Libya 'plans to spend $4.7B on defense'

[SajeevJino]

Libya is reported to be planning to spend $4.7 billion on upgrading its military forces over the next year.​

Libya, still gripped by fierce militia rivalries 18 months after the downfall of Moammar Gadhafi, is reported to be planning to spend some $4.7 billion on upgrading its dilapidated military forces over the next year, including purchases of fighter aircraft and warships.

Libyan officials have disclosed that the procurement program represents at least 10 percent of the national budget approved earlier this month after months of wrangling.

The National, a daily published in the United Arab Emirates, quoted a senior Libyan air force officer, Col. Abdel Nasser Busnina, as saying that the new regime in Tripoli is prepared to allocate the $4.7 billion in energy revenues to acquire advanced weapons systems.

"We have 2,000 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline to defend and six borders with African countries," he said during a recent arms exhibition in Abu Dhabi. "We need to rebuild our armed forces. The equipment we have is old and in need of repair."

Amid the surge of jihadist operations in North Africa, much of it a result of the large amount of arms plundered from Gadhafi's armories during Libya's 2011 civil war, Libya's General National Congress is particularly concerned about its porous desert frontiers with Egypt, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Tunisia and Algeria.

It's not clear whether Tripoli has drawn up a formal program since post-Gadhafi Libya is subject to a U.N. embargo imposed during the country's eight-month civil war in 2011.

But the sanctions were eased two weeks ago to allow the new government to buy non-lethal military equipment to help boost security.

It's understood that could include aircraft, naval vessels and military vehicles provided they remain unarmed.

During Gadhafi's 42-year rule, Libya acquired most of its military hardware from the Soviet Union and much of its current inventory dates from the Cold War era. The Soviet collapse and international sanctions on Libya during the 1980s because of Gadhafi's support for terrorism, choked off military modernization.

The need to upgrade the oil-rich state's military forces is made more acute by the lawlessness and militia violence that persists, particularly over the country's extensive oil and natural gas resources, its economic mainstay.

However, weapons sales to unstable Middle Eastern countries and unsavory regimes have come under increased scrutiny since the wave of pro-democracy uprisings from Tunisia to Yemen began in January 2011.

All arms exports to Libya were halted when the anti-Gadhafi revolution erupted in February 2011.

Libya planning $4.7 billion arms buys to bolster defense - UPI.com

 

[Armand2REP]

Where did you get the picture of a MiG-29 from? It should be this...

 

[Apollyon]

^ wet dreams
It will be Su-35

 

[SajeevJino]

Where did you get the picture of a MiG-29 from? It should be this...

Nope ..Rafale had only one foreign Customer that is India

Even we didn't allow it for Malaysia

France says Malaysia can build jets if it buys Rafale

 

[SajeevJino]

^ wet dreams
It will be Su-35

Su 35 for Libya ....oh God Who Pinched you..

 

[W.G.Ewald]

I see a discrepancy.

"We have 2,000 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline to defend and six borders with African countries," he said during a recent arms exhibition in Abu Dhabi. "We need to rebuild our armed forces. The equipment we have is old and in need of repair."

But then this.

The need to upgrade the oil-rich state's military forces is made more acute by the lawlessness and militia violence that persists, particularly over the country's extensive oil and natural gas resources, its economic mainstay.

So which is it. Or is it both?

Has Libya fought against and external threat since Egypt in 1977?

 

[SajeevJino]

I see a discrepancy.



But then this.



So which is it. Or is it both?

Has Libya fought against and external threat since Egypt in 1977?

the map within the Article Says the Answer

 

[W.G.Ewald]

the map within the Article Says the Answer

In your opinion Libya's new military spending will address potential external threats, then?

The need to upgrade the oil-rich state's military forces is made more acute by the lawlessness and militia violence that persists, particularly over the country's extensive oil and natural gas resources, its economic mainstay.

That quote implies to me that Libya needs training for some of its forces in counter-insurgency as well.

 

[Armand2REP]

^ wet dreams
It will be Su-35

That is wet dreams. Libya isn't buying anything from Russia and already announced Rafale.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

The Aviationist » Libyan Air force to be re-equipped with Rafale and Typhoon multi-role fighters. And some U.S. planes too.

Quoting the Libyan Air Force Chief of Staff Saqr Geroushi a recent article by the Libyan Herald reported that proposals have been drawn up to re-equip Tripoli's dilapidated fleet with a special consideration given to those countries that assisted Libya during the last year's air war: France, UK, and the U.S.

Putting a few more details into his comments, Geroushi said that the Libyan Arab Air Force is looking to purchase two squadrons of French Rafale, along with a number of French Mirage F-1 aircraft (to bolster those they already have). The Libyans also plan to buy Eurofighter Typhoons from the UK as well as some more C-130 cargo planes and Ch-47 Chinook helicopters from the United States.

 

[Armand2REP]

The Aviationist » Libyan Air force to be re-equipped with Rafale and Typhoon multi-role fighters. And some U.S. planes too.

They clarified that later saying no Typhoons, but they would buy Hawk trainers.

 

[halloweene]

I see a discrepancy.



But then this.



So which is it. Or is it both?

Has Libya fought against and external threat since Egypt in 1977?

Oh yes, Chad, several times... But they were the threat

 

[halloweene]

I'd take a small bet on second hand M2K -9