In this Feb. 13, 2018 file photo, an Iraqi army soldier stand guard near a U.S.- made Iraqi Air Force F-16 fighter jet at the Balad Air Base, Iraq. Iraqi security officials said on Jan. 12, 2020, four members of Iraq's military have been wounded by a rocket attack targeting Balad Air Base, an air base just north of Baghdad. American trainers and a company that services F-16 aircraft are present at that base. Sunday's attack by at least six rockets came just days after Iran fired ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces, causing no casualties. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
FOX News: Billions wasted? Iraqi pilots claim pricey F-16 program is falling apart
The goal was for the Iraqi military to be able to defend itself, but some say that is not yet reality.
Nine years ago, just before the Obama administration pulled the plug on a troop presence in Iraq, Baghdad signed a landmark $4.3 billion, U.S.-backed Lockheed Martin deal to bolster its burgeoning air force with its very own fleet of F-16 fighter jets. The first batch arrived three years later, under the guise that the force would stand on its own two feet.
But billions of dollars and almost a decade later, some Iraqi pilots tell Fox News that there is little left of their investment and they fear few pilots are combat-ready to take on another ISIS wave or emerging threat.
So, what is going on?
Even before the global coronavirus pandemic swept through the beleaguered country, the Iraqi military was on high alert after the Jan. 3 U.S. assassination of Iran's top commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, as he touched down in Baghdad. Retaliatory missile strikes against two U.S. bases resulted in the U.S. withdrawing some contractors and troops from an array of locations -- including the F-16 homestead, Balad Airbase, just north of the capital.
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WNU Editor: I could be wrong, but it looks like Iraq is trying to cut costs and not purchase parts from Lockheed. Unfortunately, the Iraqi-made parts are now failing thereby making these F-16s not operable. Maintaining fighter aircraft is a very expensive proposition, and you must always have experienced and knowledgeable maintenance crews backed with the proper parts to service these aircraft. It looks like Iraq is far from accomplishing this, and the US is not willing to stick around to help them. After-all. Who would want to work in Iraq in one of these bases as a contractor right now with all the violence that is ongoing.
3 comments:
The F-16s dont work because they dont want them to work. More than likely someone is stealing the funds.
I feel a major part of the problem is cultural. That is beyond our control.
I also think they never needed such a machine in the first place. They've got other problems that need attention and a logistics hungry look-at-me airplane doesn't solve them.
What Anon 2:37 said, nailed it!! "They've got other problems that need attention..." The same thing could be said about America as well.
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