Australia Sends Long-Range Military Aircraft, Missiles to Gulf

RunWithRugs · 2026-03-11T16:22:46+00:00

Australia will deploy an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance plane and missiles to the Gulf to protect citizens during escalating conflicts. The mission, supporting regional self-defense, includes consultations with Gulf leaders.

RunWithRugs

2026-03-11 16:22:46

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(MENAFN) Australia is set to deploy a long-range military plane along with missiles to the Gulf region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Tuesday, emphasizing that the mission is intended to safeguard Australian citizens during the ongoing conflict.

Speaking to journalists in Canberra, Albanese stated that an E-7A Wedgetail surveillance plane will be dispatched to the Gulf to conduct long-range reconnaissance and support the protection of regional airspace.

“The Wedgetail will provide long-range reconnaissance capability, which will help to protect and secure the airspace above the Gulf. The Wedgetail and supporting Australian Defense Force personnel will be deployed for an initial four weeks in support of the collective self-defense of Gulf nations,” he explained.

The prime minister clarified that the decision came after consultations with Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and in response to appeals from regional allies.

Albanese further noted that Australia plans to supply the UAE with advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles.

He pointed out that the conflict in the Middle East has escalated over the last week, with multiple countries in the region encountering threats from missiles and drones.

Highlighting the intensity of the situation, he mentioned that the UAE alone has intercepted more than 1,500 rockets and drones, cautioning that these assaults present significant dangers to civilian populations.

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