•
21 March: Start of Operations Four
CF-18 fighters and two CC-150 Polaris refuellers operating from
Trapani-Birgi Airport flew their first mission in
Libya on 21 March, acting as armed escorts to coalition jets conducting bombings. Canada expected to take part in bombings as soon as the following night. HMCS
Charlottetown also began patrolling the waters north of Libya in order to help to enforce a NATO blockade of Libya. Defence Minister
Peter MacKay stated that another six CF-18 fighter jets are on standby to deploy if needed. •
22 March Two CF-18s again flew missions on Tuesday, 22 March. However they had to abandon their planned attack on a Gaddafi Libyan airfield as the high possibility of collateral damage was against the strict rules of engagement. For a second day a CC-150 tanker refuelled Canadian aircraft as well as other coalition aircraft. •
23 March The third day marked the first time Canadian jets bombed Libya since the campaign began. This occurred as four CF-18s flew two missions against an ammunition depot in
Misrata, dropping four 227 kg (500-pound)
laser-guided bombs, and supported by two CC-150 Polaris tankers. In other developments, Commodore John Newton, of the Royal Canadian Navy stated that the crew of HMCS
Charlottetown were prepared to conduct boarding operations and had been training for search and rescue of downed pilots. •
24 March Two CF-18s flew two
air interdiction patrols over Libyan airspace. A CC-150 Polaris took part of the operations providing fuel for Canadian and other coalition aircraft. Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced Canada would send two
CP-140 Auroras to provide maritime surveillance in support of the United Nations arms embargo against Libya. The Canadian Forces deployed 80 personnel from
14 Wing Greenwood and
19 Wing Comox. •
25 March Two CF-18s conducted one sortie and released several precision-guided munitions against
electronic warfare sites near Misrata. Two CC-150 also took part of operation and refuelled both Canadian and coalition aircraft. •
29 March Two CF-18s help the rebels by attacking targets in Misrata. Canadian
CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft began around this time, a
psychological warfare operation over Libya using
airborne leaflet propaganda and radio transmissions. The broadcast of
propaganda messages over Libyan territory led to the Gaddafi regime trying to jam the transmissions via
electronic warfare. •
31 March From 08:00
EET,
NATO took sole command of air operations over Libya under
Operation Unified Protector, taking over from U.S. Africa Command. •
21 April Pilots flew more than 100 missions over Libya since the beginning of Operation Mobile. During the past week they were deployed 38 times. They attacked armoured vehicles, ammunition depots, and mobile rocket launchers. •
13 May was involved in a
naval battle near the port city of Misrata.
Charlettetown was conducting patrols at around 2 a.m. local time with other Allied warships when a number of fast, small boats launched an attack. No warships sustained any damage. This was the first time since the
Korean War that a Canadian warship was involved in a naval battle. •
19 May Canadian pilots participated in NATO air strikes that destroyed eight Libyan warships. HMCS
Charlottetown also participated in the operation. •
27 May Canadian pilots dropped 240 laser-guided bombs on Libyan targets since 31 March. •
2 June On Monday morning, HMCS
Charlottetown came under heavy fire. The Libyan army had deployed a dozen
BM21 launch vehicles at the port city of Misrata and opened fire on the Canadian warship.
Charlottetown did not return fire and did not sustain damage. •
16 June During the preceding week throughout four days CF-18s destroyed armoured vehicles, field headquarters, ammunition depots and command-and-control structures with laser-guided bombs. During the same week, CF-18s were recalled to one target because the laser-targeting system on an allied jet failed. •
10 July under the command of Commander Bradly Peats, with 225 crew members and a detachment from
443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, departed
CFB Esquimalt en route to the Mediterranean Sea to relieve HMCS
Charlottetown, which had been on station off the Libyan coast since March. •
29 July Canadian
CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft started a
psychological warfare operation over Libya. •
18 August A change of command ceremony was held in
Palma de Mallorca, Spain, where HMCS
Vancouver officially relieved HMCS
Charlottetown. The ceremony officially marked that Task Force
Charlottetown became Task Force
Vancouver, and the Task Force command was transferred from Commander Craig Skjerpen to Commander Bradley Peats. •
1 November Operation Mobile officially ceased operations and began mission closure activities. ==See also==