The New Iraqi Air Force March 14, 2006The new Iraqi air force is, for the moment, strictly a non-combat support force. They have 16 small, prop drive aircraft. Ten of them (two SB7L-360 Seekers and eight CH2000 SAMAs) are two seat reconnaissance aircraft. Six are six seat Comp Air 7SLs, which can also perform recon, but are mostly used as light transports. There are three C-130E four engine transports. There are about 32 helicopters (24 Russian Mi-17s are arriving from Poland). The helicopter force also includes 16 UH-1H, five Bell 206 and three Sokol W3s. More of the W3s are on order as well. There are no firm plans yet for obtaining combat aircraft, although many of the helicopters are armed with machine-guns. Since many Iraqis used Russian combat aircraft, they may well buy some of those. There are a lot of bargains out there at the moment. The current aircraft and helicopter force is based, along with civilian and American air units, at Baghdad, Kirkuk, Basra and al Taji. The air force has fewer than a thousand personnel at the moment and has just established their first air base of their own.http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htworl ... 60314.aspx
In early August 2024, Major General Pilot Tahseen Al-Khafaji, head of the Security Media Cell, announced during a television interview that the Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IAAC) has signed a contract with France to acquire the Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal tactical transport helicopter.The contract includes 12 newly built H225M Caracals and two refurbished H225 helicopters.The Airbus Helicopters H225M, formerly known as the Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, is a long-range tactical military transport helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar. It is a twin-engine aircraft capable of carrying up to 28 seated troops, along with two crew members, depending on the customer's configuration.[continua]
