Iraq expects first purchases of air defence systems to arrive soon

Detailed summary

Iraq has signed contracts to acquire advanced air defence systems, with the first batch expected to arrive soon, the country’s air defence commander said, as Baghdad moves to…

Iraq has signed contracts to acquire advanced air defence systems, with the first batch expected to arrive soon, the country’s air defence commander said, as Baghdad moves to strengthen its ability to protect its airspace.

The acquisitions are part of a three-phase strategy to develop Iraq's air defences, including detecting and intercepting aerial threats, Lt Gen Pilot Staff Officer Muhannad Ghalib Al Asadi said late on Thursday.

“Many contracts have been funded and the first batches of systems are expected to be delivered in the near future,” Lt Gen Al Asadi said in an interview with the Iraqi Defence Ministry’s media outlet.

He said technical delegations had inspected and tested several advanced air defence systems and weapons before deciding which to buy.

“The contracted systems are highly efficient and some have proven highly effective in the ongoing conflict in the region,” he said, without identifying the systems or the countries supplying them.

Iraq has already begun sending military personnel to the manufacturing countries for training on the systems, he added.

The purchases come as Iraq seeks to address long-standing gaps in its ability to monitor and defend its airspace, after the US-led international coalition against ISIS ended its mission in late September, withdrawing troops as well as equipment including air defences.

An escalation in regional conflicts since the start of the Iran war in February has highlighted growing threat posed by missiles and drones, with relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft increasingly testing sophisticated air defence networks.

Lt Gen Al Asadi acknowledged that even the most advanced systems had limitations, pointing out that countries that invested billions of dollars in air defence had nevertheless experienced breaches by low-cost drones.

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