A day with Belgian F-16s in Araxos. Reporting
(BRUSSELS2 to Araxos - Greece) Eighth day of mission for the Belgian "Falcon Freedom" mission deployed in Libya. The detachment of the 349th squadron from Kleine-Brogel, which had come for F-16 training, swung into the operation without firing a shot. As Belgian Defense Minister Pieter De Crem explains: In a few days, we transformed what was an exercise into a real commitment. Immediately after the UN resolution, there was the decision of the government, a debate and the approval in Parliament ". It is the demonstration that the Belgium is a reliable partner for the Allies ».
36 hours to turn training into a combat mission
The Belgians are settled in Araxos, with a brand new infrastructure, never used before by the Greeks. " On Friday, the Greeks left us in a training situation. On Monday, they found us in combat position. “Throughout the weekend, several rotations of C-130 Hercules brought the necessary equipment to transform the training team into a combat team, testifies Ltt "M" (*), head of the DMO (the maintenance department). It was thus necessary to bring the armaments but also the material and the personnel of CIS (communication and information systems). The planes in training did not have the "Net centric warfare" encryption device, a NATO standard which allows encrypted information to be exchanged between planes, with the Awacs and the Gs. Similarly, it was necessary to have on the base a system for securing messages with the headquarters in Ramstein, in particular to receive ATOs (travel orders. A hundred people are now working on the base
The Greeks made it a lot easier
It was also necessary to adapt the system on the base, particularly in terms of securing armaments. Each F16 aircraft that is armed must be placed at a greater safety distance (at least 50 meters). As a result, additional hangars were needed. " Our Greek colleagues helped us a lot - explains a soldier -. Without them, it would have been difficult to do so quickly. And that would have required more resources ". A technical agreement (Light Sofa type) was made with the Greeks to share the costs, in a way extending the agreement made for the exercise. Basically, the Greeks provide the equipment and make the base available (it's their contribution to the operation), the Belgians pay for what they consume (food, petrol, etc.).
6 "No Fly Zone" missions and 2 strike missions
The Belgians were very quickly engaged in the "Paris coalition" and Operation Odyssey Dawn, since Friday March 18, 12 p.m. Zulu. The "ready to operate" (Rto) was reached on Saturday at 17 p.m. for the plane ban and on Sunday at 20 p.m. for the "No fly zone / embargo", at 18 p.m. Zulu.
The F-16s have already carried out 5 “no fly zone” missions without any problem. And a mission (Saturday) with ground strikes. Several air defense installations were targeted, with at least two hits. And the missions continue. This Monday, 2 missions (4 F-16 in all) have just returned: one from "No Fly zone" and a planned mission on ground fire. " Mission successful. We will learn no more. Belgians want to remain discreet. " It is an obligation in operation. And Americans are very picky about this. comments a veteran of operations.
« At the start of the operation, Libya had a lot of installations, with threats to aircraft coming from the ground, strategic and tactical systems (SA5, SA3, SA2) which can exceed 50.000 feet, and therefore constitute a real threat to airplanes explains a Belgian air expert. " It was therefore necessary first to acquire air superiority and then what is called air supremacy. Now all the big threats are gone. We can operate over Libya without high risk, the risk is acceptable. »
A pilot, well equipped, ready for the desert
When the pilot leaves, however, he equips himself with a "desert" color suit allowing him to have on him all the necessary equipment in the event of a problem and ejection: water, food, medical equipment, survival beacon and radio equipment. to trigger the SaR (Search and Rescue) device. " It's a few pounds. It's quite heavy - comments a pilot. But it is necessary ". Precautions not entirely useless given the events (cf. the American F-15 which crashed following a technical problem).
When the plane approaches its target, it has on the screen both the target and the arming circle which traces the area where potential damage is possible (which makes it possible to evaluate possible collateral damage and give up just in case). The laser (or GPS as the case may be) guided bombs GBU 31, GBU 24 and GBU 10 are calculated as close as possible to the targets to be carried out. We " will calculate the impact so that all of the facilities to be targeted are destroyed, even if the impact seen from the sky seems to have been little achieved”. For example, the roof of a hangar hit by a bomb can remain intact (or almost) while the bomb that penetrated inside destroyed everything (planes, equipment, etc.).
Belgians stay in Greece (for now)
- Return from mission, interview, 1st technical debrief (© NGV / Bruxelles2)
The Belgians got used to the Greek base and are not planning – as had been considered for a while – to move to Italy, near other F-16s from the coalition. " The fact that the Greeks also have F-16s makes things much easier for us explains an airman. " The runways are well suited to F-16s. They provide us with arresting equipment, electricity to NATO standards...”. And in terms of travel time in the area, “ we're not really much further than in Italy.
“They gave us more than a helping hand – agrees Pieter de Crem – if only for traffic control, guarding the base, support and support… It allowed us to focus on the mission ».
Being in current affairs did not bother. There is a Belgian consensus
« We are a country with a Latin tradition, where war is the prerogative of the government, the Parliament is generally simply informed and its approval is not obligatory. “, specifies the Minister of Defense. the “being in current affairs has led to a different situation. This enabled us to have a very clear mandate from Parliament (1), perhaps clearer than if we had been in a normally constituted government. We live in a complicated country in difficult times. And divisions could have appeared then, not only North / South, but left / right or NATO / anti-NATO"
And the Minister to specify to a question of "B2", " Placement under NATO command was not a condition of our engagement. We immediately rallied to the Paris coalition. Because we had to go fast confirms the Belgian Defense Minister. Corn " NATO makes it easier for us. If only to define the rules of engagement ».
(*) The anonymity of the personnel hired is preserved
(1) The Belgian Parliament voted on Monday 21 March, "the resolution concerning the situation in Libya" unanimously less one vote (that of the former deputy of the People's Party)
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