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Iraq
Iraq Receives First Batch of Czech Military Jets
2015-11-07
[AnNahar] Iraq has received the first batch of Czech L-159 jets, which can be used for both training and combat, the defense ministry said on Friday.

The first two L-159s arrived at Iraq's Balad Air Base on Thursday, defense ministry front man Naseer Nuri told AFP.

L-159s can be equipped with munitions for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions, with the former being the more important for Iraqi forces battling the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
 jihadist group.

It is the latest in a series of aircraft deliveries that have bolstered the country's air force since IS overran large parts of Iraq last June.

Iraq received four F-16 warplanes in July, the first batch of a much-delayed order for 36 aircraft.

And Baghdad obtained Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack jets last year that it has used to carry out strikes against IS.

The Czech government approved the sale of 15 L-159s -- 13 with one seat and two dual-seaters -- to Iraq last March for 750 million koruna ($30 million).

But Nuri said that the deal was for a total of 12 aircraft.
Per Wiki: "The L-159A is a single-seat light multi-role combat aircraft designed for a variety of air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft is equipped with a multi-mode Doppler Grifo-L radar (a variant of the Grifo-F x-band multi-mode, pulse-doppler radar), for all-weather, day and night operations. It can carry a wide range of NATO standard stores including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and laser guided bombs. "

This is exactly the sort of aircraft the Iraqi Air Force needs: The F-16 is too advanced for them right now, both in terms of the training / maintenance demands and in the operational requirements. In fact, old A-1 Skyraiders would do the job but those are long gone. The Iraqis need an aircraft that can loiter, do ground attack, come back to base and be refitted quickly for another mission.

The price is right as well. Not clear to me if this order is for used aircraft or new -- the Czechs have had these in their inventory for a while and so may be clearing out an old block.

Posted by:trailing wife

#5  Steve S might be channeling Steve Pressfield, a proud member of the Army of Steve.
Posted by: Steve White   2015-11-07 11:06  

#4  1. You don't want a 'private' military that's more efficient and capable than yours hanging around. See - Janissaries.

2. You don't want real results when your real game is all about 'show' not results. The pros don't like that. See - 1

3. "Where's the graft in that?" when you can milk it from other concerned players?
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-11-07 09:37  

#3  Channeling Tom Kratman, SteveS?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2015-11-07 07:44  

#2  Contractor goldmine.

Ya know, a private military company with sufficient means to do air, artillery and helibourne assault could make a pretty good living calming the world's trouble spots. Places like Iraq and Nigeria that are long on oil money and short on capability/will. The British East India Company, but with more air power.
Posted by: SteveS   2015-11-07 03:47  

#1  Czech, U.S. And Russian.

Inshallah the aircraft will fly and spare parts will arrive in Allahs own time.

Contractor goldmine.
Posted by: Shipman   2015-11-07 03:16  

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