Swift and Effective Retribution: The U. S. Sixth Fleet and the Confrontation with Qaddafi

In the early morning hours of 15 April 1986, blinding flashes lit the North African desert sky as 24 antiradar missiles launched by U.S. Navy planes struck air defense positions around Tripoli, Libya. The Navy-AF-Marine Corps attack team successfully accomplished the mission assigned to them — punish Qaddafi for his involvement in the death of American citizens & dissuade him from further support of international terrorism. The American confrontation with Muammar al-Qaddafis Libya during the 1980s was a classic example of how national objectives can often be met through such uses of naval force. Color illustrations.