Since the early 2000s, Pakistan and Iraq have had significant, yet underrated, cooperation in the defense sector.
In November 2004, Pakistan’s HIT (Heavy Industries Taxila) signed a contract with the Iraqi Ministry of Defense for the delivery of 44 APC Talhas, 60 Al-Mohafiz Security Vehicles, and 300 Aahan Armored Guard Posts. The total value of the contract was approximately USD 31 million, with initial deliveries commencing in March 2005.
Pakistan and Iraq also cooperated in the fight against ISIS. Speaking about Pakistan’s assistance, the Iraqi ambassador, Ali Yasin Muhammad Karim, stated in July 2017: “Iraq, besides getting intelligence on terrorists, also received arms, ammunition, and military medical assistance from the country.” He recalled that some Iraqi pilots, who took part in action against IS, had been trained in Pakistan.
In March 2019, the Chairman of POF (Pakistan Ordnance Factories) visited Iraq, and the following year, on August 18, 2020, the Iraqi ambassador visited Pakistan Ordnance Factories in Taxila, accompanied by several Embassy staff members. Lt. Gen. Bilal Akbar, Chairman of the POF Board, and several production officials received the delegation.
Cadets of the Iraqi Army also regularly complete their military training at PMA (Pakistan Military Academy).
In February 2021, the governments of both countries signed a defense deal for the sale of 12 PAC MFI-17 Super Mushshak aircraft for USD 33 million. The first units, manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex’s factory in Kamra, Punjab, were delivered to Baghdad in April 2023.
Recently, in August 2024, a high-level Iraqi delegation led by Lieutenant General Ahmed Dawood Salman, General Secretary, Ministry of Defense Iraq, met with Pakistan's Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, where he reiterated the Pakistan Air Force's unwavering support in providing capacity-building assistance to the Iraqi Air Force in terms of human resources, maintenance standards, and operational training.
The Iraqi delegation expressed admiration for the PAF's indigenization initiatives and conveyed strong interest in acquiring JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, as well as an additional 12 Super Mushshak Trainer aircraft, along with maintenance and lifecycle support from the PAF, emphasizing the potential for enhanced collaboration.