Article Posted on : - Apr 15, 2010

A C-130H Hercules aircraft readies to take off from the Royal Australian Air Force base in Richmond, US. An RAAF Photo

CANBERRA (BNS): The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has sent its C-130H and C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft to Arkansas, US to take part in the Air Warrior II military exercise starting on April 18.

The aircraft from the RAAF's 37 Squadron will join their US counterparts and exhibit their close-air support and precision-guided munitions delivery capability in high speed operations in hostile conditions.

A C-130H along with a C-130J Hercules departed the RAAF’s Richmond base in US on Tuesday for the exercise.

Held out of the Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas from April 18-26, the Air Warrior II will see personnel support and fly the Hercules in a simulated frontline environment to deliver troops and cargo, the Australian Defence Ministry said.

The exercise will feature day-and-night missions in a training area having airstrips, drop zones and a host of simulated enemy threats.

A contingent of 88 Australian defence personnel will participate alongside their United States military counterparts in the exercise, the ministry said.