Iraq has also started flying fighter patrols along its border with Iran.

"We have lost radio contact with our fighter patrol," General Badi reported.

The base's main missions are submarine tracking and fighter patrols.

The Japanese high command had instructed fighter patrols to down all enemy aircraft encountered, whether they were armed or not.

The closest of those fighter patrols are at eleven o'clock, forty miles and closing.

Military officials said they had increased the number of fighter patrols over cities.

This plane had managed to draw off nearly all of Libya's alert fighter patrols away from the capital.

Despite an increase in fighter patrols and creation of an early warning system, the defenders had only thirteen minutes warning.

Antiaircraft fire and aggressive fighter patrols had quickly made daylight bombing more expensive than it was worth.

"We killed three of their radar aircraft, and the strike force annihilated their fighter patrol."