June 8, 2011: A U.S. Air Force F-16CJ Fighting Falcon jet takes off from Malta International Airport outside Valletta. (Reuters)
Washington Times: Iraq still waiting on F-16 fighter jets, U.S.-trained pilots for Islamic State battle
Iraq’s besieged military was supposed to be flying front-line American F-16 fighters by now, joining other Arab forces in a daily air war against the Islamic State terrorist army controlling western and northern Iraq.
Instead, prospective Iraqi pilots are anchored in the United States, still undergoing training. The Iraqi air force, such as it is, is confined to dated Russian attack jets — compliments of Iran — helicopters and missile-firing AC-208 Cessnas.
While the war rages, there is no firm F-16 arrival date.
WNU Editor: You support logistics, radar, trained personnel, weapons, etc. .... the list is endless .... and then there is the issue of having trained pilots flying these aircraft .... Iraqis to get American F-16s – but can they fly them? (FOX News). If the Iraqis are flying F-16s later this year, I will be surprised.
2 comments:
THEY DONT WANT TO GIVE THEM AFRAID THEY BOMB THEM
The US has a shortage of properly trained personnel and modern equipment across all aspects of its armed forces. We need to be training American pilots on these things to give us a fighting chance of defending America and not spending resources on sending F-16s to Iraq and training Iraqi pilots.
In Iraq right now either ISIS wins or Iran wins. Either way this is not good for us. Our best bet is a complete withdrawl and redeploying to positions along our borders and off of our casts that at least allow us a fighting chance of defending America.
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