Iraq seeks U.S. air traffic control system as air force grows: The U.S. Defense Department is seeking congressional approval to sell the nascent Iraqi air force air traffic control and landing systems for four bases, emphasizing Baghdad's drive to establish a fully operational air force within the next few years.
Iraq's air force, the most powerful in the Arab world during Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, is being rebuilt from the ground up and is based on a planned force of up to 96 Lockheed Martin F-16IQ Block 52 fighters.
The first two planes of an initial order of 18 - 12 F-16C and six F-16D aircraft -- are scheduled to arrive at Balad air base north of Baghdad in September, with at least two more arriving every month thereafter.
Full delivery of a second batch of 18 Fighting Falcons is expected to be wrapped up by the end of 2015.
The two contracts are valued at nearly $7 billion.
The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Feb. 4 it had notified Congress of the possible sale of the air base equipment worth an estimated $700 million.
The Arab media recently quoted Iraq's Parliamentary Commission of Security and Defense as saying Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been pressing the United States for "accelerated F-16 delivery" since 2013.
The commission says Baghdad wants at least six fighter squadrons operational over the next few years. These will presumably all be equipped with F-16s.
