Less than an hour before air strikes began against Libya, two Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) F-16s intercepted an unidentified Airbus A320 airliner. The passenger jet, which was on its way from Malaga to Helsinki, had lost radio contact.
The quick reaction alert F-16s scrambled from Leeuwarden air base and were guided to the A320 by Air Operations and Control Station Nieuw Milligen. Before the intercept, radio contact was reestablished with the airliner and the F-16s returned to base.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands (and Belgium) have offered to participate in any NATO operation against Libya with F-16s and mine countermeasures vessels. Over the weekend, NATO ambassadors agreed to help impose the UN arms embargo against Libya but France is reluctant to give the alliance a leadership role for air operations and Turkey opposes military action."
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