Gulf of Sidra incident (1981)
The first Gulf of Sidra incident, August 19, 1981, was an incident in which two Lybia Sukoi Su-22 Fitter fighter jets engaged two US F-14 Tomcats off of the Libyan coast. In 1973 Libya had claimed much of the Gulf of Sidra as its territorial waters and subsequently declared a "line of death", the crossing of which would invite a military response. As part of its ongoing freedom of navigation activities in support of 12 mile territorial waters practices the US Navy aircraft carrrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) was operating near the line of death. On the morning of the 19th, two VF-41 Black Aces F-14As, Fast Eagle 102 (CDR "Hank" Kleeman/LT D. Venlet) and Fast Eagle 107 (LT "Music" Muczynski/LTJG "Amos" Anderson), were flying combat air patrol to cover aircraft engaged in a missile exercise. An E-2A Hawkeye gained radar contact with two Fitters which had left Wheelus Air Base near Tripoli. The Fitters were heading towards the Tomcats and the lead Fitter fired an AA-2 Atoll short range heat seeking missile at the Tomcats. The Tomcats evaded and were cleared to return fire. Muczynski engaged the lead Fitter and shot it down with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. Kleeman engaged the wingman and shot it down with another Sidewinder. The official United States Navy report states that both Libyan pilots ejected and were safely recovered.
See alsoGulf of Sidra incident (1989), another case where US jets shot down Libyan jets.
External linksDescription of the incidentAir Aces recordUS Department of State Country Study of Libya, reporting that both Libyan pilots survived. See "Encounters with the United States" section.
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