LIBYA: COMPOSITION AND USE OF CIVIL AIR FLEET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T01017R000100440001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 18, 2011
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 28, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

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DATE / / 1 1ji (p 7c fie' -- Central Intelligence Agency
DOC NO G-r M &a-.d40!5-7
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P&PD I
2 8 FEB 1986
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MEMORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Robert B. Oakley
Acting Ambassador at Large for Counterterrorism
Department of State
Director of Global Issues
SUBJECT: Libya: Composition and Use of Civil Air Fleet
1. The attached memorandum responds to a request, for
information concerning the organization, maintenance, and uses of
Libya's civil air fleet. Particular attention has been given to
the ways Tripoli uses its civil aircraft to support military,
terrorist, and intelligence operations as well as ways Libya has
found to evade the US embargo on aircraft trade.
2. This memorandum was prepared by
International Security Issues Division, office of G o al
3. Your comments and suggestions on this memorandum are
welcome and may be addressed to the Chief, International
Transportation Branch, OGI,
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Attachment:
Libya: Composition and Use of Civil Air Fleet
GI M 86-20057, 20 February 1986
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DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
21 February 1986
Libya: Composition and Use of Civil Air Fleet
Summary
Libya's two civil airlines--Libyan Arab Airlines (LAA) and
Jamahariya Air Transport (JAT)--have been used to support
Tripoli's revolutionary policies abroad in addition to their broad
use as scheduled and chartered passenger and cargo carriers.
JAT, and its predecessor United African Airlines (UAA), have been
noted ferrying military cargo and personnel, especially in sub-
Saharan Africa.
The
arge civi air fleet is adequately maintained although the US
trade embargo has hindered full use of the half of the aircraft
that are of US origin.
Organization
Libyan civil aviation is controlled by the Chief of Civil Aviation under the jurisdiction
of the Secretary for Communications. Both the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the
Secretariat for Communications are headquartered in Tripoli. Two Libyan air carriers--
Libyan Arab Airlines (LAA) and Jamahariya Air Transport (JAT)--provide domestic and
international passenger and cargo services with major transport aircraft.
Libyan Arab Airlines is the government owned national flag carrier. It provides
scheduled passenger and cargo service over an extensive domestic route network and
from Tripoli to points in Eastern and Western Europe, northern and western Africa, and the
Middle East. LAA uses a fleet of 10 Boeing 727 and three Fokker F-28 jets for its
scheduled international routes and about 20 Fokker F-27s on domestic flights. LAA also
has several American- and French-made executive jets and at least one VIP-configured
Boeing 707 for use as directed by the Libyan government. LAA also shares several 707s
with JAT and leases at least two cargo 707s, one from Icelandic Eagle Airways and one
This memorandum was prepared by I I the International Transportation
Branch, International Security Issues Division, Office of Global Issues, with contributions
from Maghreb Branch, Arab-Israeli Division, Office of Near Eastern and South
Asian Analysis. information as of 20 February 1986 was used in its preparation. Questions
and comments should be addressed to Chief, International Transportation Branch, F_
GI M 86-20057
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Jamahariya Air Transport is the most recent of several successive charter carriers
organized and owned by the Libyan government. JAT was formed in late 1982 as an all-
cargo subsidiary to LAA, taking over the fleet of United African Airlines (UAA), a previous
Libyan charter operator. JAT operates 21 Soviet-made IL-76 jet cargo aircraft; at least one,
and possibly four, Lockheed L-100 turboprop cargo aircraft (the civilian version of a C-130);
and most of the 17 Boeing 707 passenger and cargo aircraft in the Libyan inventory. Many
aircraft, including the IL-76s and Boeing 707s, have been noted flying some times on
flights for LAA and at other times for JAT.
Fleet Maintenance
Libya's airlines have faced substantial problems in 25X1
maintaining their fleets, but have kept most aircraft operational. Since a substantial portion
of the inventory consists of American-made aircraft, the US embargo has denied Libya
direct access to essential parts and forced Tripoli to seek ways to circumvent the embargo.
o Libya uses leased 707s--from such operators as Icelandic Eagle Airways and
Ghana's West Coast Airlines--to avoid the sanctions by having the owners
provide maintenance.
o An Italian firm maintained Libya's C-130s until 1983 when US diplomatic efforts
persuaded them to cancel the contract. 25X1
o According to press reports, a Libyan Boeing 707 cargo aircraft was repaired in
mid-1984 in Istanbul by THY Turkish Airlines.
two Libyan Boeing 707s were undergoing repair
at Surcin Airfield, near Belgrade, Yugoslavia in May 1984.
o The Libyans may be cannibalizing some Boeing 707s to provide spare parts for
operating aircraft.
o Minor maintenance may be performed on an ad-hoc or emergency basis at
several of the international airports LAA frequents.
we believe that at least
six of the 17 Boeing 707s in the combined LAA and JAT inventories are in good repair and
perform regularly on international flights. Another six have not been observed in flight
status since 1984 and probably have maintenance-related problems. We believe the five
other 707s, observed only in their delivery flights to Libya in 1983 and early 1984, have
serious maintenance difficulties or are being cannibalized. LAA's ten Boeing 727s all
appear to be kept in suitable repair for international scheduled flight service as a result of
their arrangements with Air France. Embassy reporting indicates that Belgium's Sabena
Airlines may provide some maintenance services by receiving Libyan engines for repair
from Air France. Sabena denies direct dealing with Libya.
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The leased Icelandic Eagle Airways 707 is in good repair since Icelandic Eagle Airways
is not affected by the US embargo. The 707 on lease from Ghana's West Coast Airlines
flys frequently between Ireland and Libya to transport mutton, and is probably in an
adequate state of repair. We believe that Libya may own an interest in West Coast Airlines,
based on reports of a Qadhafi proposal made to several African nations a few years ago to
assist them in setting up airlines in return for 30 percent Libyan ownership. West Coast
Airlines has two cargo-configured 707s in its inventory. These aircraft were acquired in
1982 from a Luxembourg firm that has a long history of dealing with Libya.
Tripoli's maintenance experience with its Dutch and Soviet aircraft is mixed.
the airlines have little difficulty maintaining the fleet of Dutch-made
Fokker F-27 turboprops. These aircraft are used mainly on domestic routes and do not
have significant American content. The Fokker F-28 jets, however, have US-manufactured
engines and Libya is reportedly experiencing maintenance difficulties due to the US
embargo, although the aircraft have been in Libyan inventory for less than two years. Libya
has 21 Soviet-made IL-76 jet cargo aircraft in its civil fleet--the largest inventory of these
planes outside of the USSR. Two of these IL-76s may be non-operational due to
maintenance problems. Moreover, the IL-76 has a reputation of being a very difficult
aircraft to maintain and the excessive dust in Libya's climate is hard on aircraft jet engines.
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Military Use of Civil Air Fleet
The Libyan government has consistently used its civil air operators to augment its
military airlift capacity and as instruments of its foreign political and military policies.
While active primarily in providing logistical support to Tripoli-backed forces in sub-
Saharan Africa, Libya's airlines have also been used to aid friendly governments in the
Persian Gulf and Central America.
o In 1978, during the Tanzania-Uganda conflict, Qadhafi decided to intervene in
support of his friend and ally, Idi Amin.
LAA Boeing 727 aircraft assisted Libyan
troops, arms, and ammunition.
Air Force transports in an
o Civilian transport aircraft were employed in the Libyan evacuation from Chad in
1981. LAA and UAA aircraft were used
extensively to withdraw men and material from N'Djamena. Military and civilian
aircraft were both used to airlift troops, armored personnel carriers, and light
aircraft. In the current Libyan-supported build-up of rebel forces in northern
Chad. JAT aircraft have been used to airlift supplies into several locations. F
o In 1982, civil aircraft delivered several loads of military supplies to the
Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. one Boeing
707 in October carried four I tali n- SF-260 light attack/training aircraft.
a C-130 delivered at least two MI-2
(HOPLITE) helicopters. However, in an incident that brought world-wide
attention to Libyan arms transfers, three JAT IL-76s and one L-100, with flight
manifests listing the cargo as medical supplies, were impounded in April 1983
by the Brazilian government when it found that the aircraft were, in fact,
carrying military equipment to Nicaragua. The aircraft and cargo, which
included an L-39 jet trainer/attack airplane, multiple rocket launchers, and
ammunition, were eventually returned to Libya.
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o From 1982 through 1984 one Libyan civil C-130 25X1
was stationed in Ethiopia to provide arms transport services for Ethiopian
military and Somalian rebel troops in-country. - With short and rough field 25X1
landing capabilities, the C-130 was used to ferry arms close to the fighting IIEN14
o During 1985 I (Libyan civil IL-76
and 707 aircraft assisted Iranian Air Force Boeing 747 and 707 aircraft in the
transfer of SCUD missiles and surface-to-air (SAM) missiles from Libya to Iran.
o Arms deliveries to various west African states have been reported over the
years. used civil transports to deliver 25X1
SF-260 aircraft to Burkina Faso in 1984. Press reporting on several occasions
tell of Libyan arms deliveries to Ghana and Benin.
o The assassin of a Libyan dissident in Athens in June 1984 was an LAA employee
assigned to the Athens office.
o In April 1985, Muhammed Ali AI-Ati, the chief of the LAA office in London, was 25X1
expelled from the UK for harassing Libyan students there. Later that year, AI-Ati
was a ointed chief of the LAA office in Khartoum Sudan
e was quietly
expelled in November 1985, but may have returned. 25X1
o Two Libyan civil aircraft carrying Libyans to the Hajj were denied entry into
Saudi Arabia in August 1984 as the result of their refusal to either turn over the
90 weapons found in their luggage, or permit the search of other luggage.
The Libyan airlines have also been used in more conventional intelligence collection
roles. An LAA aircraft conducted photo-reconnaissance flights over the Cairo area while
ostensibly carrying supplies to the Hajj in 1984,
o In another incident,) I one JAT IL-76,
with an all-military crew, stopping in a position to see F-14 fighters in a USN
hanger at Naples airport. The IL-76 stayed in position for 2 to 5 minutes,
delaying other incoming aircraft. for no apparent reason other than to observe
the US aircraft.
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Libyan Arab Airlines International Service and Offices
City/Country
Flights per Week
Office
Algiers/Algeria
1
Yes
Amman/Jordan
1
Yes
Amsterdam/Netherlands
1
No
Athens/Greece
5
Yes
Beirut/Lebanon
None
yes
Bucharest/Romania
1
Yes
Belgrade/Yugoslavia
2
Yes
Damascus/Syria
5
Yes
Casablanca/Morocco
4
Yes
Frankfurt/Germany
5
Yes
Geneva/Switzerland
None
Yes
Istanbul/Turkey
5
Yes
Jeddah/Saudi Arabia
2
Yes
Karachi/Pakistan
2
Yes
Kuwait/Kuwait
1
No
Larnaca/Cyprus
1
No
London/UK
3
Yes
Madrid/Spain
2
Yes
Malta/Malta
6
Yes
Milan/Italy
2
Yes
Moscow/USSR
1
No
Paris/France
1
Yes
Rome/Italy
5
Yes
Sofia/Bulgaria
2
Yes
Tunis/Tunisia
2
Yes
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Vienna/Austria
Warsaw/Poland
Zurich/Switzerland
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Libyan Civil Aircraft Inventory
Quantity
Type /Airline Origin Comments
Boeing 727 10/LAA US Purchased prior to 1982 from
the US. Used on regular
international service.
Maintained by Air France.
Boeing 707 3/LAA US At least two configured as
14/JAT VIP transports. Eight
purchased prior to 1982
embargo. At least five
obtained from Air France via
TRATCO (Luxembourg) in 1983.
C-130/L-100 3-4/JAT US
Fokker F-28 3/LAA Netherlands
Fokker F-27 18/LAA Netherlands
3/JAT
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Libya purchased two L-100s
in 1985--evading the US
embargo. Several more
in air force inventory.
Partial delivery in 1984 of an
order for 10. Contract was
cancelled by Netherlands
due to US embargo.
Acquired prior to 1982.
Libya has been taking delivery
of three to five of these
large cargo aircraft per
year. Can carry APCs
but not tanks.
Five more in air force.
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SUBJECT: Libya: Composition and Use of Civil Air Fleet
OGI/ISID/I T/
(20 Feb 86)
Distribution:
1 - The Honorable Robert B. Oakley, State
1 - Douglas Mulholland, Treasury
1 - Stephen I. Danzansky, NSC
1 - Marion V. Creekmore, Jr. , State
1 - Roger L. Dankert, State
1 - Ambassador Morton I. Abramowitz, State
1 - Richard H. Solomon, State
1 - Byron Jackson, Commerce
1 - Dr. Darnell M. Whitt, Defense
1 - SA/DDCI
1 - Executive Director
1 - DDI
1 - DDI/PES
1 - D/SOVA
1 - NIO/NESA
1 - CPAS/ISS
1 - D/OGI, DD/OGI
3 - OGI/EXS/PG
5 - CPAS/IMC/CB
1 - NIO/AFR
1 - C/TNAD
1 - C/OGI/ISID
1 - C/OGI/ISID/IT
2 - ALA/SAD
2 - EURA/WE/FRANCE
1 - C/PES
1 - CPAS/ILS
1 - D/NESA
1 - DD/NESA
1 - C/NESA/PPS
2 - NESA/PPS
1 - NESA/AI
2 - NESA/AI/M
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