Yesterday was a bad day for the Libyan Coast Guard (here, here, and here). You have to have some sympathy for sailors who find themselves so over-matched, the largest vessel was smaller than a 110, but we can also recall that Qaddafi’s forces also tried to attack the US Coast Guard using SCUD missiles in 1986.
On the subject of “What Does It Take to Sink a Ship?”, this approximately 106 foot long, 116 ton vessel was hit by missile with a 300 pound warhead and still it managed to limp to shore, where it beached itself.
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Sometimes I have to wonder about the run-on verbiage in these articles. I can see the awards boards cranking up.
“Barry provided situational awareness for the aircraft by managing the airspace and maintaining the maritime picture.” In other words, they provided a guard and since they were not fired upon, no joy for a Combat Action Ribbon.
I understand that aircraft were use for the safety of Barry’s crew but where it the fighting navy? Especially against such a lightly armed vessel. In the 19th century the naval commander would have sent his barges with sailors and marines and just boarded the much smaller “enemy” or given the smaller vessel a few rounds. The 5″/54 was more than a match.
I suppose some of the Libyian boats involved were the Bigliani-Class loaned to the Libyians in 2009 to help stem illegal immigrants. See the class: http://defense-update.com/products/b/bigliani-class-fpb.htm
See the deal: http://www.defaiya.com/defaiyaonline/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=105%3Aitalian-customs-service-delivers-three-fpb-to-libyan-coast-guard&catid=78%3Alibya&Itemid=27&lang=en
We will see how the story gets hyped. Let’s see a 505-foot, 6,8oo tonne ship against a what? 27 and 35 meter vessel? The Coast Guard has much to learn here.
I’m not sure where people got the idea that this was just a no-fly zone (other than the always mis-informed media), or the idea that being anything more than enforcement of a no-fly zone is a war. The UN resolution called for defense of civilians, a no-fly zone, and enforcement of the arms embargo. I’d say popping a CG boat attacking civilian shipping falls square into mission 1.
People get this idea because politicians who should know better are calling it a “No-Fly Zone.”
On the other hand I have heard the broader authority explained several times and have seen very few people objecting to the actions we have been taking.
Chuck,
As yes, as Maxwell Smart would began, the old broader authority trick. I suppose someone could say there is a “Christian duty” to attack the bad Moslems. The trick is trying to pick and choose the good from the bad at 500 miles an hour.
Although the Colonel did toss a couple missiles at Lampedusa in 86 whose antenna’s was he really aiming at?
It was apparently the only thing American he could hit.
“Libya Coastguard Commander Says He Hits Migrants to Protect Them” https://www.marinelink.com/news/libya-coastguard-commander-says-hits-438709
The difficulties of building an honest, diligent, responsive organization out of a chaotic corrupt society.