▁lack ed ▁the ▁man oe uv rab ility ▁needed ▁to ▁be ▁effective ▁f igh ters , ▁and ▁had ▁relatively ▁poor ▁performance ▁at ▁high ▁alt itude . ▁The ▁A - 4 G s ▁carried ▁" d umb " ▁bomb s ▁and ▁rock ets ▁in ▁the ▁ground ▁attack ▁and ▁mar itime ▁strike ▁roles ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁operate ▁gu ided ▁weapons . ▁The ▁aircraft ▁could ▁also ▁be ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁D - 7 0 4 ▁bud dy ▁pod ▁aer ial ▁ref u elling ▁system , ▁which ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁ref uel ▁from ▁one ▁another ▁in ▁flight , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ 1 5 0 ▁or ▁ 3 0 0 ▁gall on ▁capacity ▁drop ▁t anks ▁to ▁extend ▁their ▁range . ▁At ▁this ▁time ▁the ▁A - 4 G s ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁Australian ▁military ▁aircraft ▁capable ▁of ▁in - fl ight ▁ref u elling . ▁The ▁Sky h aw ks ' ▁long ▁range ▁and ▁ability ▁to ▁carry ▁a ▁large ▁weapons ▁load ▁meant ▁that ▁they ▁proved ▁more ▁successful ▁in ▁air - to - ground ▁roles ▁than ▁as ▁air ▁defence ▁f igh ters . ▁While ▁ 7 2 4 ▁Squadron ▁did ▁not ▁deploy ▁on ▁board ▁the ▁car rier , ▁it ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁training ▁exer cis es ▁with ▁other ▁R AN ▁units ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Army . ▁A ▁particularly ▁important ▁task ▁for ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁supporting ▁the ▁work - up ▁of ▁R AN ▁war ships ▁by ▁acting ▁as ▁targets ; ▁in ▁this ▁role ▁Sky h aw ks ▁were ▁often ▁deployed ▁to