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Operation Okra

A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft receives fuel from a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport over Iraq as part of the Air Task Group for Operation Okra. Story by Warrant Officer Class 2 Max Bree. Photos by Sergeant Mick Davis.
Middle East News Royal Australian Air Force 

Air-to-air refuellers kept Operation Okra flying

05/03/202520/03/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 990 Views 0 Comments F/A-18F Super Hornet, KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, Operation Okra

Flying a Classic Hornet loaded with bombs over Iraq in 2016, Air Commodore Philip Gordon had a problem. CAPTION: A Royal

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A small group of ADF personnel, including Commander of the Australian Contingent Colonel Mark Coyle, centre, close off Australia’s commitment to Operation Okra at Aussie House inside US military base Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Story by Lieutenant Commander Max Logan.
Australian Army Middle East News 

Flag comes down, soldiers come home

28/02/202501/03/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1378 Views 0 Comments Middle East Region, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Okra, Task Group Taji

The Australian flag descended at Combined Joint Task Force – Middle East in Kuwait for the final time in December,

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Australian Army Captain Anthony Davis, left, instructs Iraqi soldiers of the Taji Military Complex's Non-Commissioned Officer Academy as they practise fire and movement towards a notional enemy position at the Taji Military Complex, Iraq. Story and photos by Sergeant Matthew Bickerton.
Australian Army Middle East News 

Op Okra proved worth of combined-arms training

18/02/202523/02/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 1305 Views 0 Comments 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, Daesh, Operation Okra, Task Group Taji

A decade ago, Daesh seized large territories across north-western Iraq and eastern Syria, taking advantage of the Syrian civil war

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The Royal Australian Navy medical team deployed on active service to Iraq. Story by Corporal Jacob Joseph. Photo by Leading Seaman Jake Badior.
History Middle East News Royal Australian Navy 

Sub-lieutenant captures history

29/01/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 982 Views 0 Comments Middle East, Operation Okra, Task Group Taji

After more than 10 years, the last ADF servicemen and women deployed under Operation Okra left the Middle East late

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An Aussie veteran of Task Group Taji
ADF Middle East News 

Operation Okra in Iraq officially ends

29/12/202429/12/2024 Posted by Brian Hartigan 6008 Views 0 Comments Iraq, Operation Okra

Operation Okra, the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the international coalition against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, has concluded with

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Australian Army Lieutenant Colonel Wendy Wheadon, Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve Deputy Director of Sustainment, stands before the mural at Aussie House inside US military base Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Story and photo by Corporal Jacob Joseph.
ADF People 

Chance meeting leads to Australian Army career

22/01/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 2167 Views 0 Comments Operation Okra

Lieutenant Colonel Wendy Wheadon probably couldn’t have guessed a chance meeting with a young Australian Army officer in the UK

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Australian Army surgeon Major Daniel Chan is part of the Australian Surgical Team deployed to the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Centre in Iraq. Story by Flight Lieutenant Clarice Hurren. Photo by Sergeant Glen McCarthy.
ADF People Health and Wellbeing 

Sharing is the currency of deployment

05/11/2021 Posted by Mike Hughes 1467 Views 0 Comments Iraq, Operation Okra

An Australian Army general surgeon has swapped more than knowledge and experiences with his foreign counterparts during a deployment to

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Air Force perioperative nurse Flying Officer Cheryl Brophy is deployed to Iraq and is working at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Centre. Story by Flight Lieutenant Clarice Hurren. Photo by Sergeant Glen McCarthy.
ADF People Health and Wellbeing 

COVID support part of deployment

02/11/2021 Posted by Mike Hughes 1716 Views 0 Comments COVID-19, Iraq, Operation Okra

As part of her deployment to Iraq, RAAF nursing officer Flying Officer Cheryl Brophy is providing COVID-19 support to contractors

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Navy neurosurgeon Lieutenant Commander Andrew Davidson is deployed to Iraq at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Centre. Story by Flight Lieutenant Clarice Hurren. Photo by Sergeant Glen McCarthy.
ADF People Health and Wellbeing 

Navy surgeon enjoying time in the sand

31/10/2021 Posted by Mike Hughes 1799 Views 0 Comments Iraq, Operation Okra

A deployment to Iraq is providing Navy neurosurgeon Lieutenant Commander Andrew Davidson with some unique challenges. CAPTION: Navy neurosurgeon Lieutenant

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An Iraqi Army M1A1M Abrams tank provides cover during a Junior Leaders Course combined-arms training assessment at the Taji Military Complex, Iraq. Photo by Able Seaman Chris Beerens.
ADF Australian Middle East News Operations 

Iran fires ‘more than a dozen missiles’ at coalition forces in Iraq

08/01/202008/01/2020 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2128 Views 0 Comments Operation Okra, Task Group Taji

The Pentagonsays that at 1.30am local on 7 January, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq.

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Australian Army soldiers Private Nikita Rounds and her father Sergeant Joseph Rounds catch up in the Middle East while concurrently deployed on operations in the region. Photo by Petty Officer Andrew Dakin.
Australian Australian Army Middle East News Operations 

Father, daughter on operations in the Middle East

18/08/2018 Posted by Brian Hartigan 5314 Views 0 Comments Joint Task Force 633, Operation Accordion, Operation Okra, Task Group Taji

By Captain Anna-Lise Brink While oceans separate most families when a loved one deploys overseas, one Brisbane father and daughter

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A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet flies over Mosul, Iraq, during an Operation Okra mission. Photo by Flight Lieutenant Trent, 12 July 2017.
Australian Middle East News Operations Royal Australian Air Force 

Super Hornets fly last mission in Iraq

16/01/2018 Posted by Brian Hartigan 4642 Views 0 Comments Air Task Group, Operation Okra

Two Royal Australian Air Force Super Hornets flew the Australian Air Task Group’s final strike mission over Iraq on Sunday.

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RAAF technicians conduct an inspection on a KC-30A drogue. Photo by Corporal Brenton Kwaterski.
Australian Middle East News Operations Royal Australian Air Force Videos 

Hose and drogue inspection in Middle East

19/11/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3375 Views 0 Comments E-7A Wedgetail, F/A-18F Super Hornet, KC-30A MRTT, Operation Okra

Defence released video of Royal Australian Air Force technicians conducting an inspection on the KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport hose-and-drogue

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Australian Middle East News Overseas Videos 

TG Taji pump out 1200 more Iraqi soldiers

02/09/201705/09/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3234 Views 0 Comments Operation Okra, Task Group Taji 5

Townsville-based soldiers have finished training a further 1200 Iraqi Army soldiers, a milestone marked with a graduation ceremony at the

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An Iraqi Army soldier provides security for an Iraqi Army Mi-17 helicopter during live-fire assault scenario with Australian and New Zealand Defence Force trainers from Task Group Taji 4 at Taji Military Complex, Iraq. Photo by Corporal Kyle Genner.
Australian Australian Army News Operations Videos 

TG Taji graduates in Iraq heading for Mosul

31/03/201731/03/2017 Posted by Brian Hartigan 6126 Views 0 Comments Operation Okra, Task Group Taji

Task Group Taji has now trained more than 21,000 Iraqi Security Force personnel after recent graduations at the Taji Military

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An Australian F/A-18A Hornet relelases a flare at sunset in the skies over Iraq. RAAF photo.
Australian News Operations 

Australia set to bomb Syrian targets

09/09/201513/10/2015 Posted by Brian Hartigan 4903 Views 0 Comments ADF, Iraq, Operation Okra, RAAF, Syria

The Australian government today announced that it had decided to extend Australia’s air strikes against Daesh allowing the RAAF to bomb Syrian

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