Maritime Strike: The Untold Story of the Royal Navy Task Group off Libya in 2011

In response to the Arab Spring, the Royal Navy Response Force Task Group was deployed to the Mediterranean in April 2011 to provide military options. They planned and prepared for a range of potential operations, including noncombatant evacuations, maritime interdiction operations, and amphibious landings. On June 3, they began launching attack helicopter strikes into Libya, destroying a range of targets. This operation saw the first operational use of Apaches from the sea and the first embarkation of US Army combat search and rescue teams and Blackhawk helicopters in an RN warship. The Group Commander's account reveals the challenges of command in a complex and challenging environment, showcasing the professionalism and bravery of all involved.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2022
Publisher: Casemate Publishers

In response to the Arab Spring, the newly established Royal Navy Response Force Task Group was deployed to the Mediterranean in April 2011. The group planned and prepared for a range of potential operations, including noncombatant evacuations from Libya, Yemen, and Syria, maritime interdiction operations off the Libyan coast, and amphibious landings. On June 3, the group began launching attack helicopter strikes into Libya, destroying a range of targets, including vehicles, boats, rocket launchers, tanks, and command and control nodes. The operation saw the first operational use of Apaches from the sea and the first embarkation of US Army combat search and rescue teams and Blackhawk helicopters in an RN warship.

This is a personal account by the Group Commander, which brings to life the challenges of command, including authorizing strikes and mitigating risk to UK aircrew, in a complex and challenging environment. It reveals how closely the RN Group worked with its French counterpart, the support provided by the United States, together with the complexity of working alongside NATO and of simultaneously dealing with a range of UK authorities. This is a story of leadership under pressure and the remarkable professionalism of all involved and the bravery of Army aircrew. It was modern defense and joinery at its best – British Army and USAF helicopters operating from RN ships, supported by Fleet Air Arm aircraft and fixed-wing jets as part of a largely air campaign.

Weight: 478g
Dimension: 236 x 161 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636241135