Iraq says ready to buy Czech-made combat fighter jets

[ahsanraza81]

Iraq says ready to buy Czech-made combat fighter jets

Iraq is ready to buy light attack aircraft, offered for sale by the Czech republic earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said after talks with his Czech counterpart in Baghdad.

The visit to Baghdad by Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas, which began on Monday, focused on bilateral economic and political cooperation.

In mid-April, the Czech Republic announced its plans to offer Iraq 24 L-159 combat aircraft and help in modernizing the Iraqi helicopter fleet.

The single-seat L-159 ALCA is a light multi-role combat aircraft designed for a variety of air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions.

The jet was developed in the late 1990s by Aero Vodochody on the basis of the proven airframe design and aerodynamic configuration of the L39 Albatros and L59 family of combat trainers.

The aircraft is equipped with an advanced multi-mode radar for all-weather, day-and-night missions and can carry a wide range of NATO-standard payloads including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and laser guided bombs.

 

[ahsanraza81]

France Offers Mirage F1 Fighters to Iraq

As Iraq continues to rebuild its Air Force, one glaring hole in its capabilities is the lack of combat aircraft. With U.S. forces set to completely withdraw from the country by the end of the year under the current Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), the Iraqi Security Forces will be faced with the responsibility of air policing and aerial protection, but without sufficient aircraft to do the job.

To remedy that situation, the Iraqi government is currently negotiating with the U.S. to buy 18 F-16 jet fighters. On January 26, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Cabinet green-lighted negotiations on first-payment terms of the contract.

During this process, France has offered to sell Baghdad its own fighters. The French proposal calls for the sale of 18 Mirage F1 retrofitted aircraft at the cost of $1 billion. The two sweeteners in this deal are the quick delivery schedule - starting in late 2011 - and the accessibility of the aircraft to some Iraqi pilots who formerly served in the armed forces of the previous Baathist government under Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi Air Force during Hussein's reign relied largely upon French- and Russian-produced hardware, including Su-20s, MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and Dassault Mirage F1EQs.

The French offer is interesting considering that the Iraqi government has attempted to reclaim 18 French-built Mirage F1s left in France during the 1990s for servicing. These remained in France due to the arms embargo placed on Iraq following Operation Desert Storm.

In addition, Baghdad has sought to recover EUR651 million ($800 million) paid in advance to France in September 1985 as part of an order for 126 Mirage F1s. A final batch of 24 aircraft was never delivered to Iraq due to the U.N. sanctions. However, as France forgave roughly 80 percent of the EUR4.8 billion in debt owed by Iraq, it is unlikely that Baghdad will receive this money.

 

[ahsanraza81]

US, Iraqi air force officials discuss T-6′s future in Iraq

Iraq air force officials took a step closer to self-sustainment after hosting their first T-6 Texan trainer aircraft program management review at New Al Muthana Air Base just days before a historic instructor pilot flight.

The conference held March 17 brought together more than 30 representatives from various U.S. and Iraqi government agencies including the U.S. T-6 Program Office, U.S. contractors, the Air Force Security Assistance Training Program Office, the Air Force Metrology and Calibration Program Office, Iraq Security Assistance Mission, Iraq Training and Advisory Mission, and the Iraqi air force functional and squadron leadership.

"Every requirement was thoroughly discussed with a total understanding of what was required to meet the mission objectives by both the U.S. Air Force and Iraq air force," said Maj. John Creighton, the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air deputy director of aircraft maintenance. "The Iraq air force and the T-6A program are well on their way to leading the country in the fulfilling role of developing Iraqi pilots and maintenance technicians."

Iraq air force officials planned and led the agenda to discuss the support and sustainment needed for the T-6 aircraft in Iraq. The discussion covered a myriad of training issues to include: pilot flight hours, aircraft maintenance, logistics and supply, precision measurement equipment and several other required support functions.

"We discussed Iraqi leadership expectations, future sustainment planning and operational and maintenance training requirements," Creighton said. "Our efforts clarified plans and requirements for future Iraqi air force training and operational developments."

Just a few days after the conference, the first Iraqi air force instructor pilot to graduate from the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron at Tirkrit Air Base, Iraq, Lt. Col. Hamid Hussein, flew his first official training mission with an Iraqi student pilot in a T-6.

There are 18 Iraqi students enrolled in flight training, and Hussein hopes to train 30 T-6 instructor pilots. This train-the-trainer goal would enable the Iraq air force to sustain flight training long after the scheduled U.S. transition out of Iraq in December.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

They should go for a small but highly sophisticated force instead of having a big number of trainer jets.

 

[WARRANT]

L 159 ALCA is cheap costs only 15-17 million. And the quality of Czech mades are high.

 

[Zarvan]

Iraq should for buing F-16 or Grippen on EuoroFighter they have oil and should not use that oil to do corruption