Australia welcomes fighter jets home after completing mission in Middle East

Australia welcomed the return of a squadron of Royal Australian Air Force strike aircraft on Wednesday after completing their mission to assist allied partners against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and other senior government officials, welcomed home six F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets to the Royal Australian Air Force base in Amberley following the completion of their final mission on January 14.

"The effort to establish the Air Task Group and then to sustain this mission was outstanding and RAAF's men and women have again proven themselves to be a professional fighting force," Australian Minister of Defense Marise Payne said on Wednesday. "These men and women have demonstrated the Australian Defense Force's finest qualities in assisting our Coalition partners in the fight to defeat Daesh."

In 2014, the Australian Air Task Group was rapidly deployed after receiving short notice from allied partners and the Australian government. Their first mission was flown 14 days later, and they continued to operate continuously until last week, flying more than 21,700 hours.

The Royal Australian Air Force operated within a U.S.-led global coalition in direct support of the Iraqi government and its forces battling IS forces in Iraq and Syria.

"Over more than three years, hundreds of ADF personnel have deployed to the Middle East as part of the ATG strike element. With each deployment, they have demonstrated the highest levels of skill, courage and professionalism," Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, Chief of Defense Force, said in a press release after the last mission.

"Our aircrew and their support crews have consistently delivered in extremely difficult and challenging conditions," Binskin said, adding that "the Air Strike Group and their families can be proud of their achievements and their important contribution to help the Iraqi Security Forces liberate their country from Daesh."

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