Royal Australian Air Force aircraft continue to set major milestones over Iraq

Royal Australian Air Force aircraft continue to set major milestones over Iraq with the Australian Air Task Group’s delivering 400 precision bombs and 14-million litres of in-air refuelling.

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Brown said the Air Task Group continued to deliver precise and effective attacks, with more than 400 weapons employed against targets to degrade Daesh capability and to support Iraqi Security Forces.

“This milestone was achieved with a combination of F/A-18A Hornets and F/A-18F Super Hornets flying a total of around 5000 hours, the E-7A Wedgetail completing 100 operational sorties, and the KC‑30A air-to-air refuelling team delivering 25 million pounds of fuel to Australian and Coalition aircraft,” Air Marshal Brown said.

“Achieving these milestones represents both the hard work of deployed personnel and the quality of the equipment they operate.

“Air Task Group milestones will continue to be achieved and they are testament to the dedication and commitment of our personnel.

“Royal Australian Air Force aircraft are providing command and control, fuel, and precision strike effects that are empowering the Iraqi Army and ultimately enabling the Iraqi people to reclaim their country from Daesh.”

Air Marshal Brown said the milestones achieved by the KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, E-7A Wedgetail, and F/A-18A Hornets were significant.

“To provide some perspective to the enormity of the fuel volume that the KC-30A has offloaded – 25 million pounds equates to some 14 million litres of fuel – or, a complete refuel for more than 1500 F/A-18A Hornets.

“The E-7A Wedgetail routinely controls more than 60 aircraft in the battlespace during a single mission, and when multiplied by 100 sorties, that makes for a huge number of aircraft being controlled by the Australian command and control platform throughout the operation.

“While the E-7A performs multiple functions, the singular goal of the strike aircraft is to destroy and degrade Daesh will and capacity to fight.

“With more than 400 precision weapons released by Australian strike aircraft onto Daesh targets, since Operation OKRA began, we are giving the Iraqi forces the best possible support.”

 

So successful has Australia’s Wedgetail now become that stories of American strike squadrons delaying or planning missions to coincide with Wedgetail flight times have filtered back to a proud Aussie hierarchy.

A quote from “When the ‘shit got real’ for Australia’s Wedgetail”, published in the latest issue of CONTACT Air Land & Sea. Read the full story here.

 

 

 

 

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