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Katherine Ziesing | Canberra

 

Operation OKRA is the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the international effort to combat the ISIL terrorist threat in Iraq. Australia's contribution is being closely coordinated with the Iraqi government, Gulf nations and a broad coalition of international partners.

Around 600 ADF personnel have deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation OKRA. These personnel make up the Air Task Group (ATG) and the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG). Approximately 400 personnel have been assigned to the ATG and approximately 200 personnel are assigned to the SOTG.

Australia’s contribution to the broad international coalition in Iraq includes:

- up to eight F/A-18 Super Hornet combat aircraft;

- one E 7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft;

- one KC 130A tanker and transport air-to-air refuelling aircraft;

See tables for their performance up until December.

While there were some well publicised issues in getting visas and other paperwork sorted with the Iraqi government, the detachment has been operating since September 2014, with a range of successes under its belt.

At the time of writing the latest figures on the cost of the deployment were reported by the US Department of Defence. As of Nov. 27, 2014, the total cost of operations related to ISIL since kinetic operations started on August 8, 2014 is US$910 million and the average daily cost is US$8.1 million.

In the Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook released in December, a further $306.4 million has been allocated for operations in Iraq. This includes $297.5 million over three years for the additional cost of conducting Operation Okra. Interestingly, there is $260.8 million this financial year, $30.9 million the following and $5.8 million and nothing set aside in 2017-2018.

These numbers don’t exactly match up with a statement issued by defence in answer to the costs incurred this far under operation Okra. ADM was hoping for more detailed information as to stores expended, costs incurred thus far etc but to no avail.

“The net additional costs associated with major Defence operations are included as a table in the Portfolio Budget Statements and Defence Annual Report,” according to a statement from the Department.

“Net additional costs can be defined as any additional costs over and above the costs that would ordinarily be incurred by Defence during peacetime.

The net additional costs for Operation OKRA will, for example, include deployment allowances, munitions and sustainment costs above that while operating in Australia.

“Salary costs are not calculated or included in net additional costs, as these are still payable regardless of deployment.

“For the 2014-15 financial year, $260.8 million has been allocated for the conduct of Operation OKRA over the forward estimates period.

“Australia's contribution to coalition operations in Iraq will be funded under 'no-win no-loss' arrangements, as per our operations in Afghanistan,” the statement concluded.

 

On the record

 

While the US DoD has been extensive in their coverage of the conflict named Operation Inherent Resolve (down to the nature of targets destroyed and where), details about the Australian contribution are more general.

“As of 24 November 2014, our FA/18-F Super Hornets had flown 64 missions in Iraq, each with two aircraft,” according to a statement from Defence Minister David Johnston in early December. “The KC-30A aircraft had flown 51 missions in Iraq, providing air-to-air refuelling support for Australian F/A-18Fs and other coalition aircraft. The E-7A Wedgetail aircraft had flown 35 missions in Iraq, providing command and control and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to coalition forces.

“On several occasions, RAAF personnel have taken the lead in planning and coordinating multi-national air operations against ISIL targets in Iraq and achieved considerable success.

“In recent weeks an Australian F-18 Super Hornet identified a large well-establish, and hidden network of caves and bunkers occupied by ISIL in northern Iraq. Within days a subsequent multinational airstrike involving 20 aircraft attacked 44 targets, complimented by a large-scale ground operation led by the Kurdish Security Forces, helped to clear this area of ISIL militants, with some reports indicated that over 100 fighters were killed.”

In the last update to the media, Chief of Joint Operations, Vice-Admiral David Johnston, and Director General Air Operations, Air Commodore Vincent “Joe” Iervasi also outlined the humanitarian side of the operation.

“Australian C-130 airlift aircraft have conducted a further four humanitarian air drop missions, this time over the Mount Sinjar region where we have delivered 32 tonnes of food, water, tents, and blankets,” according to a statement at the end of November. “The objective from the provision of these stores is really about providing support before winter sets in in that area, and it can be a harsh winter, due to the impact of ISIL in displacing those people and limiting their access to food and shelter. So that brings to total number of six the humanitarian air drop missions that we have conducted since the start of our operations.”

 

Targets

 

Many of the missions being carried out by the coalition in Iraq and Syria aim to hit supply lines of ISIL, be it through denial of weapons or cash flow through the illicit drug trade.

“HMAS Toowoomba, which is the currently deployed Anzac frigate operating in that area, on 20 November was involved in a further drug interdiction,” VADM Johnston said. “This seizure involved up to 324 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of about AU$129 million, found inside a dhow, well hidden, but was the second drug interdiction that that ship had performed within a 72-hour period. That interdiction, on top of the work Toowoomba has earlier done it its deployment, has taken out of the hands of drug smugglers about a half-a-billion dollars worth of drugs. A very significant amount, and we know those drugs are used by drug cartels to finance a range of activities, including terrorism activities.

“If I were to roll up the complete contribution of some of our ships over a period looking back to Toowoomba, HMAS Darwin and Melbourne who operated in that region before it, in total between those ships we have conducted a number of drug intercepts which amount to about AU$3.5 billion worth of drugs that have been removed as a consequence of our intercept operations.”

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