Lockheed Martin -130H Hercules

A97-009 – ‘Mongrel 32’

Number 36 Squadron

Western Iraq, Middle East Area of Operations, 0117Z 11 April 2003

On 8 February 2003, A97-009 departed Royal Australian Air Force RAAF) Base Richmond, New South Wales as part of 86 Wing contribution to the Australian Defence Force contingent supporting Operation Bastille. The Australian Defence Force presence contributed to a coalition ‘show of force’ intended to persuade the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq to disarm. The aircraft flew coalition support missions throughout the Middle East Area of Operations until offensive combat operations commenced on 20 March 2003. This print depicts A97-009 during an aerial delivery mission in western Iraq on the morning of 11 April 2003, flown by Special Operations C-130H crew from number 36 Squadron. This sortie marked the first combat airdrop conducted by the RAAF into an area of known enemy air threat since the Vietnam War. During the mission, the crew avoided detection by enemy air defence radar through the employment of low level flying techniques (assisted by Night Vision Goggles) and Radar Warning equipment. A97-009 was heavily tasked throughout Australia’s operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and was withdrawn from service in December 2012.