Australian Jets on Practice Flights Ahead of Iraq Strikes

 LONDON – Far flung Australia has jets on practice flights in the Gulf, as the government awaits the go-ahead for strikes on the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.

The Royal Australian Air Force has deployed eight Super Hornet jets to the United Arab Emirates, together with a contingent of 600 personnel that includes special forces to advise Iraqi and Kurdish forces.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that, within days, the jets could be in the air over Iraq, where US and allied forces have been conducting air raids on IS targets that began last month.

“We’ve been requested by the US and the Iraqi government to support efforts in Iraq,” Bishop told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“That’s what we’ve been considering, that’s (why) we’ve pre-deployed airplanes and our special forces for that mission.”

Those planes are already in the air on non-combat practice flights in the region, according to Australian media reports.

Bishop said a “legal framework” was required from the Iraqi government before air strikes could begin, and admitted to “challenges.”

“They are yet to appoint a defence minister, they are yet to appoint an interior minister,” she said. “So it’s a matter of going through that process.”

Religious and ethnic blocs agreed to an inclusive government last month, but not all positions have been filled.

Bishop said Australia would consider strikes on Syria, although the legal framework was more complex.

“Should there be a request in relation to Syria, well we would consider it, we would also consider the legal framework that the US is relying upon in order to go into Syria, but we would make our own judgment about that,” she said.

Some 50 nations have come together in a US-led coalition to defeat the IS. 

Early this month Australian air force planes delivered ammunition to outgunned Kurdish Peshmerga forces battling the IS, part of a commitment to deliver military and humanitarian aid to the Kurds.

“Obviously, it is very important for Australia, it's very important for Iraq, it's very important for the whole world that this death cult be defeated," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said about the IS this earlier this month.