Al Udeid Air Base

Introduction

Major base in Qatar for RAAF Hercules and F-14 aircraft during the eary stages of the invasion of Iraq.

Al Udeid - [Google Earth*]

*Google Earth (free download) required.

Government sources

Analysis

Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, 25°06'57"N 51°18'55"E, GlobalSecurity.org

Detailed historical account, with photos and satellite images and links to other Qatar facilities.

The RAAF in Iraq

Short account, with photographs.

Wizards of OZ, Tony Holmes, Global Defence Review

In February 2003, the Australian government announced that it would forward deploy both Hercules and Hornet aircraft and an air forward command element to the Middle East area of operations (MEAO).The latter, according to an Australian Defence Force (ADF) spokesman, would be 'responsible for co-ordinating air operations with coalition partners, and providing national control of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) assets'. Al Udeid air base, Qatar was chosen as the primary operating location for the bulk of the RAAF aircraft allocated to the campaign. Home to the USAF's 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, as well as numerous RAF and US Navy/Marine Corps assets in-theatre (and Central Command HQ), Al Udeid has yet to be officially named by the Australian DoD as its primary operating base. The pre-positioning of aircraft began on 7 February 2003 when two tactically configured C-130Hs and a strategically configured C-130J departed RAAF Richmond, near Sydney. Forty-eight hours later, 14 F/A-18A Hornets headed for Al Udeid from their base at RAAF Tindal, in the Northern Territory. On 21 February three Australian Army Aviation Corps CH-47D Chinooks were flown out to Kuwait aboard USAF C-5B Galaxies.

See also

• ADF bases and locations abroad