and the Royal New South Wales Regiment. 5/7 RAR's final deployments were to Iraq. In 2004 5/7 RAR provided two rifle companies (C and D Companies) for security duties in Baghdad. During 2005 and 2006 a rifle company (B Company) from the battalion formed part of the Al Muthanna Task Group in southern Iraq. 5/7 RAR provided the headquarters (C Company) and support elements of the second rotation of the Task Group from November 2005 – April 2006. The rifle company in Iraq was mounted in ASLAVs from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment as it was judged that these fast and well armed vehicles were better suited to conditions in Iraq than 5/7 RAR's elderly M113A1s. On 24 August 2006, Prime Minister John Howard announced the Enhanced Land Force plan that two new battalions would be established in two stages, with one eventually to be based in Adelaide and the other—8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment—in south-east Queensland. The first of the two new battalions would be formed by splitting the 5/7 RAR creating the separate 5th and 7th Battalions, with the 5th Battalion remaining at Robertson Barracks, while the 7th would be relocated to Adelaide. On 3 December 2006, the 5th/7th Battalion was formally de-linked into its antecedent units. At the time D Company, 5/7RAR was serving as a part of Overwatch Battle Group (West) in Southern Iraq, while B Company 5/7RAR was serving with the 1st Reconstruction Task Force in Afghanistan. As a result, the operational establishment of the new units was undertaken during 2007. Structure 5/7 RAR consisted of: Battalion Headquarters Three mechanised infantry companies (B, C & D Companies) Support Company Administration Company Technical Support Company Training Company (A Company) All elements of the battalion were mechanised with M113A1 armoured personnel carriers. Prior to 2002 there was no Alpha Company. However from 2002-2003 the battalion stood-up Alpha Company in order to deploy a full company of Army Reservists to East Timor as part of Op Citadel and UNTAET. Alpha Company was temporarily disbanded after 12 months at the end of Op Citadel when the reservists rejoined their reserve units. Role 5/7 RAR was Australia's only mechanised infantry battalion. Under the doctrine developed by 1st Brigade, 5/7 RAR combined with 1st Armoured Regiment to form two battle groups (one ‘infantry heavy’ and one ‘armour heavy’). Pipes and drums The 5th/7th Battalion maintained one of only three pipe bands in