Patrolling the skies above the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf States, an Air Force crew helped stop Iranian missiles and drones from hitting Gulf nations.

The crew of the E-7A Wedgetail has flown more than 40 missions since the aircraft first deployed to the Middle East in March.

Each sortie played a critical role in detecting inbound threats thanks to one of the most advanced long-range surveillance aircraft in the world: the E-7A Wedgetail.

Task Unit Commander Squadron Leader H said the aircraft acted as an early warning system, seeking out cruise missiles and drones.

“If we can find these things in time, we can pass that information onto the DCA [defensive counter-air assets] and they can go and prosecute those targets to make sure that they're protecting those Gulf states,” Squadron Leader H said.

While they can’t reveal how many missiles and drones they’ve stopped, they know their work is making a difference.

“We are protecting people in their homes full stop,” Squadron Leader H said.

“So for me, I’m very proud to be leading a team that has this positive impact.”

'I could not be prouder of the people here.'

Also proud is Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, who visited the crew at their base in the Middle East. He said they were making an enormous contribution to the self-defence of the Gulf.

“They’re definitely making an impact, they’re saving lives,” he said, after spending time touring the aircraft and listening to the crew’s stories.

“You’re really struck by their sense of mission, their sense of professionalism, the pride they have in wearing the nation’s uniform, the pride they have in making a difference – which they definitely are in terms of the protection of the UAE and other countries of the Gulf.”

Squadron Leader H flew the initial E-7A Wedgetail contingent into the Middle East with very little notice, helped set up the detachment and has since flown three surveillance missions while commanding the task unit.

He said the early days of the conflict were hectic and confronting. At times they weren’t just tracking missiles through the aircraft’s radar surveillance systems, they were watching the glowing flares in the distance from the cockpit window.

“Definitely a sight I never really thought I would see, but the job over here was to protect those Gulf nations and part of that was flying the skies over the Gulf states and detecting some of those threats,” Squadron Leader H said.

“Trying to manage and understand how all that worked while keeping our people safe in that environment was one of the toughest things about this.”

'You’re really struck by their sense of mission, their sense of professionalism, the pride they have in wearing the nation’s uniform, the pride they have in making a difference.'

Since the ceasefire, it has been quieter, but the crew is still keeping an ever-vigilant watch from the air.

The mission’s first rotation is now handing over the controls to the second.

Future rotations may continue the same job in a slightly different context, with the Australian Government announcing in May its intention to commit an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and personnel to an independent and defensive multinational military mission once it is established.

“The multinational military mission is a coalition of 40 nations that's been convened by the United Kingdom and France,” Mr Marles said. 

“Its mission is opening the Straight of Hormuz to ensure there is freedom of navigation through that body of water.

“Clearly that is fundamental to Australia’s national interests, but it’s fundamental to the world.

“When conditions allow, we’ve committed the E-7A as a capability to this and we’ll look at other ways in talking with France and the UK around how else we can contribute.”

But for now, the crew is focused on the mission at hand.

“I could not be prouder of the people here,” Squadron Leader H said.

“We deployed on very short notice to a relatively high-risk environment to do a mission directed by the Government that is genuinely saving lives here in the Gulf nations.”