It included the use of P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft and naval vessels which conducted missions in the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca.

[2] According to Brewster, during the 1980s the primary focus of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft involved in the operation was on detecting Soviet submarines transiting the Strait of Malacca, after which they would hand over to the US Navy.

[4] Since the end of the Cold War the Orions have continued to participate in maritime security operations under the Five Power Defence Arrangements,[3] conducting patrols over the Indian Ocean, Strait of Malacca and South China Sea.

[5][6] As part of this operation RAAF aircraft are involved in search and rescue and counter-piracy missions, at times flying as far afield as Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

[8][9][10] Australian aircraft reportedly deploy to Butterworth between four and eight times a year, and conduct regular flights over the period of a fortnight.