 It operated McDonald Douglas F-4E Phantom IIs leased from the USAF from 1970 to 1973, as a stop-gap pending delivery of the General Dynamics F-111C swing-wing bomber.The F-111 remained in service for 37 years until replaced by the Super Hornet in 2010.In 2014–15, and again in 2017, a detachment of Super Hornets was deployed to the Middle East as part of Australia's contribution to the military intervention against ISIL.