Australia will send both an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft and Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to the Gulf, as part of efforts to support regional partners and protect civilians.
The E-7A Wedgetail will deploy for an initial four-week period to provide airborne early warning and control capabilities, according to a 10 March 2026 statement from the Department of Defence.
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This decision was made in response to “requests,” the Department said, adding that the aircraft will be accompanied by supporting Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel.
The Wedgetail, based on the Boeing 737-700 series, is equipped with long-range surveillance radar, secondary radar, and tactical voice and data communications systems.
It has a maximum take-off weight of 77,565kg, a range of 7,040km, and can operate at altitudes up to 41,000ft.
The aircraft was previously deployed to Europe in support of Australia’s assistance to Ukraine.
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By GlobalDataIn the Gulf, the E-7A Wedgetail will offer similar service, delivering long-range reconnaissance capabilities to support airspace security.
The Australian Government has also indicated plans to supply Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Manufactured by US-based RTX, these missiles supports both air-to-air and surface-launch engagements.
The missile is operational on multiple aircraft including F-15 Eagle/Strike Eagle variants, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-22 Raptor, Eurofighter Typhoon, JAS-39 Gripen, Tornado, Harrier.
According to information available on the RTX website, the latest versions are operational on all variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
In April last year, the US State Department approved a potential $1.04bn (A$1.8bn) foreign military sale of AMRAAMs to Australia.
The Australian government clarified that the deployment of military assets is not an “offensive action” against Iran and stated that it is “not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran.”
The top priority is, and will always remain, the safety of Australians, it said.
Currently, there are about 115,000 Australians in the Middle East, including approximately 24,000 in the UAE.
Australian Crisis Response Teams from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are already present in the region providing consular support. Over 2,600 Australians have returned home so far, with ongoing efforts for those seeking assistance.
“Our position remains that we do not want to see the conflict continue to escalate. We call on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and to protect civilian life. We are taking defensive action to support our partners’ efforts to keep Australians safe,” the Department of Defense stated.
Last week, Gulf countries reportedly requested advanced air defence and anti-drone systems from Italy.
