Three Royal Australian aircraft, two C-130J Super Hercules transport and an AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft shared the ramp at Al Minhad AB in United Arab Emirates recently. The aircraft are used to conduct strategic airlift, operational air support, and surveillance and reconnaissance taskings in support of Operation Slipper, as the Australian military operations in Afghanistan and maritime security operations in the Middle East Area of Operation are known. The C-130Js are based at RAAF Richmond, near Sydney. The AP-3C is based at RAAF Edinburgh, near Adelaide.
