Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Iraq plans to buy 14 Rafale aircraft, CAESAr and drones from France
On 25 January, two Rafales assigned to the projected air base [BAP] in Jordan under Operation Chammal took part in an air combat exercise with four Iraqi F-16s. According to the explanations given by the Armed Forces General Staff [EMA], their mission was to attack a point defended by the Iraqi air force. He added that "different kinematics were carried out by the French fighters, forcing the opposing force to manoeuvre to defend the area".
Such a Franco-Iraqi exercise was not new... since three were in fact conducted in 2021, when Baghdad had expressed its interest in the fighter plane produced by Dassault Aviation. But for the EMA, it is above all a question of accompanying the Iraqi forces "in their rise to power and until they reach complete autonomy", in accordance with the advisory and assistance mission of the anti-jihadist coalition led by the United States.
That said, the Iraqi air force is having some difficulty keeping its 34 F-16IQs, acquired from the United States in 2011, in flying condition. These difficulties have been exacerbated by the departure of the American technicians responsible for their maintenance. And it is now estimated that it can count on about twenty aircraft available. In addition, it lacks ammunition and certain capabilities considered crucial.
In January 2021, the Iraqi Minister of Defence, Juma Enad Saadoun, confirmed Baghdad's interest in the Rafale, even going so far as to say that a contract was about to be signed, the financial aspects not yet having been defined. But he did not specify the number of aircraft that could be acquired.
At the same time, it was claimed that Iraq was also seeking to procure Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder fighters from Islamabad. The Nation newspaper reported in September 2021 that an order for 12 of them would soon be signed.
In an interview with al-Arabiya on 30 January, Juma Enad Saadoun said that Iraq had 'signed a contract with a Pakistani company for the purchase of aircraft', without giving further details... Was it the JF-17 Thunder? Or was it an order for Super Mushshak trainers from the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex [PAC]? In any case, this is what Norman Ricklefs, who heads the NAMEA Group consultancy, which is close to the Iraqi government, said.
According to Defense News, he recently met with Iraqi Ministry of Defense officials to discuss their intentions for military equipment. He learned that Baghdad still intends to buy 14 Rafales "for $240 million [per unit], paid for in oil rather than cash. Ricklefs' price tag - $3.36 billion - is to include ammunition, support, spare parts and training. However, other contracts are in the pipeline.
Ricklefs also said that the Iraqi Ministry of Defence was considering a French offer for 20 drones - the type of which was not specified - and that it would soon send a delegation to France to evaluate the proposed system.
According to an interview given to the Iraqi news agency by General Qasim al-Muhammadi, the chief of staff of the Iraqi ground forces, the system is likely to be a Patroller tactical drone.
"Iraq is negotiating many contracts, including for armed drones capable of flying for 30 hours in Iraqi airspace, destroying targets and continuously monitoring various areas, with proven capability and effectiveness," he said. And the only aircraft of this type that France can currently offer is the Patroller, from Safran... Which has not yet entered service with the army. It should be noted that, according to Mr Ricklefs, Pakistan is also in line to sell 20 drones to Baghdad.
Finally, General al-Muhammadi also hinted that Baghdad is considering the purchase of "excellent high precision artillery systems" from France. Clearly, Nexter's CAESAr [155 mm artillery system truck] could soon equip Iraqi forces, after having been effectively deployed in Iraq by the Army [TF Wagram] as part of operations against the Islamic State.