The British Royal Navy has sent the HMS Triumph, a Trafalgar-class nuclear sub, into the waters off Libya. Trafalgar-class submarines, which came into service in 1984, measure 279 feet (85 meters) long and 33 feet (10 meters) wide.

The F-15 Eagle, originally made by McDonnell Douglas and later Boeing, has been a mainstay of the USAF since the mid-1970s. The twin-engine air superiority fighter is capable of exceeding Mach 2.5 and carries an array of armaments, including Gatling guns as well as guided and heat-seeking missiles. A multi-role derivative of the F-15 Eagle, the F-15E Strike Eagle.

This jet-powered guided missile has been blowing up targets since it officially came into service in 1983. Fired from a ship or a submarine, Tomahawk missiles weigh about 2,900 pounds (1,315 kilograms), with the warhead accounting for about a third of that total mass. The missile has a range of approximately 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers).

The French have deployed this warplane over Libya to help enforce a no-fly zone against the Libyan air force. The Rafale has an advanced electronic "survival system" that closely tracks aerial targets and threats. The aircraft's radar can also generate three-dimensional maps of the ground below for terrain-following even in blind conditions, and is the only fighter with this capability, according to Dassault Aviation's website.

The USS Barry and USS Stout, two guided missile destroyers with the U.S. Navy, are also participating in the international intervention. As their name implies, these ships launch guided missiles, such as Tomahawks.

The Italian Air Force has scrambled several Panavia Tornado ECR (Electronic Combat/Reconnaissance) aircraft, according to reports. Rather than dropping bombs or destroying hostile aircraft, these ECR planes will engage in so-called suppression of enemy air defenses with a special system that zeroes in on ground-based radar sites. An AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) then is fired to take out the station.

The USAF's F-16 Fighting Falcon is a lightweight dogfighter that has been in service since 1980. Like the F-15, the jet has been sold to numerous countries, have all pledged to send in F-16s, along with those deployed by the U.S. The craft is noted for its nimbleness and ability to take on multiple kinds of missions. General Dynamics built the early versions, and Lockheed Martin has since taken over production of the craft for export.