According to official figures Libya have: 124 MiG 23's, 104 MiG 25's, and a variety of older planes, however we don't know the air worthiness of any of them.
You/the internet may not, those who need to know, do.
Its easy to say "Typhoon > Mig 23/25, we win lol" but air combat isn't that simple, planes don't destroy planes missiles do, in a recent war game the fabled F22 was shot down multiple times by F16's (a fighter from the same era/generation as the MiG-23).
You're right, air combat is not that simple. I'll try and explain a few things to you.
Your example of F-16 vs F/A-22 is irrelevant. Why? Well, war games are a training tool, and as you don't know under what restrictions they were being conducted or what the aim of the engagement is question was, you canot draw any meaningful conclusions from the result.
Air combat exercises are not like top gun in the real world they are often not simple 1v1, 2v2, 4v4 engagements where pilots try and kill each other. For example, Typhoons regularly go up and play 'airliner' for other types to practice intercepts. Likewise exercises are conducted where the aim is within visual range engagements, and aircraft may again be acting in the same way as other types. For example, they may be limited in speed or type of weapons they can use, the list goes on and on. So as I've said already, without knowing the parameters of the exercise you cannot draw any conclusions from it.
If all the restrictions are removed from the F-22 and it's pilots, it will easily dominate any other type in service anywhere in the world. And the same goes for Typhoon/Rafale (apart from the Raptor).
Now the F-16 may be from the same era and the Mig-23, but they are not even close to being the same. The F-16 currently in service is the F-16C block 50 (and beyond) it is nothing like the F-16A apart from it's shape. And even the A model out performed the Soviet Mig-23. Then of course you have to consider that the Russian do not sell their aircraft with the same equipment they use themselves (just like us), a Russian Mig-XX will be superior to the corresponding export model.
As for weapons, the Mig-23MLD (which is newer than the varient operated by Libya) is capable of carrying the AA-11 and AA-10, these are rather old and outdated, again easily countered by modern aircraft. The radar in the Mig-23 is massively outclassed by even the radar sets in the F-16C, let alone the Typhoon/Raptor/Rafale etc, and with it's outdated radar waring receiver the Libyan pilots really wouldn't have a clue they were even being engaged let alone be able to fight back.
I really suggest you read up of the capabilities of modern combat aircraft, you'll then see why this isn't as difficult as you currently believe.
Of course, this is not to say there is no threat, just that it is perfectly manageable. And I've made no concessions for the political situation. Personally I don't believe a no-fly zone will be put into place, at least by the west.
lets not forget libya has loads of sam sites to... its not like iraq or afghanistan.
Actually, it's exactly like Iraq in 1991. Which suits our tactics and technology more than current operations.
