AUSTRALIA'S super hornet fighter bombers stand ready to strike in Syria within days as Cabinet prepares to extend the RAAF's mission beyond the Iraqi border on Tuesday. 
As the Prime Minister outlined the case to extend the mission beyond the border, the exact timing will depend on the military identifying targets.
But ministers are demanding more information about how Australia would respond to one of our pilots being shot down and taken hostage, including whether rescue missions are a realistic prospect in terrorist-controlled regions.
This year Islamic State captured a Jordanian pilot Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh before filming him being burned alive in a cage. The propaganda video included horrific images of terrorists then using a bulldozer to destroy the cage with the pilot's body still inside.
Defence Minister Kevin Andrews has prepared a detailed response for Tuesday's National Security Committee outlining how Australia and allies would respond if a RAAF plane was shot down over Syria. Australia already has protocols in place if a pilot is taken hostage in Iraq but will not comment on specifics for operational reasons.
"There is a robust combat search and rescue capability in theatre provided by the US and other Coalition forces," a Defence Department spokesman said yesterday.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott told The Sunday Telegraph that there was a "logical" case to extend the mission.
"ISIL regards Iraq and Syria as one theatre of operations, and one of its key strengths is the mobility of its forces.
"The territory Daesh holds in Syria provides strategic depth for its operations in Iraq and vital logistic support." The Prime Minister confirmed Australia was also seeking advice on the legality of entering Syrian airspace that is separate to the legal advice informing the US deployment.Amid calls for Australia to increase intake of refugees fleeing Syria, the Prime Minister said stopping the boats gave flexibility to increase the intake which will rise by 5000, to 13,750 by 2019.