Iraqi AAC fleet modernisation

The latest DOD IG report (US Department of Defense Office of Inspector General), covering the time frame from 1 October 2022 through 31 December 2022, revealed that the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I) has been working with the Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) to convert the entire Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) fleet to US produced aircraft in order to simplify parts acquisition, maintenance, and training.

The document, named “Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve I Quarterly Report to the United States Congress”, summarises the quarter's key events on completed, ongoing, and planned Lead IG and partner agency oversight work related to Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR).

The US Central Command (USCENTCOM) provided an update on multiple pending Foreign Military Sale (FMS) cases to modernise the IqAAC helicopter fleet that have been approved by the MoD and are now with US implementing agencies for action, including:

- 15x Bell 505 training helicopters to replace the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) aging Bell 407 and OH-58 training fleet, funded via the Foreign Military Funding (FMF) programme. Scramble Magazine assesses that the Bell 407 reference might actually be a reference to the former UAE Air Force Agusta Bell 206B that are in use by the Instructor Pilot Unit
- 9x Bell 407M light attack helicopters, including associated rocket and gun systems, avionics, and pilot/maintainer training, to replace the ISF’s ageing Bell 407 fleet, funded by Iraq. Initially this order was for 15 but it was downscaled to nine.
- 5x Bell 412EPX and 12x Bell 412M medium lift helicopters to replace the Russian-made Mi-17 fleet due to inability to acquire spare parts due to the war in Ukraine, funded by Iraq. Initially these orders consisted of 4x Bell 412 EPX and 16x Bell 412M but they were later adjusted.
- Contracted logistics support package from Eurocopter (the IqAAC operates 24 EC635T2+ helicopters) providing comprehensive parts, materials, and field service representative support to include over-the-shoulder technical support, training, and advising. This is the first Eurocopter field service representative case for the ISF, funded by Iraq
- Contractor logistics support package from Bell, to include comprehensive parts, material, and field service representative support that will replace the existing Bell support case and will cover all Bell airframes, funded via the Foreign Military Funding (FMF) programme

USCENTCOM said that a letter requesting an estimate for the cost and availability of additional Bell 407M light attack helicopters is with the IqAAC, awaiting approval.

The current helicopter inventory of the IqAAC (ordered on delivery chronology, attrition not noted):

3x AB206B-3 (YI-230/YI-232), delivered in 2005 and former UAE Air Force
2x Bell 206B-3 (YI-233/YI-234), delivered in 2005 and former UAE Air Force
4x Mi-17-1V (YI-251/YI-254), delivered from 2007
9x OH-58C (YI-240/YI-248), delivered from 2008 and former US Army
5x Bell 206B (YI-235/YI-239), delivered from 2008
15x Mi-171 (YI-255/YI-269), delivered from 2008
27x Bell 407/IA-407 (YI-111/YI-137), delivered from 2009
3x Bell 407/T-407 (YI-138/YI-140), delivered from 2009
6x SA342M (YI-295/YI-300), delivered in 2010, ex French Army
24x EC635T2+ (YI-270/YI-293), delivered from 2011
23x Mi-171E (YI-401, 402, YI-403, 404/422, YI-443, YI-444), delivered from 2011
28x Mi-35M (YI-351/YI-378), delivered from 2013
11x Mi-28NE (YI-801/YI-811), delivered from 2014
19x Mi-171Sh (YI-423/YI-442), delivered from 2014
16x Bell 407GX (YI-600/YI-615), delivered in 2015
4x Mi-28NE (mod) also referred as Mi-28NE/UB, delivered from 2016

Photos via US Air Force