| Accession Number | P04159.086 |
|---|---|
| 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
|
Refueling an RAAF P-3 Orion, Middle East Area of Operations, 2003
Description
Refueling an RAAF P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft at Al Minhad airbase. Members of the ground crew perform maintenance on the P-3 Orion in perparation for the aircraft's next operational flight. The aircraft is powered by four Allison T56 turboprop engines and can reach a speed of 660 kilometres per hour. The Orions were deployed to the Middle East 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.