Libyan Pilots Going to France to Learn How to Fly New Mirage-3 Fighter Aircraft

A small group of Libyan pilots will go to France shortly to learn to fly the new Mirage-3 fighter aircraft. They will return to Libya toward the end of the year to become Instructors. But Libya is not expected to be able to produce an effective Mirage squadron for at least several years, military observers said here today. Last winter the Libyan military regime ordered 110 Mirages from France, an arms deal that surprised the world and brought loud protests from Israel. The Libyan Air Force was not considered capable of absorbing the highly sophisticated supersonic jets and it was believed they would find their way into Egyptian hands for use against Israel. But the French training and delivery program, it now appears, will be spread over several years. The first Libyan Mirage training cadre is expected to bring home with it four Mirage trainers at the end of the year. About 20 more of the planes will be delivered in 1971 and the remaining deliveries will stretch into 1974. The Libyans reportedly wanted France to send its own training cadres to Libya and undertake a more intensive training program, according to reports here. But France was unwilling to appear to be moving into Libya as American and British forces left. The departure for France of the first Libyan Mirage trainees will coincide with the formal take-over by Libya of the huge U.S. Wheelus Air Force Base near Tripoli.