Current Australian Defence Force deployments

ADF deployments as at June 2007. Deployments of over 1000 personnel are coloured red, deployments of between 999 and 101 personnel are coloured orange and deployments of 100 or fewer personnel are coloured blue.

As of March 2009, around 3,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are deployed on overseas operations. An additional 500 personnel are deployed on domestic maritime security tasks and 520 as the ADF's response to the February 2009 Victorian bushfires.^[1]

Middle East

The RAAF has maintained a detachment of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft in the Middle East since late 2002. These aircraft support ADF operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ADF currently has main deployments in the Middle East and three smaller deployments. These operations are commanded from a Joint Task Force Headquarters located in the United Arab Emirates. A detachment of two AP-3C Orion aircraft is also located in the UAE, and it is expected that the ADF logistic unit in Kuwait and C-130 Hercules detachment in Qatar will also be moved to the UAE.^[2]

The deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan are supported by:^[3]

• HMAS Warramunga is the current frigate deployed to the Persian Gulf
• A detachment of three C-130 Hercules transport aircraft
• A detachment of two AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft
• A tri-service Force Level Logistic Asset, communications element and movement control group

Afghanistan

Main article: Operation Slipper

In March 2011 approximately 1550 ADF personnel were deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Slipper, Australia's contribution to the international coalition against terrorism.^[4] This deployment began in October 2001. ADF units currently deployed to Afghanistan include:^[5]

• A national command, liaison and embedded personnel element located at Kabul
• A Special Operations Task Group
• A Reconstruction Task Force in Orūzgān Province
• An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Detachment from the 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment
• A Rotary Wing Group operating two CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the 5th Aviation Regiment
• An Air Force Control and Reporting Centre at Kandahar International Airport
• 16 gunners from the 4th Regiment are attached to the United Kingdom's 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery^[6]
• A Force Level Logistic Asset in Kandahar
• The two detachments of three C-130 Hercules and two AP-3C Orion aircraft, and HMAS Warramunga in the Persian Gulf also support Operation Slipper

Iraq

Main article: Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq

In March 2009 the ADF's contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq, consisted of:

• 45 personnel embedded in several coalition headquarters (Operation Catalyst)^[7]
• Security Detachment Iraq which protects the Australian embassy in Baghdad (Operation Kruger)^[8]
• Two personnel attached to the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (Operation Riverbank)^[1]

Other deployments

In addition to the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the ADF also maintains three small contributions to peacekeeping operations in the Middle East and Africa. As of March 2009 a total of 37 ADF personnel are deployed along the borders of Israel, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan as part of Operation Mazurka and Operation Paladin. A further 15 personnel form part of the United Nations Mission in Sudan and eight are deployed to support the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. These operations began in 1982, 1956 and 2005 respectively.^[1]

Asia-Pacific

The ADF currently has units deployed on several operations in Australia's immediate neighbourhood.

East Timor

Main article: Operation Astute

Approximately 650 personnel, most of whom form part of a joint Australia-New Zealand battle group, are deployed to East Timor on peacekeeping duties as part of Operation Astute. This deployment began in May 2006.^[9]

Solomon Islands

140 personnel are in the Solomon Islands as the ADF's contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. This deployment began in July 2003.^[1]

Domestic operations

Emergency response

As of 9 March 2009, 520 ADF personnel were deployed to Victoria as the ADF's response to the February 2009 Victorian bushfires (Operation Vic Fire Assist).^[1]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Australian Department of Defence. Global Operations. Accessed 9 March 2009.
2. ^ Coorey, Philip (2008-12-20). "Rudd warns of long stay in Afghanistan". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/national/rudd-warns-of-long-stay-in-afghanistan-20081219-72e1.html?page=-1. Retrieved 2008-12-21. 
3. ^ "Iraq Ops". Australian & NZ Defender (Brisbane: Fullbore Magazines) (No. 65): p. 16–22. 2009. ISSN 1322039X. 
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ Australian Department of Defence http://www.defence.gov.au/opslipper/default.htm Operation Slipper]. Accessed 9 March 2009.
6. ^ "Chora Valley Pacification". Australian & NZ Defender (Brisbane: Fullbore Magazines) (No. 65): p. 8. 2009. ISSN 1322039X. 
7. ^ "Operation CATALYST". Australian Department of Defence. 2009. http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/global/opcatalyst/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-09. 
8. ^ "Operation KRUGER". Australian Department of Defence. 2009. http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/global/opkruger/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-09. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ Australian Government, Department of Defence

References

• Australian Department of Defence Global Operations