To strengthen its defense capabilities, the Iraqi Air Force plans to acquire JF-17 Thunder block III planes and Mushshak trainer aircraft from Pakistan.
On August 20, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar and a high-level Iraqi team met at the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) headquarters in Islamabad. The group was led by Lieutenant General Ahmed Dawood Salman.
“The meeting underscored several key areas of mutual interest with a special focus on bilateral training and the exploration of expanded collaboration between both countries, specially in the aviation sector,” the PAF said in a statement.
Speaking to the media about the cooperative development, retired Pakistan Air Force (PAF) squadron leader and international analyst Fahad Masood said that the long-planned meeting represents the sincere intents of both parties and may result in significant actions.
“For a while now, the two countries have been holding regular talks and meetings at lower levels. To discuss the procurement of the jets, representatives from Pakistan and Iraq have traveled to one other several times. Additionally, the delegations got together outside of the Dubai Air Show. Therefore, the fact that a high-ranking Iraqi team visited Pakistan’s Air Force headquarters suggests that a significant development is imminent,” the squadron leader said.
He went on to say that improvements for the JF-17 jets are the main thing that the Iraqi officials are looking for. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) originally flew JF-17 Thunder Block I and II variants. More recently, the air force upgraded the aircraft to Block III, which led to notable advancements in a number of areas.
“Improved avionics, radars, missile technology, and DVR technology are features of the JF-17 Thunder block III. The Helmet-Mounted Display, or HMD, is another feature of these aircraft. It is a see-through display that is projected straight into the inside of a pilot’s helmet visor. Dual ejection racks are also built onto the jets. Thus, there are numerous improvements, which is why the Iraqis chose block III and patiently awaited its release,” Masood noted.
China’s Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp. and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex are working together to create the JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft. It is propelled by a Russian engine and features a Chinese airframe with Western avionics.
The precise number is still unknown, although reports indicate that the JF-17 is the backbone of the PAF, with at least 130 aircraft in service.
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has conducted flight tests with this aircraft, and the Thunder JF-17 aircraft were previously delivered to Nigeria and Myanmar. The JF-17 is also being eyed for procurement by Azerbaijan.
In the meantime, the Super Mushshak propeller training aircraft is also on the agenda for negotiations between Pakistan and Iraq. Masood emphasized that these aircraft had cutting-edge glass cockpits, making them extremely high-tech. Designed as two- or three-seater single-engine aircraft with fixed, non-retractable tricycle landing gear, they are sturdy and lightweight.
“The Mushshak trainers have been available for purchase for some time; in May, Pakistan sold them to Zimbabwe in addition to the GCC nations. In order to give effective training in combat scenarios at a lower cost of training, Iraq now appears interested in incorporating both the Thunder jets and the Mushshak trainer aircraft into its initial training program and lead-in fighter training (LIFT),” Masood added.
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Pakistan delivered the first batch of Mushshak aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force in 2023. After these jets were successfully integrated, the Iraqi Air Force decided to buy more of them.
“It’s yet unknown how many of these jets Iraq intends to buy. It will be evident how long it will take Pakistan to provide these aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force once that figure is made public. We just have to wait and watch for the time being,” the retired squadron leader continued.
After taking into account the Iraqi Air Force’s decision to purchase both aircraft, Masood came to the conclusion that it was a “valid choice,” given that both have been updated and are the best platforms for air power employment and military training.
