Canadian air contingent returning home from Libyan operation

Canadian air contingent returning home from Libyan operation

Canada's armed forces announced Friday that the air contingent deployed to the campaign to support Libyan rebels and enforce an United Nations mandated "no fly zone" and arms embargo has wrapped up its operations.

"Canada once again punched above its weight as part of an international coalition," said Peter MacKay, Canada's Minister of National Defense, in a statement.

Canada joined the NATO-led operation within 24 hours of the passage of the UN Security Council Resolution 1973 on March 17 by sending a group of CF-18 Hornet fighters to the NATO base in Trapani, Italy.

The fighters were accompanied by CC-150 Polaris in-flight refueling tankers, CC-130 Hercules tankers, and CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft, as well as a frigate.

"It is with pleasure that we welcome them home after a job well- done," said Lieutenant-General Andre Deschamps, the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The CF-18 aircraft conducted 946 sorties, making up ten percent of NATO strike sorties. Over the course of their sorties, Canada's fighters dropped 696 bombs of various types.

The two CC-150T and one CC-130T aircraft flew 389 air-to-air refueling sorties. They dispensed a total of 18,535,572 lbs of fuel to aircraft from six nations involved in the NATO operation.

The two CP-140 aircraft flew 181 sorties off the coast of Libya and over land. They conducted intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties, as well as strike coordination and armed reconnaissance-coordinator missions that Canadian officials say that provided critical information and helped the NATO effort to protect civilians.

The units will return to Canada in time to take part in Remembrance Day services that will be held next Friday.

Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty since World War I.

NATO formally concluded its operations in Libya on Oct. 31, exactly seven months after the military alliance assumed full control of the campaign following a decision by the UN Security Council to terminate the no-fly zone and civilian protection mandates adopted earlier this year for Libya.

The NATO's operations led to the victory of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) fighters, who killed former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown of Sirte on Oct. 20.

Editor: yan

English.news.cn   2011-11-05 06:48:59 FeedbackPrintRSS
OTTAWA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua)