Breaking news
Iraqi Air Force will be equipped with United States made fighter aircraft F-16 2809111.
| 2011
| a | |||
World
Air Force News - Iraq |
|||
Iraqi
Air Force will be equipped with United States made fighter aircraft F-16. |
|||
Iraq
has made the first payment in a deal to buy 18 US F-16
fighter jets worth a total of about $3bn the US state department has said.
The fighters, which are not expected to be delivered until next year,
are to protect the country's air space. |
|||
The
base value of Iraq's jet order is about $3 billion, Little told reporters
at the Pentagon today. With all options for equipment and services, the
total value of the agreement may reach $4.2 billion. The program, outlined in a September 2010 Defense Department notice to Congress, includes 18 F-16 Block 52 variant jets. Iraq's air force was largely destroyed in the wars in 1991 and 2003 and during the years between when the U.S. enforced a no-fly zone. "The air force is considered a vital factor to protect Iraq's sovereignty and security against external threats," Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said. "Iraq needs to build its air force and to depend on its own capabilities to defend the skies instead of asking other countries to do so - especially if we know that the US forces will leave at the end of this year." Mr al-Dabbagh said $1.4bn has already been transferred as a partial payment. |
|||
