"Susanna" by the Iraqis was then loaded with two AM.39 Exocet cruise missiles for its first test/combat flight. Just after dark, the order "Let the bird fly" was given, signalling Susanna to take off and conduct a sortie over the Persian Gulf as part of the Tanker War. The Falcon 50 fired both of its missiles at unknown ship that it detected on radar and returned to Wahda. This ship turned out to be the leading to the USS Stark Incident. 1991 Gulf War and abandonment At 4:05AM on 17 January 1991, a mixed formation of four A-6E TRAM Intruders from VA-115 Eagles and VA-185 Nighthawks from the attacked the airfield at above the ground. The aircraft encountered heavier anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) defences than the other Intruder formation from Midway attacking Ahmad al-Jaber Airfield. As a result of the AAA at Wahda, the Midway pilots decided not to attack from low level in the future. On the evening of 17 January, four RAF Tornados attacked Wahda with JP233 anti-runway dispensers. Just after the attack, ZA392, a GR.1 Tornado from No. 617 Sq, crewed by Commander Nigel Eldson and Flight Lieutenant Max Collier, impacted the ground with no survivors. On 23 January at 10:00AM, Midway launched aircraft again to attack Wahda. This strike however included both Intruders and F/A-18A Hornets. The strike force encountered light AAA with the aircraft bombing the hangars and ammunition storage facilities on the base. On 31 January, another RAF attack took place, this time with the US Navy. Between 08:35 and 08:40M local time (17:35Z–17:40Z), RAF Tornados attacked the hangars, despite the bombs on the lead aircraft failing to be dropped. The USN strike package included six A-6E Intruders, an EA-6B Prowler, an A-6E SWIP Intruder from VA-145 equipped with AGM-88 HARMs and four F-14 Tomcats. It was abandoned after Operation Desert Storm. 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq It was captured by Coalition forces during the Iraq War of 2003 and it became the site of a British Military Hospital and the Shaibah Logistics Base (SLB), but the original RAF buildings remain. While the SLB was in operation it was home to British, Dutch, Czech, Danish and Norwegian forces. The following British units were posted here at some point under Operation Telic: 29 Armoured Engineer Squadron, 35 Engineer Regiment attached to 28 Engineer Regiment constructing a 1,500 man ECI camp. 14 Independent Topographic Squadron, Royal Engineers