Iraq to buy 28 Czech L-159 fighter jets for $1 billion

[kirkuki]

PRAGUE, — The Czech Republic will deliver 28 L-159 fighter jets to Iraq and Czech experts will participate in the training of Iraqi pilots, Czech Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra said after meeting his Iraqi counterpart Sadun al-Dulaymi Friday.

The contract for the Czech-made aircraft is worth about one billion U.S. dollars. The training is to start as soon as possible, Vondra said.

The deal comes as a part of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's program to rebuild the country's air force and control its vulnerable airspace.

The purchase of Czech L159 jets came as Maliki faces pressure from Washington to prevent Iran transporting arms through Iraqi airspace to help Tehran's ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his battle to end a 19-month-old uprising.

Four of the two-seat aircraft will be fighter planes owned by the Czech military and the remaining 24 will be new ones.

Vondra thus confirmed the information that Reuters news agency released Friday,Kurd Net - Kurdistan News, News about Kurds and Kurdistan کورد כורדיסטן citing a spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The spokesman told Reuters that Iraq will receive the four old L-159s for free.

Iraq has no real air force since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, and Baghdad says it will not be able to defend its airspace until 2020.

"We have a deal to buy 24 L159 combat and training aircraft from the Czech Republic. Four of them will be given for free and will be handed over within seven months," Ali al-Moussawi, Maliki's media advisor, told Reuters by telephone from Prague.

L159s are sub-sonic planes used for training or as light combat planes. The Czech Republic has not been able to sell the jets beyond the Czech army so the Iraqi deal would be a huge success for its arms industry.
Reuters

Maliki is visiting the Czech Republic as well. He arrived in Prague on Thursday.

The first of the four Czech military´s jets will be transferred to Iraq seven months after the contract takes effect, Vondra said.

The Czech producer Aero Vodochody will start delivering the new aircraft to Iraq in approximately two years.

The negotiations on the purchase lasted more than a year.

After the details of the contract are agreed on by experts from the two countries, the contract will be signed, Vondra said.

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Iraq to buy 28 Czech L-159 fighter jets for $1 billion

 

[Mr. H.]

Watch out, Tom Cruise...

 

[Franticfrank]

Well - more trainers than fighters of course but it should be a good addition to Iraq's airforce if they're intent on buying F-16s in the future.

 

[kirkuki]

maliki's ambitions is not the interest of US, he has signed a $4.5 biilion arms deal with russia , iraq has not moved or threaten militarily against any neighbour except for autononmous kurdistan region which was attached to shithole iraq in 1923, so they will attack kurdistan and take over the autonomy granted since 1991 by NATO no fly zone, my proof in 2008 they moved towards Khanaqin a dispute town by then the US forces made them retreat, this year they did it again near Mosul - Zumar area a few weeks stand off , i believe i have posted it here some where, so you should be be cheering bcoz once this iranian puppet maliki gets his weapons frist thing he will attack kurds, like he has said himself "wait for the f16s to arrive we will invade Erbil".

iraq is letting iran transfer weapons to assad .
iraq is giving oil from kirkuk oil field to assad an agreement between iraqi oil ministry and syrian one was signed despite the sanctions put on syrian oil deparment by US and EU.