Iraqi Air Force Thunders and/or Rafales?
According to several social media reports, the al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Iraqiya (IQAF, Iraqi Air Force) is in the advanced stage of acquiring twelve Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC)/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder Block 3 lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft at the cost of USD664 million.
The interest in the JF-17 dates back to at least 2020, when on 14 July the ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to Pakistan, H.E. Mr Hamid Abbas Lafta, paid a visit to PAC in Kamra. During the visit he was presented with a scale-model of the jet.
In October of the same year, Lieutenant General (back then Major General) Shihab Jahid Ali Shakarchi, the 30th Commander of the Iraqi Air Force also visited Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.
The Pakistan Air Force Headquarters in Islamabad were also visited that same day and photos of the visits show a clear interest in the JF-17 Thunder. A subsequent visit by Iraqi Major Gen Mehdi to PAC in May 2021 is reportedly also related to the potential JF-17 purchase.
Back in September 2021, many social media accounts reported that a firm deal has been struck but Scramble Magazine remains careful, even with the indications that the negotiations are now in an advanced stage.
No longer than a week ago, the IQAF indicated that it is also interested in the Dassault Rafale twin-engine multirole fighter. Although these two deals are not necessarily mutually exclusive, the Iraqi defence budget has been on a shoestring for years.
At the conclusion of the joint Iraqi-French exercise “Ababel 1” that took place in May 2023, spokesperson of the Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Yehia Rasool, confirmed that the IQAF is interested in the Dassault Rafale.
The Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace (AAE, French Air and Space Force) sent three Rafale B/C to Balad - Martyr Brig. Gen. Ali Falih Al-Jawiya Air Base - for the exercise and executed joint operations with Iraqi F-16C/D Fighting Falcons. Rasool stated that “the Iraqi Air Force is looking forward to developing its fleet to include modern multi-purpose aircraft such as the Rafale”.
Some media report that an allocation for the delivery of fourteen Rafale fighters at the cost of USD3,2 billion dollars has been made in the 2023 defence budget. Reportedly, oil supplies will be used to pay for the aircraft.
It is clear that “something is up” in Baghdad so let’s see what will turn out to be delivered.
Photos (illustrative) by Rehan Waheed – Falcons.pk (via JetPhotos.com) and via Balad (Rafale)