Lybia, May 5-12th air operation stats

May 5-12th  missions log - (230 sorties - rate>30 sorties/day - 20% of  NATO sorties - 30% of NATO ground attack sorties) :

Picture 1 - © French Air Force

• CAS and interdiction (=) : 110 flights (Rafale, Mirage 2000D, Mirage 2000N*,  Mirage F1 CR, Super Etendard)
• Reconnaissance (-10%) : 56 flights (Rafale, Mirage F1 CR)
• Inflight refueling (+7%) : 29 flights (C-135, Rafale M, Super Etendard)
• AWACS (=) : 12 flights (E-3F, E-2C)
• Air Defense (-5%) : 20 flights (Mirage 2000-5F)

* First Mirage 2000N war missions since the Kosovo campaign back in 1995

About 50 targets destroyed :

• 6 artilery guns including 2 MRL (Misratah, Yafran)
• about 15 military vehicules including 13 MBT (Adjabya)
• 2 command centers (Syrte, Tripoli)
• about 30 ammunition depots (Tripoli, Zintan, Syrte, Misratah)

Source : http://www.defense.gouv.fr/

picture 1 : Weapon specialists prepare to load an 1 metric ton GBU-24 on a Mirage 2000N/D. As far as we know, this is the first time that the French Air Force is using this king of heavy LGB during the Libyan campaign. it is also worth noting that non explosive LGB are also being used to prevent collateral damage as much as possible when strikes are done near populated areas. However, it is not known if those weapons have been used by the Rafale yet.