Iraq orders Caracal tactical transport helicopters

In early August 2024, Major General Pilot Tahseen Al-Khafaji, head of the Security Media Cell, announced during a television interview that the Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IAAC) has signed a contract with France to acquire the Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal tactical transport helicopter.

The contract includes 12 newly built H225M Caracals and two refurbished H225 helicopters.

The Airbus Helicopters H225M, formerly known as the Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, is a long-range tactical military transport helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar. It is a twin-engine aircraft capable of carrying up to 28 seated troops, along with two crew members, depending on the customer's configuration.

On 6 September 2024, Airbus Helicopters issued a press release stating that deliveries will commence in 2025. in the press release there was no mention of the two refurbished H225 helicopters so maybe these are non-flying ground training airframes.

For more information on the IAAC Air Order of Battle have a look at our website on the OrBat pages.

Credit photo (just illustrative): Dennis Peteri (Scramble Archive)