ITALY: Danish and U.S. forces use Sigonella airbase in Sicily for Libya no-fly zone operation

Record ID: 809424

  • Title: ITALY: Danish and U.S. forces use Sigonella airbase in Sicily for Libya no-fly zone operation
  • Date: 23rd March 2011
  • Summary: SIGONELLA, SICILY, ITALY (MARCH 22, 2011) (REUTERS) DANISH F16 FALCON FIGHTER JET TAXIING CONTROL TOWER DANISH F16 FALCON FIGHTER JETS TAXIING VARIOUS OF DANISH F16 FALCON FIGHTER JETS TAKING OFF U.S. MARITIME PATROL PLANE TAKING OFF CONTROL TOWER VARIOUS OF DANISH C130 ON TARMAC ITALIAN BREGUET ATLANTIC RECONNAISSANCE PLANE ON TARMAC VARIOUS OF DANISH F16 FALCON FIGHTER JETS ON TARMAC WIDE OF U.S. AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC VARIOUS OF AIRCRAFT BEING REFUELLED (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIEUTENANT MATT KNIGHT, U.S. PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, SAYING: "Operation tempo has picked up here because we are supporting the U.N. resolution and so a lot of different things whether it's for fuelling, whether it's supplies, stuff like that has been coming through here. But again, this is a traditional mission of NAS Sigonella that we do support NATO commanders, it's just the level has picked up of what's coming through." VARIOUS OF AIRCRAFT WINGS UNIDENTIFIED JET LANDING
  • Embargoed: 7th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVAF5LI8AUZLI8Z9GHCLY5U7GGO2
  • Story Text: Danish fighter jets take off from the Sigonella base in Sicily to take part in the U.N.-backed intervention in Libya while U.S. forces lend support with fuelling and supplies.
    Two Danish F-16 Falcon gets took off from the Italian naval air base of Sigonella in Sicily on Tuesday (March 22).
    Denmark has based six F-16 jets at the Italian base, four of which are operational and two are reserves.
    The Danish also have more than 100 personnel on the ground, as well as one C-130 transport plane.
    Speaking to journalists, Lieutenant Matt Knight, U.S. Public Affairs Officer at the base, said that supply and refuelling services were being offered to nations involved in the Libyan operation.
    "Operation tempo has picked up here because we are supporting the U.N. resolution and so a lot of different things whether it's for fuelling, whether it's supplies, stuff like that has been coming through here. But again, this is a traditional mission of NAS Sigonella that we do support NATO commanders, it's just the level has picked up of what's coming through," said Knight.
    The Sigonella naval air base is an Italian base on which the U.S. Navy are based.
    It has become one of the hubs for the UN-backed mission in Libya due to its close proximity to the north African country.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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