Focusing on Libya's Ammunition Dumps a Priority, Says UK Defence Minister

Apr 1 2011 By Dave Pugliese - Defence Watch

Ammunition bunkers have been key targets for Canadian Forces CF-18s as well as U.S., British and other aircraft.

Here is the view from the UK’s Defence Ministry:

Among the targets in Libya that have been destroyed by the RAF, Royal Navy and coalition forces over the last week are underground bunkers providing ammunition to the Libyan Army. The bunkers stored and provided ammunition to the elements of the Libyan Army operating in the north of the country in the area near Misurata. The site, north of the town of Sebha, was home to 40 concealed underground bunkers storing small arms and artillery munitions. On Thursday 24 March, US and Royal Navy (from HMS Triumph) Tomahawk missiles targeted and disabled air defence assets in the vicinity. Then, in the early hours of Monday 28 March, the US and UK launched a co-ordinated air assault on the base. Flying out of RAF Marham, RAF Tornado GR4 aircraft - refuelled en route by RAF VC10 aircraft - fired Storm Shadow missiles at a number of the bunkers to the north west of the site, destroying them and all their contents. This activity was supported by other coalition aircraft in a co-ordinated attack which resulted in the destruction of all 40 bunkers. Explosions at the scene would have been contained largely within the underground bunkers. Destruction of the facility has denied ammunition to the Libyan Army which will become increasingly important as fighting continues in Misurata and Zintan where it is expected that demand for ammunition resupply will remain high. Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "With highly targeted strikes like this we are hitting Gaddafi's forces where it hurts, limiting their supply lines and in turn reducing their capability to kill their own civilians. "Over the last few days UK jets over the skies of Libya have taken out a lot of Gaddafi's military assets including air defence systems, tanks and armoured personnel carriers, in line with the UNSCR (United Nations Security Council Resolution)."