Libya: The Western European Response (The Assets)

While Galrahn is raising some interesting questions about what the US has so far (not) done when it comes to Libya (loved the #carelovejoyrainbow) , I thought a overview of what the individual Western European countries are doing might also be interesting.

I'll focus on the actual assets used and not on the politcal rhetoric.

Austria: Was the first EU country to react and prepositioned a C-130 at Malta. She returned to Austria the 21st with 62 people. She is back at Malta now.
A regular Austrian Airline flight also got 136 people from Tripoli to Vienna on the 21st.

France: 3 planes (Airbus A-340 & A-310). The first plane to arrive back in France had 172 people on board, the 2nd 230 and the 3rd plane left from Tripoli today with 152 people on board.

Germany: A chartered Lufthansa plane and 2 Transalls picked up 350 people. More flights with these planes are being planned.

Italy: Alitalia tries to regularly fly to Tripoli. A C-130 has also been used. So far they got 400 people out of Libya.
Also 3 naval vessels are underway: INS Francesco Mimbelli and not INS Elettra as was posted by some news agencies, INS San Marco and INS San Georgio.

Ireland: a Learjet 45 and a CASA 235 of the Air Corps have been prepositioned at Malta.

The Netherlands: A RNLAF KDC-10 has been to Tripoli and back, returning with 82 people. A C-130 has been prepositioned at Sicily and should fly to Tripoli tomorrow.
The Dutch also have a Coast Guard Dornier 228-212 in the area, because of Operation Hermes.
The Netherlands have also sent HNLMS Tromp to Libya. The vessel was in the Red Sea on her way to Operation Ocean Shield, but was ordered to
return to the Med. This means that HNLMS De Ruyter will not return home from Ocean Shield for the time being.

Portugal: Has flown with a C-130 to Libya twice, returning with 130 people the first time and 84 the second.

Spain: Wants to send an air force plane. The Spanish Foreign Minister has received harsh critique for the length it takes her to evacuate Spanish citizens. The first Spanish plane has yet to land in Tripoli, while the French have had 3 planes return already. Spanish oil giant Repsol thought it took too long and arranged a charter plane themselves.

UK: Has chartered a plane, but that never left Gatwick Airport because of a mechanical fault. Have also ordered HMS Cumberland to go to Libya. This is her last job, as she will be decommisioned on returning home.

So how many naval vessels are we counting?
HMS Cumberland (F 85)
HNLMS Tromp (F 803)
INS Francesco Mimbelli (D 561)
INS San Marco (L 9893)
INS San Georgio (L 9892)

So, that's 1 destroyer, 2 frigates and 2 LPD's.

It's the usual suspects that are sending ships I guess, although I'm really missing the French in this list, because when it comes to Africa, it's usually France that leads the other European countries.

Yet everyone can learn something from Turkey. They were quick to react and at first sent 3 ships, followed by 2 more a day later. Total capacity: 4800 people and they are carrying more than that now on their return.