q ▁( Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom ), ▁the ▁C - 1 3 0 ▁Her cules ▁was ▁used ▁operation ally ▁by ▁Australia , ▁the ▁UK ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁After ▁the ▁initial ▁invasion , ▁C - 1 3 0 ▁operators ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Mult in ational ▁force ▁in ▁Ira q ▁used ▁their ▁C - 1 3 0 s ▁to ▁support ▁their ▁forces ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁Pakistan ▁Air ▁Force ▁has ▁employed ▁C - 1 3 0 s ▁in ▁the ▁War ▁in ▁North - West ▁Pakistan . ▁Some ▁variants ▁had ▁forward ▁looking ▁inf ra red ▁( F LI R ▁Systems ▁Star ▁Saf ire ▁III ▁E O / IR ) ▁sensor ▁balls , ▁to ▁enable ▁close ▁tracking ▁of ▁milit ants . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁France ▁and ▁Germany ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁to ▁build ▁up ▁a ▁joint ▁air ▁transport ▁squad ron ▁at ▁Ev re ux ▁Air ▁Base , ▁France , ▁compr ising ▁ten ▁C - 1 3 0 J ▁aircraft . ▁Six ▁of ▁these ▁will ▁be ▁operated ▁by ▁Germany . ▁Initial ▁oper ational ▁cap ability ▁is ▁expected ▁for ▁ 2 0 2 1 ▁while ▁full ▁oper ational ▁cap ability ▁is ▁scheduled ▁for ▁ 2 0 2 4 . ▁ ▁Deep water ▁Hor izon ▁O il ▁Sp ill ▁ ▁For ▁almost ▁two ▁dec ades , ▁the ▁wing ' s ▁ 7 5 7 th ▁Airl ift ▁Squadron ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁have ▁participated ▁in ▁oil ▁sp ill