Militants threaten Iraqi F-16 program, Inspector General report says

Iraq's F-16 program is in jeopardy because U.S. contractors are leaving key Iraqi bases after attacks by Iran-backed militias, a U.S. government report says.

The 233-page, quarterly "Operation Resolute Support Lead Inspector General's Report" to Congress, released this week, cites examples of threats and attacks on contractors supporting Iraq's F-16 program.

The aircraft is regarded as instrumental in Iraq's fight against the Islamic State, and about 2,500 U.S. troops are in Iraq as trainers and advisers.

"In Iraq, Iran-aligned militias increased their attacks targeting Coalition [also known as Multi-National Force-Iraq] positions and assets this quarter, prompting a temporary departure of U.S. contractors supporting Iraq's F-16 program," IG officials said in a press release.

"Although these militias are not directly related to the OIR [Operation Inherent Resolve] counterterrorism mission, their actions threatened the success of Coalition operations during the quarter," officials said.

The report also cited economic, social and political considerations in Iraq which it called "on a concerning trajectory."

At least 30 rocket or bomb attacks have struck U.S. troops, Iraqi supply convoys to foreign forces and the U.S. Embassy since President Joe Biden's inauguration in January.

Two foreign contractors, one Iraqi contractor and eight Iraqi civilians died in the attacks, although no U.S. contractors of military personnel were killed or injured.

The Balad base was evacuated in March after rocket attacks in late February killed two contractors.

On Sunday, two rockets struck a Baghdad airbase hosting U.S. troops.

In April, an explosives-laden drone was fired into an airport in Erbil, and this week six rockets struck Balad Air Base, where Sallyport, a U.S.-based contractor maintaining Iraq's F-16 aircraft, is located.

The report noted that 32 of the 36 F-16s obtained by Iraq from 2014 to 2017 were inventoried and 75 percent are either fully or partially operational. While they flew 299 in the first quarter of 2021, all but four were training missions.

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Egypt orders 30 more fighter jets from France: sources
Paris (AFP) May 3, 2021
France has agreed to sell 30 more Rafale fighter jets to Egypt, a source close to the contract said on Monday, confirming an online report of a secret mega-defence deal. Investigative site Disclose, citing confidential documents it had obtained, said the deal had been signed on April 26 at the behest of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as part of defence contracts worth almost four billion euros ($4.8 billion). It said that the deal consisted of three distinct contracts, by far the bigges ... read more