft delivered humanitarian aid, rescued refugees and enforced the United Nations’ no-fly zone as rebel forces fought to overthrow the brutal dictatorship.

Among those in line for the medal are 190 sailors from Portsmouth-based HMS Liverpool, which became the first UK warship since the First Gulf War to come under enemy fire during her 207 days of patrols off Libya. Also to be honoured is the 45-strong crew of Portsmouth-based minehunter HMS Brocklesby, which destroyed enemy sea mines within close range of pro-Gaddafi guns...

The MoD confirmed the Nato Libya medals will be given out soon, once everyone who is entitled to receive one has been identified. In a statement, a spokesman said: ‘Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the unrestricted acceptance and wearing by UK personnel of the NATO Non-Article 5 Medal with clasp OUP-Libya/Libye. The medal recognises the service of those who took part in Alliance operations related to Libya from March 23 2011 until October 31 2011.

‘Medals will be issued by units, when available, to eligible personnel under single service arrangements.’

The List of Operational Honours & Awards published on the MoD website yesterday included the award of the QCVS (Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service) to Lt Cdr Jace Hutchinson RAN who has been on exchange with the RN for over two years. Contrary to the citation in this source and the L0nd0n Gazette (link) which stated that his award was for service in Afghanistan, it was actually in recognition of his role as the XO of HMS Brocklesby which cleared mines off Misrata during Operation ELLAMY (UK)/Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR (NATO).

Both Lt Cdr Hutchison RAN and Lt Joel Roberts RN, the ship's Navigating Officer, had previously been awarded CINCFLEET commendations. Lt Cdr Jim Byron RN, the ship's CO, was awarded the DSC (Distinguished Service Cross) and PO(D) Mark 'Jan' Cocking, the ship's Cox'n, was awarded the QCVS in the List of Operational Honours & Awards published in March this year. Lt Andy Penfold RN, the ship's Ops Officer, was awarded a Chief of Joint Operations (CJO) Commendation.

**SJRM_RN** · 29-09-12, 10:28

ooh, another gong for me!

I knew they were looking into it but didn't think it would be sanctioned.

**Naval_Gazer** · 16-10-12, 16:42

Lynx fliers honoured for deeds over Libya

FAA personnel at Libya awards.jpg
(RN Website photo)

Originally Posted by RN Website 16 Oct 2012

Naval aviators who were in the thick of the action off Libya last year have been rewarded for their deeds.

Lynx 217 Flight of HMS Liverpool came under fire from Gaddafi’s guns – although the helicopter was not hit, it was shaken by the force of shells exploding – called in fire missions for the destroyer’s main 4.5in gun and scoured the Gulf of Sirte for small boats intending to lay mines in the approaches to the besieged port of Misrata.

Those actions earned the air and ground crew the coveted Osprey Trophy – presented each year to the Lynx Flight which contributes most to front-line operations...

**Naval_Gazer** · 05-12-12, 11:23

The Sun Miltary Awards (Millies) ceremony will take place tomorrow night at the Imperial War Museum in London and highlights will be broadcast by ITV1 at 2100 on Friday 14 December. Among the many Naval Service (RN & RM) units and individuals nominated for awards is the nuclear submarine HMS Triumph, commanded by Cdr Dan Clarke RN, for its clandestine work close to the shore of Libya during Operation ELLAMY:

'Gunfire echoed through hull of our sub for 7 weeks as we helped bring down Gaddafi'

It is sobering to note that our SSN force is being reduced to seven hulls, only four or five of which will be operationally available at any time. This is why they are currently having to conduct 10-month long deployements.