Australia responded Tuesday to a call for help from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as it faces bombardment from Iranian drones, despatching a sophisticated Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail spy plane and air-to-air missiles to the region.
The broad aim is to help improve the detection of inbound Iranian missiles and loitering munitions being launched against Gulf countries.
The deployment is specifically intended to aid “the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf nations to defend themselves” from Iranian attacks, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said in a joint statement, Janes reports.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) A30-001 Wedgetail aircraft, manufactured by Boeing Co., is designed to deliver long-range surveillance, battle management, and command and control for air and joint operations. The RAAF has six of the assets. (Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg via Getty)
Albanese added Australia is not a “protagonist” in the conflict.
Iran has conducted attacks against 12 countries in the region employing missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or loitering munitions. “This growing wave of dangerous and destabilising attacks from Iran puts civilian lives at risk, including Australian lives,” the statement said.
The high-tech, long range airborne reconnaissance platform had been provided by Canberra in other scenarios, like multi-national efforts to defend Ukraine, so the request for the aircraft was “not a surprise.”
Albanese also revealed he had a “warm” discussion with United States President Donald Trump in the early hours of Tuesday morning, primarily about members of the Iranian women’s soccer team.
The call came ahead of the government offering the athletes humanitarian visas, which five of the women have accepted.
The E-7A Wedgetail aircraft will presumably be deployed to the Al Minad airbase, some 25 miles south of Dubai.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has operated there since 2003. It maintains a small permanent presence at the base to support ADF operations across the Middle East.
The Wedgetail is expected to be operational in the region by the end of the week with the RAAF deployment likely to reduce the need for the U.S. to help defend the UAE, potentially freeing up U.S. forces to strengthen its attacks on Iran.
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