New news article to surface..."RAF pilots have obliterated a Libyan boat, containing dozens of Gaddafi troops, with a laser-guided bomb. Their direct hit with the state-of-the-art Paveway weapon was its first successful strike against a moving vessel. " - The Sun Good pic of it covering the ocean with....bits... An example to me at least that their latest aircraft and systems are working nicely...
Yes, the systems are state-of-the-art, still Ghaddafi ships are not... It is like modern nuclear submarine sinking WW1 battleship. Regards,
A link to that story CAC? I'd like to read it....Wonder what type of aircraft launched weapon. My guess would be Jaguar or Tornado....But I suppose some kind of loitering aircraft could have delivered as well. Like a 4 engined prop with direction from AWAC E 3 Sentry.
Linky, with video of the BOOM! RAF sink Gaddafi boat after oil refinery battle | British Forces News From the OP, I though it was at least an Osa or Combattante IIs, but the thing looks like some piddly fishing boat that you would see out on the bay. Somebody must be having a slow news day, or else, some pilot is in desperate need of an ego boost. Maybe, perhaps, the rebel situation is that bad in Libya that this is somehow considered to be noteworthy. Sorry, but I can't say that blowing the crap out of a fishing boat, armed or otherwise, is what I call "news". Edit: Check that, later reports are identifying it as a tugboat seized by fleeing pro-Qaddafi troops.
Well, it seems that this boat costs less than the Paveway that struck it (not speaking about the cost of fuel for the plane that carried it, maintenance work, etc.). Regards,
But you're not counting the cost saving from such a mission. What if the tug had been let go..? It is an example of overkill...but i can't think of a less spohisticated or cheaper effective weapon for it...Given that it couldnt be reached by any smaller forces...Maybe a C-130 gunship...Helicopter Gunship...or an A-10...either these werent available or couldnt reach the target in time (it was a target of opportunity in other words).
What about Typhoon's 27 mm. Mauser cannon? I think it will be quite enough for unarmed and unarmored tug. The only obstacle is Typhoon's ammunition - 150 rounds per cannon may not be enough to sink relatively bigger ship. Regards,
Poppy..we dont have any jaguars..All gone..We have only Tornado..for a few years..and typhoon..fast jet trainer is the hawk..thats it..nice shiney tankers and transports but strike package relies on 2 soon to be one aircraft. plus drones.13 sqn tornadoes moving to drones too..nimrod aew and asw gone..sentry around though..
