OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) -- For anyone flying into Basra International Airport, the feeling certainly must be different than flying into Baghdad International.

First of all, anyone stepping off the plane is immediately greeted by British Royal Air Force airmen, which is certainly different than Baghdad. Additionally, the area in and around Basra is part of Multinational Division-Southeast.

“We have more than 10 nations which comprise the (division),” said Flight Lt. Katherine McIntosh, British RAF media operations officer at Basra. “Since I’ve been here and seen the operations, I think we are making significant progress in the region.”

The 10 countries which support division operations include Great Britain, the United States, Portugal, Romania, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands, McIntosh said.

As for U.S. involvement, McIntosh said much of it involves Marines who are doing missions in central-western Iraq and Umm-Qassr. There they help with river patrols looking for smugglers. There are also Marine helicopters that perform missions right out of Basra. Additionally, the Army has liaison officers and others who work with the division in various positions.

The Air Force does not have a main operational role in Basra, apart from flights from other areas into Basra, McIntosh said.

“The Joint Helicopter Flight (in Basra) comprises British aircraft from the Royal Navy, (British) Army and RAF,” McIntosh said. “The aerial port of debarkation … here is operated by the RAF. That said, as a member of the coalition forces, the U.S. Air Force does support multinational operations in Basra.”

Many of the multinational missions supported are with the C-130 Hercules aircraft. The C-130’s multipurpose capabilities make it a viable tool for many types of operations. Master Sgt. Thomas Kim, a C-130 loadmaster, has flown missions to Basra. He said the role in that region is important.

“Our role is very significant to support our British and other coalition allies there,” Kim said. “We’re in this together for the long haul.”

Kim is deployed to an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia from the 96th Airlift Squadron at Minneapolis International Airport. He said his plane’s role throughout the theater and particularly at Basra provides something very special.

“You can’t operate without the C-130,” he said. “It’s a key tool in getting troops and supplies in and out of airfields that larger aircraft can’t operate in.”

Senior Airman Aaron Hillberg, also a 96th AS C-130 loadmaster, said another capability of the C-130 around Basra is its support for the high-operations tempo there.

“By having (C-130s) work in and around Basra, you can support more missions in a shorter amount of time,” he said.

The C-130 is the workhorse, and Basra is one of its stops and also the main operator for the U.S. Air Force there. Hillberg said it will continue to be there and elsewhere.

“The C-130 is very combat-capable and was built for operations like we do in Basra,” Hillberg said. “In my opinion, it will continue to be a big factor in (current and future) operations.”