Opération Harmattan was the French participation in the

2011 military intervention in Libya On 19 March 2011, a NATO-led coalition began a military intervention into the ongoing Libyan civil war (2011), Libyan Civil War to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 (UNSCR 1973). The UN Security Council passed the reso ...

. It was named for the

Harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into th ...

, which are hot dry winds that blow over the Sahara, mostly between November and March. The

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

' counterpart to this was

Operation Odyssey Dawn Operation Odyssey Dawn was the U.S. code name for the American role in the international military operation in Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 during the initial period of 19–31 March 2011, which continued aft ...

, the

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

counterpart was Operation Mobile and the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

counterpart was

Operation Ellamy Operation Ellamy was the codename for the United Kingdom participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The operation was part of an international coalition aimed at enforcing a Libyan no-fly zone in accordance with the United Natio ...

. The no-fly zone was proposed during the Libyan Civil War to prevent government forces loyal to

Muammar Gaddafi Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi (20 October 2011) was a Libyan military officer, revolutionary, politician and political theorist who ruled Libya from 1969 until Killing of Muammar Gaddafi, his assassination by Libyan Anti-Gaddafi ...

from carrying out air attacks on anti-Gaddafi forces. Several countries prepared to take immediate military action at a conference in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

on 19 March 2011. French

Dassault Rafale The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", or "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French Twinjet, twin-engine, Canard (aeronautics), canard delta wing, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft designed and ...

multirole fighters began reconnaissance missions on 19 March and were the first among the coalition to attack Libyan forces, destroying four tanks.

Deployed forces

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...

** 5 × Rafale fighters from EC 01.007 Provence, based at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy ** 6 × Mirage 2000-5 fighters from EC 01.002 Cigogne, Dijon – Longvic Air Base ** 6 × Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers from EC 03.003 Ardennes, Nancy – Ochey Air Base ** 2 × Mirage F1CR reconnaissance aircraft from ER 02.033 Savoie, Reims – Champagne Air Base ** 6 × C135

aerial refueling Aerial refueling ( en-us), or aerial refuelling ( en-gb), also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to an ...

planes from GRV 02.093 Bretagne, Istres-Le Tubé Air Base ** An E-3F AWACS plane from 36ème EDCA, Avord Air Base ** A C-160G

SIGINT Signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the act and field of intelligence-gathering by interception of ''signals'', whether communications between people (communications intelligence—abbreviated to COMINT) or from electronic signals not directly u ...

electronic surveillance aircraft from EET 01.054 Dunkerque, Metz-Frescaty Air Base ** Commando Parachutiste de l'Air companies 20 and 30 forward deployed to Solenzara Air Base,

Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

** Task Force 473 *** Aircraft carrier ''Charles de Gaulle'' (R91) **** 10 × Rafale M fighters from Flottille 12F **** 6 × Super-Etendard strike aircraft from Flottille 17F **** 2 × E-2C airborne early warning aircraft **** 2 × Dauphin multipurpose helicopters **** 2 × Alouette III utility helicopters **** French Air Force detachment of a Puma and 2 ×

Caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized Felidae, wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long ...

transport helicopters *** Anti-air destroyer ''Forbin'' (D620) (later transferred to

Operation Unified Protector Operation Unified Protector was a NATO operation in 2011 enforcing United Nations United Nations Security Council, Security Council United Nations Security Council resolution, resolutions United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970, 1970 and ...

) *** Anti-air destroyer ''Chevalier Paul'' (D621) *** Anti-air destroyer ''Jean Bart'' (D615) *** Anti-submarine destroyer ''Georges Leygues'' (D640) *** Anti-submarine destroyer ''Dupleix'' (D641) *** Anti-submarine destroyer ''Jean de Vienne'' (D643) *** Frigate ''Aconit'' (F713) *** Frigate ''Courbet'' (F712) *** Replenishment tanker ''Meuse'' (A607) *** Nuclear attack submarine ''Améthyste'' (S605) ** Landing helicopter dock ''Tonnerre'' (L9014) *** 14 ×

Aérospatiale Gazelle The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a five-seat helicopter developed and initially produced by the French aircraft company Sud Aviation, and later by Aérospatiale. It is the first helicopter to feature ...

*** 4 ×

Eurocopter Tiger The Eurocopter Tiger is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter which first entered service in 2003. It is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter), which arose from the merger of Aérospatiale's and DASA's respective helico ...

*** 2 × Eurocopter Puma ** 2 × Atlantique 2 signals intelligence aircraft based at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, Italy

Summary of action

Day 1: 19 March

The

anti-air destroyer ''Forbin'' and anti-air frigate ''Jean Bart'' were already off Libya when the operation commenced. The

deployed in its first strike force eight Rafale fighters, two Mirage 2000-5 fighters and two Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers supported by other aircraft listed above. Eight Rafale fighters patrolled the skies over Benghazi to prohibit the advance of Libyan ground forces. One opened fire on Libyan military vehicles at 16:45 local time. ''The Telegraph'' reported four Libyan tanks destroyed by French aircraft southwest of Benghazi. Aircraft returning from combat missions landed at Solenzara Air Base on

from which further combat sorties were launched.

Day 2: 20 March

Eleven sorties were carried out by French aircraft over Libya. Task Force 473, the aircraft carrier ''Charles de Gaulle'' and its battle group, sailed from

Toulon Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department. The Commune of Toulon h ...

Day 3: 21 March

Up to this day, 55 sorties were carried out by French aircraft over Libya.Libye : DĂŠjĂ 55 sorties pour les avions de l’armĂŠe de l’Air , Zone Militaire
/ref> The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) claimed a Mirage 2000-D destroyed another Libyan tank 100 km south of Benghazi.Le Figaro – Flash Actu : L'aviation française a détruit un blindé
/ref>

Day 4: 22 March

Aircraft from began operations over Libya, commencing with Rafale F3s conducting reconnaissance and patrols. and , which were already on station off Libya, joined Task Force 473. The number of combat aircraft forward deployed at Air Base 126 Solenzara was increased to 20 with the arrival of two more Mirage 2000-5 and two more Mirage 2000D, with support aircraft operating out of Saint-Dizier and Avord.

Day 5: 23 March

Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft from Solenzara and Rafale and Super Etendard aircraft from the ''Charles de Gaulle'' conducted reconnaissance and support sorties over Libya.

Day 6: 24 March

Rafale and Mirage 2000D aircraft attacked a Libyan air base, inland from the Mediterranean Sea, with SCALP EG missiles. Rafale, Mirage 2000D and Super Etendard aircraft flew four joint interdiction missions against Libyan ground forces. A Rafale destroyed a Libyan

Soko G-2 Galeb The Soko G-2 Galeb (from ) is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav single engine, two-seater jet trainer and light ground-attack aircraft. The G-2 was developed during the 1950s by the Aeronautical Technical Institute at Žarkovo ...

light attack jet with an

AASM AASM may refer to: * American Academy of Sleep Medicine * Anglo-American School of Moscow * Armement Air-Sol Modulaire, a French munition * Australian Active Service Medal {{disambig ...

air-to-surface missile as it landed at Misrata. A patrol of two Mirage 2000Ds, equipped with GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, attacked loyalist artillery near Ajdabiyah.

Day 7: 25 March

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

i aircraft attached to

and French aircraft conducted joint reconnaissance sorties in the regions of Misrata, Zintan, Sirte and Ajdabiyah. Four Mirage 2000Ds conducted interdiction missions against loyalist artillery near Ajdabiyah. Two French and two Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted

air interdiction Air interdiction (AI), also known as deep air support (DAS), is the use of preventive tactical bombing and strafing by combat aircraft against enemy targets that are not an immediate threat, to delay, disrupt or hinder later enemy engagement o ...

missions. Three French Mirage 2000-5s were moved from Solenzara to Souda Air Base on

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Day 8: 26 March

French aircraft carried out several air strikes around Zintan and Misrata, destroying at least five

light attack jets and two Mi-35 helicopters on the ground. French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s continued joint reconnaissance sorties from Souda Air Base.

Day 9: 27 March

Air Force and Navy Rafales attacked a command centre south of Tripoli. French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted joint patrols and air interdiction missions from Souda Air Base. The number of French Mirage 2000-5s based as Souda was increased to four.

Day 10: 28 March

Air operations were planned to focus on the region around Zintan and Misrata. Air force Rafales and Mirage 2000Ds and a joint patrol of Navy Rafales and Super Etendards bombed an ammunition dump at Gharyan, south of Tripoli. Mirage F1CRs conducted reconnaissance missions for the first time in the operation.

Day 11: 29 March

Two patrols of Air Force Rafales and Mirage 2000Ds and a patrol of Navy Rafales and Super Etendards attacked anti-aircraft missile sites south west of Tripoli. Two joint patrols of French and Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted air interdiction sorties. Mirage 2000Ds and Super Etendards bombed a military depot south of Tripoli.

Day 12: 30 March

A joint strike force of Air Force Rafales and Mirage 2000Ds and Navy Rafales and Super Etendards attacked anti-aircraft missile sites south of Sirte. A patrol of two French and four Qatari Mirage 2000-5s conducted air interdiction sorties.

Day 13: 31 March

At 0600 GMT,

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

took command of all operations in Libya. Subsequent operations were conducted as part of

References

External links

Official site of the French Ministry of Defense about Opération Harmattan

* ttp://www.ffaa.net/history/wars-operations/libye/harmattan_moyens_navals_fr.htm Unofficial page about warships involved in Operation Harmattan
Unofficial page about CVN Charles de Gaulle in Operation Harmattan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harmattan, Operation 2011 in France Foreign intervention in the Libyan civil war (2011) France–Libya military relations International security March 2011 in Africa Military operations involving France No-fly zone operations