Boufesis, Alexandros Operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector 2011

NATO and the Air War over Libya, 2011-2020

A volume in the series Africa @ War. Operation Unified Protector was a historic moment, as NATO took command of a military alliance operation for the first time, replacing the US-led Operation Odyssey Dawn. The operation, whose task was to protect the civilian population from Muammar Gaddafi's troops during the 2011 Libyan civil war, revealed significant gaps in the Alliance's capabilities. NATO's heavy reliance on the United States for air-to-air refueling, ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), electronic warfare, command and control, and target acquisition highlighted structural weaknesses that remain unresolved to this day. These limitations have become even more urgent in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the prospect of a future strategic prioritization of the Asia-Pacific region by the US. Initially hampered by a dysfunctional command and control structure and an overly cautious target selection process, the air campaign reached an impasse. It was only when the rebels launched a coordinated ground offensive from Misrata and the Nafusa Mountains that the tide turned. The fall of Tripoli, followed by the battle for Sirte and Gaddafi's death, ended the operation but ushered in a decade of instability. In the power vacuum created by the intervention, Libya descended into chaos. General Khalifa Haftar's rise to prominence and his campaignsoriginally aimed at eradicating Islamist elements and the Islamic Statewere supported by several foreign powers and hailed by some as a source of stability. However, Turkey's armed intervention in support of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) not only halted Haftar's advance on Tripoli, but also triggered new geopolitical tensions in the eastern Mediterranean. Ankara's maritime ambitions collided directly with the interests of Greece and Egypt, complicating regional security and maritime boundary disputes. Like all titles in the @ War series, this volume is illustrated throughout with rare photos, detailed color illustrations, maps, and organizational charts. It offers a thorough, critical analysis of NATO's first major air campaign of the 21st century and its profound consequences for the alliance, Libya, and the changing balance of power in the Mediterranean and beyond.