Elements of a U.S. based security detail accompanied the 94th ACG advisors to Africa, as well as into the interior of Burkina Faso to assure a secured work / operational zone, as well as overall safety. Working with the local Government, vast number of labor was provided to make up for the lack of heavy equipment, usually associated with the salvage of such large aircraft. Originally, the ex-Algerian aircraft was downed by small arms ground fire and MANPADS / Shoulder to Surface fired missile back in 2005.
Due to the shear real-world flying experience of the "Aussie" crew and despite the heavy structural damage to "AF-93 Black" from the sustained fire, the crew was able to make an emergency landing 28 miles south of the town of Dori in Burkina Faso with no injury to crew or post crash landing fire.