An undated image provided by the British Ministry of Defense on 18 March 2011 shows a Tornado GR4 aircraft. The RAF's strike/attack role is performed by the tornado GR4. It carries the storm shadow stand-off missile and the brimstone anti-armour missile. UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed all necessary measures to protect civilians from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. EPA/Crown Copyright/RAF/
A handout image dated 26 August 2002 and provided by the British Ministry of Defense on 18 March 2011 shows a Royal Air Force 'E3D Sentry' pictured on a sortie from a RAF base. The aircraft is based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, Britain, where they are operated as the UK's contribution to the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force. UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed all necessary measures to protect civilians from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. EPA/Crown Copyright/RAF/SAC Andy Holmes /
(FILE) A file handout photo issued by the French Defence Ministry of the arrival of a group of Rafale airplanes at Kandahar Air Force Base, Afghanistan, 13 January 2009. French government spokesman Francois Baroin told RTL radio 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council could be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. Baroin stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. EPA/SGT. SEBASTIEN LAFARGUE /
(FILE) A French Navy handout released on 20 April 2010 shows an aerial view of aircraft carrier 'Charles De Gaulle' (C) between French Horizon Class Destroyers 'Forbin' (front) and 'Chevalier Paul' (back) at sea in an undisclosed location on 28 March 2010 during NATO maneuvers inside the Polar Arctic Circle. French government spokesperson Francois Baroin told RTL radio on 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council could be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. He stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. EPA/MARINE NATIONALE /
(FILE) A file picture dated 01 September 2007 of a French Rafale fighter airplane from Dassault Aviaton during the airshow of Bex, Switzerland. French government spokesperson Baroin has told RTL radio on 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council could be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. He stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. EPA/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT
(FILE) A file picture dated 16 June 2009 of a Dassault Rafale fighter jet during the Paris Air Show over Le Bourget airport, near Paris, France. French government spokesman Francois Baroin told RTL radio 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council could be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. Baroin stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. EPA/LUCAS DOLEGA
(FILE) A file picture dated 16 June 2009 of a Dassault Rafale fighter jet during the Paris Air Show over Le Bourget airport, near Paris, France. French government spokesman Francois Baroin told RTL radio 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council could be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. Baroin stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. EPA/LUCAS DOLEGA
(FILE) A file photo dated 14 July 2008 of three French Navy Super Etendards flying over the Champs Elysees followed by a Navy Rafale (bottom), during the Bastille Day military parade in Paris. Airplanes as these ones may be employed by France to attack Libya's pro-Gaddafi troops. Government spokesperson Francois Baroin has told RTL radio on 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council is to be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. He stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. While declining to give details on when, how and of the nature of military objectives singled out for the operation, Baroin said that this is 'an intervention, and not an occupation, but a military action to protect the Libyan people.' Asked about the possibility of negotiating with Gaddafi, the French spokesman said that knowing him 'it is not sure to be possible to put some sense into the actions of 'this terrorist and murderous dictator.' EPA/HORACIO VILLALOBOS
A handout image dated 16 March 2011 provided by the British Ministry of Defense on 18 March 2011 shows the 'HMS BULWARK' during a formal visit to London, Britain, from 16 to 21 March. UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed all necessary measures to protect civilians from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. Experts have suggested that British warships could also be deployed to the region to carry out bombardments along the coast or to protect merchant shipping from attacks by the Libyan navy. EPA/Crown Copyright/Royal Navy/LA PHOT Shaun Barlow/
(FILE) A file picture dated 01 September 2007 of a French Rafale fighter airplane from Dassault Aviaton during the airshow of Bex, Switzerland. French government spokesperson Baroin has told RTL radio on 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council could be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. He stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. EPA/Dominic Favre
A handout image dated 27 March 2009 and provided by the British Ministry of Defense on 18 March 2011 shows a line of E3-D Sentry aircrafts at a RAF base, Waddington, Lincolnshire, Britain. Whilst primarily procured as an airborne early warning aircraft, the E-3D has been extensively employed in the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) role. UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed all necessary measures to protect civilians from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. EPA/Crown Copyright/RAF/SAC Andy Stevens/
A file photo dated 6 September 2010 and provided by the British Ministry of Defense on 18 March 2011 shows a Typhoon fighter jet from Royal Air Force Coningsby, Britain, during a training sortie. UK forces are preparing to help enforce a no-fly zone over Libya after the UN backed all necessary measures to protect civilians from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces. The RAF's Typhoon fighter jets – which are not fully deployed in Afghanistan – are likely to be among the first sent out to establish and police the no-fly zone. EPA/Crown Copyright/RAF/SAC Andrew Seaward/
Two RAF Tornado aircraft fly over RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland, during a training exercise on 18 March 2011. RAF Tornado and Typhoon fighters on 18 March will start heading to the Mediterranean to join international operations to protect the Libyan people from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces, British Prime Minister David Cameron said. The Prime Minister told the House of Commons that preparations to deploy the aircraft were already under way and they would begin moving out to air bases in the region "in the coming hours". EPA/Andrew Milligan
Belgium was prepared to send six F-16 fighter jets for NATO operations in Libya. EPA/GERARD GAUDIN
(FILE) A file photo dated 14 July 2006 of an EC2 Hawkeye early warning airplane (up) flying over the Champs Elysees followed by three French Navy Rafale jets, during the Bastille Day military parade in Paris. Airplanes as these ones may be employed by France to attack Libya's pro-Gaddafi troops. Government spokesperson Francois Baroin has told RTL radio on 18 March 2011 that France's participation in a military operation against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi after the resolution of the UN Security Council is to be in 'hours'. 'The attacks will occur quickly,' advanced Baroin, in an interview with radio station RTL. He stressed that 'the French, of course, will be consistent' with which it has been their position and 'participate' in the operation. While declining to give details on when, how and of the nature of military objectives singled out for the operation, Baroin said that this is 'an intervention, and not an occupation, but a military action to protect the Libyan people.' Asked about the possibility of negotiating with Gaddafi, the French spokesman said that knowing him 'it is not sure to be possible to put some sense into the actions of 'this terrorist and murderous dictator.' EPA/PATRICE DUPRE
