 The squadron received its fifth KC @-@ 30 on 3 December 2012 , and achieved initial operating capability in February 2013 . It expected to reach final operating capability , with both boom and probe @-@ and @-@ drogue delivery systems , in 2014 . On 14 September that year , the Federal government committed to deploying one of the squadron 's KC @-@ 30s to Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates , as part of a coalition to combat Islamic State forces in Iraq . The aircraft was only cleared for operations with the probe @-@ and @-@ drogue system , as by this stage the boom system was not ready . The KC @-@ 30 began flying missions in Iraq on 1 October 2014 . The first successful contact using the boom system ( in concert with another RAAF KC @-@ 30 ) took place near Amberley on 13 May 2015 . In July , the Federal government announced the purchase of two more KC @-@ 30s for delivery in 2018 , taking No. 33 Squadron 's fleet to seven aircraft ; the airframes were to be ex @-@ Qantas A330 @-@ 200 passenger liners , converted by Airbus Defence and Space at Getafe , near Madrid . The KC @-@ 30 deployed to Iraq undertook the first operational use of the boom system in late October 2015 , refuelling an RAAF E @-@ 7 Wedgetail . In March 2016 , No. 33 Squadron was awarded the Duke of Gloucester Cup as the RAAF 's most proficient squadron of the previous year , as well as the RAAF Maintenance Trophy . 
