RAF Awacs, US Rivet, British Sentinel and ISTAR - Options Being Used to Trace Muammar Gaddafi

TRIPOLI, Libya (August 23) – The hunt is already on to track defiant Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi as he is still untraced even after more than 48 hours of rebel forces presence in Libyan capital Tripoli. 

People celebrate the recent news of uprising in Tripoli against Muammar Gaddafi's regime at the rebel-held town of Benghazi, Libya

On the other hand the dramatic appearance of Saif ul-Islam trashed all the reports of capturing Gaddafi sons by NTC. 

There are some rumours that Col. Gaddafi might be fled to Angola or Zimbabwe, which are both his close regional allies; but most of the close sources still believe that he is holed somewhere in Libya, most probably in his remote stronghold of Sirte in southern part of the country.

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the leader of the rebel movement, confessed that he too did not know if Muammar Gaddafi was hidden inside Bab al-Aziziya compound or had fled away outside the country.

United States, NATO and other western allies are using every single option to trace the whereabouts of Muammar Gaddafi. Following are the main options being used to track Gaddafi if he is inside Libya, had fled away already or planning to escape: 

·        Royal Air Force Awacs airborne radar are supposed to be monitoring all civilian aircraft leaving Tripoli and elsewhere in case Gaddafi tries to escape by air, The Telegraph reported.

·        The United States has also arranged Rivet Joint spy aircraft which will be checking all communications by mobile or satellite phone.

But it is strictly believed by intelligence sources that Gaddafi has been 'extremely clever' and will never try to use any communication device which can be traced and ultimately identify his location.

·        Thirdly, British Sentinel reconnaissance aircraft will use their sophisticated Astor radar to track vehicle convoys heading into the desert.

·        An finally; in a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by British Prime Minister David Cameron, ministers asked the military to 'utilise all ISTAR (Intelligence Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) assets' to find Gaddafi.