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Australian and Afghan soldiers prepare to depart on a joint patrol in September 2005.

Operation Slipper is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the International Coalition against Terrorism. The operation commenced in late 2001 and is ongoing. ADF participation included two major activities centred on Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf.

A No. 33 Squadron B-707 refueling a US Navy F/A-18 in 2002.

Australian participation in Afghanistan included a Special Forces Task group and two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing 707 air-to-air refuelling aircraft from No. 33 Squadron. These aircraft and associated support personnel operated from Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan and provided support to coalition aircraft operating in Afghan airspace. RAAF C-130 Hercules transport aircraft were also involved in providing logistic support for deployed forces. The initial ADF commitment in Afghanistan concluded in December 2002 when the Special Air Service Task Group was withdrawn. Following this date Australia’s total contribution to efforts in Afghanistan was a single officer attached to the Coalition’s mine clearing force.

Australian SAS Squadron deployments

Note: all dates are approximate

• 1 Squadron Group, SASR (October 2001-April 2002)
• 3 Squadron Group, SASR (April 2002-July/August 2002)
• 2 Squadron Group, SASR (July/August 2002-November 2002)

A Troop from the Special Air Service of New Zealand was attached to each Australian SAS Squadron Group. It’s unclear whether the New Zealand SAS Troop was rotated at the same times as the Australian units.

An Australian Surveillance Reconnaissance Vehicle (SRV) patrols outside the perimeter of a forward operating base in Afghanistan on September 17, 2005.

An Australian Special Forces Task Group was re-deployed to Afghanistan in August or September 2005. This Task Group consisted of elements from the SASR, 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando), the Incident Response Regiment and logistic support personnel. As well as heavily modified land rovers, the Special Forces Task Group was also equipped with some Bushmaster infantry mobility vehicles. A detachment of two CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the 5th Aviation Regiment was deployed to Afghanistan in March 2006 to support the Special Forces Task Group. The Australian Special Forces Task Group was withdrawn from Afghanistan in September 2006.

A Reconstruction Taskforce based around the 1st Combat Engineer Regiment with protective elements from the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 2nd Cavalry Regiment began arriving in Orūzgān Province in southern Afghanistan in early September 2006. The Australian Reconstruction Taskforce forms part of a Dutch-led Provincial Reconstruction Team.

HMAS Kanimbla preparing to launch a US Navy rigid hull inflatable boat in January 2002.

Since October 2001 the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has maintained a continuous presence in and around Iraqi territorial waters as part of Operation Slipper and subsequent operations. There were four major rotations of RAN ships to this area of operations between December 2001 and March 2003. The primary focus of these rotations was to conduct Maritime Interception Operations as part of a US, Australian and British force enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions against Iraq. The first rotation consisted of Her Majesty's Australian Ships (HMAS) Sydney, Adelaide and Kanimbla. These ships were followed in February 2002 by HMA Ships Canberra, Newcastle and Manoora and again in July 2002 by HMAS Arunta and Melbourne. Detachments from the Army's 16th Air Defence Regiment provided point defence to the Kanimbla and Manoora during their deployments. One of the final Operation Slipper rotations was in November 2002 with HMA Ships Anzac and Darwin. HMAS Kanimbla departed from Sydney, Australia on the 20th January 2003 again bound for the Persain Gulf under the mission objectives of Operation Bastille. On arriving in Bahrain on the 16th February 2003 she reverted to the original mission objects of Operation Slipper (that of enforcing UN Sanctions against Iraq). On the 20th March 2003, HMA Ships Kanimbla, Anzac and Darwin participated in the combat phase of the 2003 Iraq War, codenamed Operation Falconer.

While not commonly acknowledege by the Australian Navy, included with these assets was a detachment of LCM-8's from 70/71 Troop Water Transport Squadron based in Townsville. The LCM-8 detachment worked with British and American forces during the invasion as well as clearing operations of the main water ways around the Al Faw peninsula. The detachment also helped British Royal Marine Commando Sqn's deploy from HMS Ocean to FUP (forming up points) in the days leading up to the invasion. LCM-8's were used as an effective forward operating base for Kanimbla's boarding parties and also carryied POW's from the forward battle area to prisoner ships in the Persian Gulf. The detachement became a valuable asset to the allied countries as it was self sustaining for periods of 1-2 weeks with out resuply as well as having enough weapons to sustain small engagements. The 11 man det was the first regular Australian Maritime assets into the port of Um Qasar early in the invasion. During operations the LCM-8 detachment was able to move as far north as Basara through the narrow marshy channels. The crew were also responsible for collecting valuable intelligence to aid in the war time operations of the allied forces.

There were numerous highlights and the Australian ships pioneered a number of techniques that increased the effectiveness of Maritime Interception Force operations leading to them intercepting and boarding approximately 1700 vessels during the period. Four Australian naval officers commanded the multi national force at various times during the course of the operation.

A detachment of four Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft provided air defence for the US military base on the island of Diego Garcia during the campaign against the Taliban. The initial detachment was provided by No. 77 Squadron RAAF between December 2001 and 10 February 2002. This detachment was replaced by a detachment from No. 3 Squadron RAAF which was deployed between 10 February 2002 and 20 May 2002. No further Australian units have been deployed to Diego Garcia.

• Australian Department of Defence Operation Slipper
• Rory Callinan ‘In the Valley of Death’, Time. June 6 2005.
• Corporal Darryl Luck. 3 Squadron’s involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom and the War Against Terrorism.

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