Australian pilots retain bombs in first Syrian sortie By Adam Gartrell Australian pilots have flown their first mission into war-torn Syria but did not drop any bombs. 
The Australian Air Task Group, or ATG, completed its first mission in Syria overnight, returning to base without incident - and without firing any weapons.
Two RAAF Hornets, an air-to-air refuelling aircraft and an E-7A Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft combined during the mission. The mission provided "on-call interdiction and dynamic targeting support", the department said on Saturday.
ATG Commander Stu Bellingham said the Hornets searched points of interest for enemy activity in eastern Syria, reporting to the international coalition's Combined Air Operations Centre through the E-7A aircraft.
"Daesh controls a large amount of territory in eastern Syria that serves as a source of recruitment and oil revenues, and as a base from which it continues to launch attacks into Iraq", Air Commodore Bellingham said. "The Hornets were also prepared for any short notice high priority tasking which could include surveillance and weapons release."
The first mission came four days after the Abbott government approved an extension of air strikes against Islamic State extremists from Iraq and into Syria.