Australia to end air strikes in Iraq and Syria, bring Super Hornets home

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will end air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and bring its six Super Hornet planes home after three years as part of the U.S.-led coalition in the Middle East, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Friday.

 

She told a media conference the decision was made following the Iraqi declaration of victory over Islamic State.

 

"Following discussions with Iraq and with members of the international coalition, the Australian government has determined that we will bring home our six Super Hornet strike aircraft from the Middle East," Payne told reporters.

 

"It has been long. It has been arduous. It has been brutal. All of our personnel made an extraordinary contribution."

 

Australia has been in the Middle East as part of the U.S.-led effort against Islamic State since 2014.

 

Payne said other Australian operations in the region would continue, with 80 personnel who are part of the Special Operations Task Group in Iraq, including Australian special forces, continuing their deployment.

 

Australian soldiers have also been training Iraqi troops at the Taji military base outside Baghdad.

 

(Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Eric Meijer)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-12-22

Good !!...It will save billions of the Aussie tax payers money !..and save a few lives of their servicemen.

@ $Aus750K per bomb purchased from the USA,

 

did we actually drop any?

7 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Good !!...It will save billions of the Aussie tax payers money !..and save a few lives of their servicemen.

It's a foolish move that will save nothing from the budget.

The military need to fight to get skills, and a non fighting force becomes useless as those that have experience leave and are replaced by those that have no clue. Many lives are lost at the beginning of any conflict as personnel relearn the lessons of war.

 

As for lives lost- isn't it a volunteer force? If they are not willing to risk death, they shouldn't be in the forces anyway.

 

If Australians don't want to pay for the military they should join NZ in getting rid of all the warplanes and print up some leaflets in different languages saying "we surrender".

1 hour ago, wombat said:

@ $Aus750K per bomb purchased from the USA,

 

did we actually drop any?

Yes, during 2017 over 700 sorties. It was costing the taxpayer approx billion dollars a year for the Oz military deployed in Iraq/Syria. One would guess the ongoing costs for support and training in Iraq will still be in the hundreds of millions. Some detail of air operations...

 

http://www.defence.gov.au/Operations/Okra/FortnightlyReports.asp

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It's a foolish move that will save nothing from the budget.

The military need to fight to get skills, and a non fighting force becomes useless as those that have experience leave and are replaced by those that have no clue. Many lives are lost at the beginning of any conflict as personnel relearn the lessons of war.

 

As for lives lost- isn't it a volunteer force? If they are not willing to risk death, they shouldn't be in the forces anyway.

 

If Australians don't want to pay for the military they should join NZ in getting rid of all the warplanes and print up some leaflets in different languages saying "we surrender".

Read the OP, the withdrawal only applies to six Super Hornet strike aircraft

Smart move by the Aussies- no need to keep funding operations that no longer have validity. Wish the Americans were as smart- the Middle East operations have cost the Americans almost $1Trillion since the beginning of the Gulf War.  Americans have no universal healthcare- we all know why. Trump ad his minions will continue to expand America's Middle East role simply to keep Saudi Arabia happy Time to get the hell out of the Middle East.

Edited December 22, 20178 yr by Thaidream

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

Read the OP, the withdrawal only applies to six Super Hornet strike aircraft

Yes, but do they have any other aircraft on active service?

33 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

Smart move by the Aussies- no need to keep funding operations that no longer have validity. Wish the Americans were as smart- the Middle East operations have cost the Americans almost $1Trillion since the beginning of the Gulf War.  Americans have no universal healthcare- we all know why. Trump ad his minions will continue to expand America's Middle East role simply to keep Saudi Arabia happy Time to get the hell out of the Middle East.

Given the American need to have "allies" there, Australia should have got the US to pay for the bombs and aircraft running costs. Would have been a tiny expense for the US military, compared to a large expense for the Aussies.

3 hours ago, wombat said:

@ $Aus750K per bomb purchased from the USA,

 

did we actually drop any?

Should that money to be marked as military aid or humanitarian aid from Australian government to USA companies?

 

 

An inflammatory post has been removed. 

I think australia and these 6 hornets will be better used here in asia the way things are looking.

11 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Yes, but do they have any other aircraft on active service?

Yes, as well as ground troops

Edited December 22, 20178 yr by simple1

21 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Yes, but do they have any other aircraft on active service?

I think we have a couple of hang gliders and four drones bought from Dick Smith but apparently D size batteries are in short supply over there so they were withdrawn from service,  gift wrapped and will be given to selected members of parliament as Christmas presents for their kids.  Naturally these will be declared on the register of interests. If they can get them through customs of course. 

 

Anyway bringing back six planes will double the size of our Air Force. 

39 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

I think we have a couple of hang gliders and four drones bought from Dick Smith but apparently D size batteries are in short supply over there so they were withdrawn from service,  gift wrapped and will be given to selected members of parliament as Christmas presents for their kids.  Naturally these will be declared on the register of interests. If they can get them through customs of course. 

 

Anyway bringing back six planes will double the size of our Air Force. 

 

List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Royal_Australian_Air_Force_aircraft

40 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Royal_Australian_Air_Force_aircraft

And a very Merry Christmas to you Uncle Scrooge.

 

 

It's a foolish move that will save nothing from the budget.
The military need to fight to get skills, and a non fighting force becomes useless as those that have experience leave and are replaced by those that have no clue. Many lives are lost at the beginning of any conflict as personnel relearn the lessons of war.
 
As for lives lost- isn't it a volunteer force? If they are not willing to risk death, they shouldn't be in the forces anyway.
 
If Australians don't want to pay for the military they should join NZ in getting rid of all the warplanes and print up some leaflets in different languages saying "we surrender".

Yes we need wars to test the latest weapons on real targets, that's fact you can't simulate reality in war games
But in this instance the testing was was done, it's over. Time to go home untill the next round.

17 hours ago, Morch said:

 

List of current Royal Australian Air Force aircraft

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_Royal_Australian_Air_Force_aircraft

At least you actually have some aircraft that can fire bullets.

 

I'm just sorry to see that Australia got sucked into the F35 morass. 

15 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

Yes we need wars to test the latest weapons on real targets, that's fact you can't simulate reality in war games
But in this instance the testing was was done, it's over. Time to go home untill the next round.

My point was actually that real people need to be using the weapons. Skills are like anything else- use them or lose them.

 

18 hours ago, tryasimight said:

I think we have a couple of hang gliders and four drones bought from Dick Smith ...

 

Don't forget the box of boomerangs stashed away in Darwin.

Edited December 24, 20178 yr by ballpoint