Minister of Defense: We are to develop the Air Force and provide it with the latest fighter jets

INA-  Baghdad


Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi confirmed on Sunday that Pakistani aircraft will have a major role in training student pilots, while noting that his ministry is working to develop the air force and provide it with the latest fighter jets.
 
Al-Abbasi said, in a speech during the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Air Force, and attended by the repoeter of the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Today we pass the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Iraqi Air Force, which was formed on April 22, 1931 when the first batch of pilots graduated from the British Royal Aviation College and their return plane landed at Al-Washash Airport."
 
He added, "Today we remember the formation of the air force, which is one of the most important types supporting the ground forces, through which many battles are decided," noting: "We must recall the honorable images shown by the heroes of the Iraqi Air Force during the battles fought by the Iraqi army, especially the liberation battles against the terrorist ISIS gangs, where they had the upper hand in defeating the strongholds of terrorism and destroying its hideouts and eliminating it."
 
"The air force's heroism is not limited to their great role in the battles and their resolution, but they also played another major role, which is logistical support for security forces and citizens on many occasions," he said.
 
He stated: "it’s clear for the world what the heroes of the air force did in transporting vaccines for the Corona pandemic and the honorable role in transporting medical and food supplies to both Syria and Turkey after the strong earthquake that struck the two countries, and there was an air bridge to transport aid to them, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani, and they also had another honorable image represented in the evacuation of the Iraqi community in Sudan, due to the recent events that took place in it."
 
He pointed out that "the air force today occupies an important and advanced position among the world's advanced armies, and this had a role in achieving victory."

"We had field visits to oversee the air bases and aircraft in them and private meetings with pilots," Al-Abbasi said, stressing that "we are working today to develop this class and provide it with the latest fighter jets, and to be the striking force for the strongholds of terrorism."