[5] During the period between their arrival and the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War, these aircraft flew reconnaissance missions near the border with Iran.

[4] These missions were intensified starting in April 1980, but were performed by single aircraft only, staying inside Iraqi airspace.

This changed in early June, when two MiG-21Rs deliberately violated Iranian airspace while conducting photo reconnaissance.

In August 2004, nine pilots and five engineers began operations, having been trained in Jordan on Seabird Seekers.

[citation needed] The 70th Squadron's missions included monitoring supply routes and oil pipelines susceptible of being targeted by insurgents.