U.S. Winding Up Flights Off Libyan Coast

The United States will complete its carrier flight operations off the Libyan coast tonight as scheduled, but the warships of the 6th Fleet will remain in the central Mediterranean region for some time, Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger said today.

The aircraft carriers Coral Sea and Saratoga have been conducting flight operations for a week off the Libyan coast in what is known as the Tripoli Flight Information Region. That is the area within which commercial airline traffic flying across the Mediterranean is under the control of the flight center at the Tripoli airport.

Weinberger, answering questions after a speech he delivered in Detroit, noted that the United States had advised civilian air traffic officials of the naval operations in advance.

“We said we’d be there a week. That week is up today. That’s what we will be (doing). We will be in and around the area, however, for some time. And if we plan to do any other naval exercises in international waters in that area, we will give the proper notices and do it at the time that seems most convenient and appropriate to our fleet.”

Weinberger added that the carrier operations were routine but were necessary “to ensure that no one believes those improper claims (to international waters) are being recognized.”