Incident of the Gulf of Syrte (1989)

The second incident of the Gulf of Syrte take place the January 4th 1989 in the morning when two F-14 Tomcats American cut down two Mig-23 Libya NS. A first incident similar had taken place in 1981.

Background

Since 1973, Libya asserted major the part of water of the Gulf of Syrte like belonging to its territorial water, and considered that any intrusion was a Declaration of war. The tensions between the USA and Libya were large after the USA showed Libya to manufacture chemical weapons with Rabta. The aircraft carrier US John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and US Theodore Roosvelt (CV-71) were deployed close to the Libyan coasts.

Engagement

The morning of January 4th, 1989, the air and sea Groupe of the Kennedy operated to 130 km in the north of Libya. A patrol of A-6 Intruder S, escorted by two pairs of F-14 and a AWACS E-2C was exerted with broad Crête. The pilots were briefés especially for this mission and for an unknown reason, seemed to expect hostilities or an authorization to open fire on behalf of E-2 .

With 11:50, the crew of E-2 informed F-14 of the takeoff of four Mig-23 (Code NATO: Flogger) since the Al Bumbaw aerodrome. Two F-14 turned then in direction from the first both Floggers, other Floggers having remained in withdrawal in order to transmit an image radar uninterrupted to the first binomial. When the protagonists were not separate any more that by 115km, the American planes made half-turn to show that they did not seek the confrontation but were followed by MiGs. F-14 went down then to 3000 feet to follow the Libyan planes on their radar. The leader of Tomcats then ordered with his team-members to arm the missiles AIM-9 Sidewinder and the AIM-7 Sparrow with which they were equipped. E-2 then gave them the right to draw as soon as possible, in order not to leave the advantage of opening fire with the Libyans. On what both MiGs were cut down, in spite of two lost Sparrow missiles. In spite of the fact that the Libyan pilots are ejected successfully, the Libyan forces did not come to their help.

Consequences

Nobody knows why Floggers took Tomcats in hunting, nor why the pilots were not helped. The following day, Libya showed the United States to have cut down two inoffensive reconnaissance aircraft. American contradicted these charges, supporting that MiGs were armed with missiles with guidance by infra-red AA-7 Aplex, which would be visible on the video of the Caméra embarked in each F-14.

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