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Spangdahlem in Germany has a squadron of F16C/Ds - 1500 miles away
Aviano in Italy has 2 squadrons of F16C/Ds - 850 miles away
Both of those locations, if they had anything approaching alert, might have A2A loaded and not A2G
Lakenheath UK - has 2 squadrons of F15E Strike Eagles which are probably the ideal kit in central/western Europe for something like this. (2 F15Es made the round trip from Lakenheath in June 2015 to early retire some bad guys in Libya so yes it can be done)
Pro: with the right loadups they could have been effective (or really overkill) and the guys on the ground did have laser designation devices.
Ideal would have been an AC130 or even Reaper UAVs with Hellfire (better for small targets) but a Reaper would have been at extreme range limits with little to no loiter time if out of Sigonella. Just doesn't have the legs. There have been discussions on whether or not AC130s were in Italy or not.
Onsite was (reportedly) an RQ4 Global Hawk which I do not believe can be armed. So I believe reports of an armed drone onsite are false.
Other US assets in range:
Navy - nothing really in range, nearest CSG was 3,000 miles away.
Air Force has B1Bs in Qatar and looks like some AC130 (GoogleMaps that date window) but they would not have the speed to get on station for hours (The B1s could). Might have something at Al Dahra, UAE (F15Es).
Nothing is available without heavy tanking support.
Interestingly, SOEUR with US ARMY SOF and Navy Seal units are stationed at Panzer Kaserne (worked there when well wet behind the ears) which is just down the street from Patch Barracks EUCOM and Kelly Barracks HQ AFRICOM - both which would have been heavily interested and listening into what was going on in Benghazi. And they would want to get down there quick but would not have been down in time.
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