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The Howard Government supported the disarmament of Iraq during the Iraq disarmament crisis. Australia later provided one of the four most substantial combat force contingents during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, under the operational codename Operation Falconer. Part of its contingent were among the first forces to enter Iraq after the official "execute" order.〔''(SAS Role in Iraq Revealed )''. The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 May 2003.〕 The initial Australian force consisted of; three Royal Australian Navy ships, 500 special forces soldiers, P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and No. 75 Squadron RAAF (which included 14 F/A-18 Hornet fighters). Combat forces committed to Operation Falconer for the 2003 Invasion were withdrawn during 2003. Under the name Operation Catalyst, Australian combat troops were redeployed to Iraq in 2005, however, and assumed responsibility for supporting Iraqi security forces in one of Iraq's southern provinces. These troops began withdrawing from Iraq on 1 June 2008 and were completely withdrawn by 28 July 2009.〔(Australia ends Iraq troop presence )〕 ==Forces committed== A headquarters staff of about 60 personnel under the command of Brigadier Maurie McNarn. * Royal Australian Navy * * The frigates HMAS ''Anzac'' and HMAS ''Darwin'', which were already on-station as part of the Multinational Interception Force enforcing economic sanctions against Iraq before the invasion plan was entered into. Each ship carried a single Seahawk helicopter from 816 Squadron RAN. * * The transport ship HMAS ''Kanimbla'' carrying 350 crew and soldiers, including embarked Australian Army LCM-8 landing craft and an anti-aircraft contingent, a Sea King helicopter from 817 Squadron RAN, and a bomb disposal team. A detachment from the Army's 16th Air Defence Regiment provided point defence to the ''Kanimbla''. * * Clearance Diving Team Three, which worked alongside divers from several nations to clear Iraqi ports of mines. * Royal Australian Air Force * * No. 75 Squadron, operating 14 F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets together with 250 command, coordination, support and aircrew personnel. * * Three C-130H Hercules transport aircraft from No. 36 Squadron RAAF and 150 support personnel. * * Two AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and 150 support personnel (these aircraft may have operated in the electronic intelligence gathering role). * Australian Army * * A 500-strong special forces task group consisting of: * * *Forward Command Element * * *Special Forces Task Group attached to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-West (CJSOTF-W) * * * *1st Squadron Group, Australian Special Air Service Regiment * * * *Platoon (+), 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) * * * *D Troop, Incident Response Regiment * * * *Combat Service Support Group * * *Troop, C Squadron, 5th Aviation Regiment (3 CH-47 Chinook) * * *2 LCM-8 Landing Craft, 70/71 Troop Water Transport Squadron 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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