| Accession Number | P04159.083 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Parker, David Dare |
| Place made | Qatar |
| Date made | c April 2003-May 2003 |
| Conflict |
Iraq, 2003-2013 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
|
Pre-flight maintenance on a P3 Orion, Middle East Area of Operations, 2003
Description
Two ground crew members of the RAAF P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft detachment, complete the pre-flight maintenance on one of the two Orions operating in the Middle East. The ground crew is preparing the aircraft for its next operational flight from Al Minhad airbase. The aircraft is powered by four Allison T56 turboprop engines and can reach a speed of 660 kilometres per hour. The detachment's main role was to support the Coalition fleet through surveillance activities in the central Persian Gulf. The aircraft were used to locate and observe small vessels that could be used by the enemy for mine laying operations or launching a suicide attack. The P-3 Orion aircraft operated in the Middle East as part of the Australian commitment assembled to disarm Iraq.