Jamie Hunter reviews the Tornado’s air operations over Libya in 2011, which once again included some significant milestones.
Operation Odyssey Dawn started on March 19, 2011, as the effort to enforce a no-fly zone under UN Resolution 1973 to protect Libyan citizens from attacks perpetrated by forces loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi. This ran from March 19-30, with the US very much taking the lead – NATO assumed command on March 27 under what became known as Unified Protector. With the downfall of the Gaddafi regime and the passing of control to a new Libyan government, the NATO campaign formally ended on October 31.