the Popemobiles on John Paul II's 1986 tour of Australia; its other unusual cargoes have included a stud bull presented to the Chinese government, kangaroos and sheep to Malaysia, and an exhibition of China's Entombed Warriors. In February 1987, the unit again joined No. 36 Squadron, along with No. 33 Squadron, as part of a re-formed No. 86 Wing under the newly established Air Lift Group (later Air Mobility Group). The following year, No. 37 Squadron achieved 200,000 accident-free flying hours on the Hercules. The Australian public had the experience of flying in the C-130s when the aircraft were employed by the Federal government to provide transport during the 1989 Australian pilots' dispute that curtailed operations by the two domestic airlines. In December 1990 and January 1991, a detachment of C-130s from Nos. 36 and 37 Squadrons flew missions to Dubai in support of Australia's naval contribution to the Gulf War. No. 37 Squadron transported Australian troops to Somalia as part of Operation Solace in January 1993, and provided a shuttle service between Kenya and Somalia during May. No. 486 Squadron was disbanded in October 1998, having transferred its C-130 maintenance functions to Nos. 36 and 37 Squadrons. No. 37 Squadron began re-equipping with new-model C-130J Hercules in September 1999. Its aircraft formed part of a detachment of C-130s supporting INTERFET forces in East Timor between September 1999 and February 2000, under Operation Warden. The last C-130Es were taken out of service in November 2000. No. 37 Squadron was awarded the Gloucester Cup in 2001, the same year it took delivery of its twelfth and final C-130J. Five C-130s of Nos. 36 and 37 Squadrons participated in relief efforts following the Bali bombings in October 2002. In September 2004, aircraft from No. 37 Squadron joined the rotating detachment of C-130s established by No. 36 Squadron in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) in February 2003, following the invasion of Iraq; the C-130Js were required to be fitted with self-protection equipment before deploying to the MEAO. No. 37 Squadron was strengthened to create a "super squadron" on 17 November 2006, when its force of twelve C-130Js was augmented by No. 36 Squadron's twelve C-130Hs, prior to the latter re-equipping with Boeing C-17 Globemasters and relocating to RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland. Two of the C-130s joined DHC-4 Caribous from No. 38 Squadron as part of the RAAF's initial contribution to Operation