HMS York: Rapid Deployment Team to Benghazi

A statement from the Foreign Office said: ‘HMS York is now on its way to Benghazi to pick up any remaining British Nationals wishing to leave. Those who can travel easily to Benghazi should make their way to the port. A Rapid Deployment Team will be on board to provide consular assistance. Estimated arrival and departure times will be confirmed shortly.’

Kearsarge ARG: transits Suez Canal

Kearsarge in the Red Sea is expected to transit soon through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, putting it closer to Libya, put more options on the table for President Obama

U.S. officials said the repositioning of the Navy ship puts it in position for a potential "show of force" to the Ghadafi regime.

The USS Kearsarge has helicopters and harrier jets aboard, as well as a complement of around 700 Marines from the 26th MEU – Marine Expeditionary Unit.
It had a larger complement of Marines aboard, but the majority of the marines from the 26th MEU were diverted to Afghanistan a month ago.

The movement of the USS Kearsarge into the Mediterranean is part of the repositioning of forces described below. One US official says it’s all about giving the President options. No decisions have been made about what role the ship will play off the coast of Libya.

However, one phrase being used is that it could be seen as a “show of force” to the Qaddafi regime. the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise re-entered the Red Sea, but it has not been given orders to transit back through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.
The USS Mount Whitney command ship (LCC 20) has changed its position in the Mediterranean as well,

earlier

and earlier

Kearsarge ARG: USN Repositioning to Med

The United States military “is in the planning and preparing mode” on Libya, and will be able to provide the full range of options for national leaders, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Col. Dave Lapan said here today.

The U.S. military is moving naval and air forces to the region, he said.

President Barack Obama asked the military to prepare these options as the situation in Libya gets worse. News reports indicate while Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi is attacking rebels in and around the capital of Tripoli, anti-regime forces hold the east.

In a Feb. 26 call to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Obama said: “When a leader’s only means of staying in power is to use mass violence against his own people, he has lost the legitimacy to rule and needs to do what is right for his country by leaving now,” according to the White House.

The Defense Department has not been directly tasked for any mission, Lapan said.

“We have planners working various contingency plans,” he said. “It’s safe to say as a part of that, we’re re-positioning forces to provide for that flexibility. We are re-positioning forces in the region to provide options and flexibility.”
DoD

Earlier

Tourville: Bulgarians told to embark at Benghazi

French frigate last seen at Valletta, Malta

Another option [ for Bulgarians in Libya] is to sign up for the French battle frigate Tourville from the port of Benghazi. For that, nationals have to contact the Consulate of Sweden in Benghazi, with details as follows:

Person of contact: Anders Nilsson. Phone: +218 61 222 51 16, 223 04 30, 223 79 02, Fax: +218 61 222 52 29, 222 22 99, Email: sweconlibya@yahoo.com, address: Consulate of Sweden, 4, El Arish Street, Feuhat El Gharbia, Benghazi.

Tourville (D 610) is a F67 type large high-sea frigate of the French Marine Nationale specialised in anti-submarine warfare, though it also has anti-air and anti-surface capabilities.

Class and type: Tourville class frigate
Displacement: 4580 tonnes (6100 tonnes fully loaded)
Length: 152.75 m
Beam: 15.80 m
Draught: 6.60 m
Propulsion:

2 Rateau steam turbines, double reduction
4 multitubular boilers
Fuel: Gazoil
Propellers : 2 fixed propellers
Power : 58000 hp (42630 kW)
Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h)
Range:

1900 nautical miles (3500 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h)
4500 nautical miles (8300 km) and 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement:

24 officers
160 non-commissioned officers
115 men
Sensors and
processing systems:

Detection

* 1 DRBV 51B surface sentry radar
* 1 DRBV 26A air sentry radar
* 1 DRBC 32D targeting radar
* 2 DRBN 34 navigation radars
* 1 DUBV 23 hull sonar
* 1 ETBF DSBV 62C sonar
* 1 DSBX 1 tugged sonar
* 1 Syva torpedo alert system

Tactical information

* SENIT 3
* SEAO/OPSMER

Transmissions

* HF, UHF, VHF and SHF liaison systems
* Syracuse 2
* Inmarsat
* Link 11

Electronic warfare
and decoys:

1 ARBB 32 jammer
1 ARBR 16 radar interceptor
2 Syllex decoy launchers
bubble belt
Armament:

Anti-ship;

* 6 × Exocet MM38 anti-ship missiles

Anti-submarine;

* 2 × L5 torpedo launchers, 10 torpedoes on board (L5 mod 4)

Guns;

* 2 × 100 mm turrets (1968 model)
* 2 × 20 mm cannons
* 4 × 12.7 mm machine guns

CIWS;

* 1 x Crotale EDIR CIWS anti-air missiles (8 missiles on launcher, 16 in magazine)

Aircraft carried:

* 2 x Lynx WG13 anti-ship helicopter