PDC: Initial understandings with France to import aircraft and radars

Baghdad - INA

The Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee confirmed today, Friday, that there is a tendency to diversify the sources of the Iraqi Air Force, while noting that there are initial understandings with France to import aircraft and radars.

The head of the committee, Deputy Muhammad Ridha Al Haidar, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Iraq has advanced F-16 planes, but they are few in number compared to the operations carried out against the remnants of ISIS terrorist gangs,” indicating that “Iraq is currently heading to France, in agreement with The French Consul in Baghdad, who will be strengthened by an expected visit from the Chair of the French Security and Defense Committee to Iraq next Sunday, and this issue will be raised and there are preliminary written understandings that include importing French aircraft while strengthening the radars of the Air Defense Command and enhancing their capabilities. "

Al Haidar added that "the orientation of Russian planes is OK, and arming from the American side continues, and it is possible that the number of F-16s will be increased and Iraq will be supplied with advanced models," noting that "the American company left for a period of four months due to the exposure of its affiliates to strikes in the country." Balad Air Base, Iraqi engineering officers and technicians tried to maintain the "F-16", but the maintenance was not as efficient as the parent company. "

He stressed that "with regard to the presence of the American experts, there is no objection to them because they are not combat forces, and they are not included in the House of Representatives' call for their exit from Iraq; considering that they are occupiers, this is another conversation, we are talking about weapons, and as long as we import new advanced weapons, we need experts for them." .