Libyan shooting down of F-111F in 1986 raid

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Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 70

Hi,

During Operation El Dorado Canyon in 1986 a single F-111F was shot down over Gulf of Sidra.

What weapons system was employed to shoot it down?

SA-2, SA-3, SA-5, Crotale?

Original post

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 9,683

Where did you hear it was shot down?

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 248

We lost one over thhe Gulf of Sidra, dunno what was used to do it though.

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 9,683

We lost one over thhe Gulf of Sidra, dunno what was used to do it though.

I knew we lost one but I've never heard it was shot down.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 5,396

I heard it was a Crotale. There were similar problems neutralizing Crotales in Iraq in 1991.

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 70

I knew we lost one but I've never heard it was shot down.
So what did you here?

Member for

17 years

Posts: 4,042

So what did you here?

The only info that ever came out was that an F-111 crashed. The circumstances weren't clear as to the cause.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 880

Link below has:
"The Air Force F-111Fs would spend only 11 minutes in the target area, with what at first appeared to be mixed results. Anti-aircraft and SAM opposition from the very first confirmed that the Libyans were ready. News of the raid was broadcast while it was in progress. One aircraft, Karma 52, was lost, almost certainly due to a SAM, as it was reported to be on fire in flight. Capt. Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci and Capt. Paul F. Lorence were killed. Only Ribas-Dominicci's body was recovered; his remains were returned to the US three years later."

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1999/March%201999/0399canyon.aspx

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 9,683

Link below has:
"The Air Force F-111Fs would spend only 11 minutes in the target area, with what at first appeared to be mixed results. Anti-aircraft and SAM opposition from the very first confirmed that the Libyans were ready. News of the raid was broadcast while it was in progress. One aircraft, Karma 52, was lost, almost certainly due to a SAM, as it was reported to be on fire in flight. Capt. Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci and Capt. Paul F. Lorence were killed. Only Ribas-Dominicci's body was recovered; his remains were returned to the US three years later."

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1999/March%201999/0399canyon.aspx

Well that would appear to answer the question (as much as we're likely to see anytime soon anyway).

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 9,683

So what did you here?

Just that one was lost, cause unknown. Thought it went down over the water.

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 70

thanks guys