Swedish Gripen planes headed to Libya
Published: 2 Apr 11 09:07 CET | Print version
Updated: 2 Apr 11 13:23 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/32972/20110402/
Three Swedish fighter jets headed Saturday to Sardinia en route to taking part in NATO operations against the regime of Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi, a military spokesman said.
- Swedish house votes for Libya mission (1 Apr 11)
- Broad political backing of Gripen deployment (30 Mar 11)
- Government yes to Gripen deployment (29 Mar 11)
took off at 10.00am from the Ronneby base on Sweden's southern
coast, army spokesman Rickard Wissman told AFP.
Another five Gripens and a C-130 Hercules usable for mid-air refueling were
to leave early Sunday, he said.
“Those that come first can in principal start to work already on Sunday, but it's up to NATO to decide when that will happen," Wissman told news agency TT
The deployment, decided Tuesday by the Swedish government, won
parliamentary approval on Friday.
Sweden's role will be limited to enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya and
will not involve any ground strikes as demanded by the left-wing opposition.
The mission involving some 130 support troops will fly under NATO command
and last three months at most. Wissman said Sweden would also provide "reconnaissance means" in a form to be decided.
Sweden is not a member of NATO, although it has been in NATO's
Partnership for Peace programme since 1994 and has contributed some 500 troops to the alliance's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force in
Afghanistan.
Sweden also took part in operations in Kosovo.
Nevertheless Sweden's air force has not been involved in action since it
took part in a UN-mandated operation in the then Belgian Congo from 1961-63.
The Libyan operation will be the first combat tour for the JAS Gripen 39,
produced by the Swedish defence group Saab.
Sweden's Nordic neighbours Denmark and Norway are already taking part in
Libyan air operations.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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@ rybo1 - dont be such a coward!
this is far from humanitarian mission.
swedish jets are ready ready ready to kill humans in libya.
Human made all these military stuff for human destruction.
i hope one day there will be peace in this world when all the world will be destroy and no human will be exists in this world. humans give pain to this world.
every human born on same way but language and color and religion make differences in the humans.one religion want why ur not christian or jew.which countries are in the power by the technology and which countries will be in power after 30 years. as muslims were in power on SPAIN 1500years so this up and down always comes in different nation.the time change .every nation has specific time then time goes to other nation.
It is long overdue that Sweden started to stand alongside its neighbours instead of hiding behind semantics and lies.
The only pilots trained to fly JAS are Swedes or South Africans, so I do not think any NATO pilots will be taking a 6 month course in flying them before they are used
If this increases sales of Grippen, then that is a good thing.
Sales of Grippen will keep jobs in Europe.
"I wonder if Swedish pilots will be flying the planes or are they just being loaned to NATO along w/ maintenance people? It makes a difference in my book."
ehm, fly an aircraft that's completely unfamiliar to the NATO pilots!? I don't think I'm going to rely to much in that book of yours... :-P
This will also be a Résumé enhancer for the huge fighter sales battle looming over Brazil. The French Rafale and US F-18 Hornet are also in the bidding. Only the Gripen is untested but extremely capably.
Brazil WILL buy one of them. It might as well be the Saab Gripen.
@ Rick Methven
Czechs and Hungarians also use JAS 39s.
@ Bostonexpat
Well, maybe one of the reasons Sweden will participate is to pursue clients for the JAS 39.
@ Swedesmith - Hell yeah bro!!
Yes and who do you all think teaches them to operate the JAS 39? The seller, Sweden, of course.
Your mental is very low.
this sentence is enough for you if your much clever you will understand the meaning of that sentence.
dont forget that time 1500 years were in power in Spain. dont shake ur ass.
oil is important in this world..... without oil you cannt do nothing.
do you know that story that the man cut the duck to take all the gold eggs on one time.your that man.lol
And, also Thailand uses the Griffin fighter!