Montrose Toast

Iraqi Airbases, current and future

To be strategically independent, a country needs a viable air force. 

The Iraqi Air Force has a long ways to go before it can effectively protect Iraq and support Iraq's ground forces.  It will be a decade, probably longer before the aviation components of Iraq are fully built and operational.

This timetable is not new information.  The Iraqi Minister of Defense has talked about a plan to achieve "strategic independence" by 2020 for over two years now.  "Strategic Independence" means a capable air force.  In May 2009, the Iraqi Minister of Defense was quoted as saying that the 2015 (Operational Independence) and 2020 (Strategic Independence) goals would not be met under the current budget. 

The reason that Prime Minister Maliki is now talking about changing the agreement and asking to keep US forces longer is that Iraq needs an air force to cover them until they have a real air force of their own.  The instability in Iran has awakened the Government of Iraq to the need to protect themselves.  Governments change and deals are broken.  Iraqi needs air protection against its unstable and unreliable neighbors until it has a fully capable military.

The current Iraqi Air Force is the equivalent of a training, transport, and reconnaissance wing.

Almost all of the additional 17 squadron's of planned aircraft for the Iraqi Air Force will not be delivered until after the official date the US military forces are to leave Iraq.  It will take one to two years of training time after delivery to bring those squadrons to operational readiness.  New air defense aircraft are not ordered as yet and could not start delivery prior to 2013.

While there is speculation by senior officials about used fighter aircraft being sold or donated to Iraq, there is no current deal.  Even if the decision to approve the transfer of the aircraft occurred tomorrow, it is questionable whether they could be made into operational squadrons by 2012.  Any transfer of US military aircraft will require congressional approval.

The Iraqi Air Force (IZAF) has only eight operational squadrons.  The IZAF is planned to have 38 squadrons.   Of the 30 unformed squadrons, aircraft orders and training identify 17 squadrons by type and aircraft.  The remaining 15 unidentified planned squadrons are expected to be a mix of Fighter, ground-attack, and helicopter squadrons. The Iraqi Air force is currently focused on building up base infrastructure to support the planned squadrons.

Operational Bases and Squadrons:

• Taji Regional Air Base is the IZAF's primary helicopter base.
  • 2nd Utility Squadron is equipped with 16 Huey II and is used of medical evacuation plus search and rescue.
  • 4th Transport Squadron is equipped with 28 MI-17 and provides general transportation.  At least one detachment is in Basrah and the squadron is probably moving to Kut when the renovations are complete there. 
  • 15th Special Operations Squadron is equipped with 24 special operations variant MI17v5.  This squadron provides dedicated support to the Iraqi Special Operations Force (ISOF).
• New Al Muthanna Regional Air Base shares the runways of Baghdad International Airport and is the primary IZAF transport base
  • 23rd Transport Squadron is equipped with three C-130E.  This squadron is to receive four C-130J-30 in 2010/2011.
  • 87th Reconnaissance Squadron is equipped with a mix of King Air 350 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft plus light transport variants of the King Air 350.  The squadron is expected to be full mission capable by the end of 2009.
• Kirkuk Regional Air Base shares the runways of Kirkuk International Airport and is the IZAF's primary flight training base.
  • 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron is equipped with a mix of CH2000 reconnaissance, RC-208 Caravan ISR, and C-208 light transport aircraft.  This squadron was receiving Hellfire air-to-ground training in April 2009 and is expected to be certified this summer.
  • 12th (Rotary) Flight Training Squadron is equipped with 10 Jet Rangers and 10 OH-58s loaned by the US.
  • Flight Training Wing is not listed as a squadron but has a squadron's worth of fixed-wing training aircraft.  The FTW has five C-208 Caravan; 12 Cessna C172 and one King Air 350.  These aircraft will probably be split off from the training wing headquarters and become a basic flight training squadron.
• Basrah/Shaibah Regional Air Base.  Operations currently conducted at Basrah International Airport are to be moved to Shaibah Air Base in 2010.  While the current plan is to shift operations completely, there is some discussion of the IZAF continuing to use Basrah International.
  • 70th Reconnaissance Squadron is equipped with a mix of CH2000 reconnaissance plus King Air 350 ISR and light transport aircraft.

Bases currently in renovation for operations by the end of 2009:

• Kut Regional Air Base is under renovation and expects to have MI-17s based there.  This indicates (probably) the 4th Squadron or (possibly) a new MI-17 equipped squadron is to be based there.  Facilities are to include an ISR ground-station.
• Ali (Tallil) Regional Air Base is under renovations.

Bases planned in 2011 and 2012:

• Habbaniyah Regional Air Base (Camp Taqaddum) was surveyed for a training and/or logistics airbase in February 2009.  It is planned to be made operational in 2011.
• Irbil Regional Air Base shares the runways with Irbil International Airport and is planned to be made operational in 2011.
• Al Asad Regional Air Base was surveyed for by the IZAF in March 2009.    It is planned to be made operational in 2012.
• H2 Regional Air Base is planned to be made operational in 2012.
• Suwayrah Regional Air Base is planned to be made operational in 2012.

There was a reported survey of an area near Tikrit for establishing a helicopter base in February 2009, however, there was no report on the results of the survey.  Also, there are several operational civilian airports and current coalition airbases that could be used by the Iraqi Air Force that have not been mentioned as future Iraqi Airbases in reporting. 

In addition to the eight identified (nine if FTW included) operational squadrons, at least 17 more have planned squadrons have been identified by aircraft orders, proposed aircraft orders and training: 

• 5x Fighter Squadron:  The Iraqi Air Force Chief of Staff has stated that he wants to buy at least 96 F-16C/D by 2020.  There is also speculation by Multi-National Force-Iraq's commanding general and the US Secretary of Defense concerning the possibility of used US F-16s being sold or donated to the IZAF.
• 2x Light Attack Squadron: While 36 AT-6B were authorized to be ordered, no report of an actual order has been reported.  Even if this order is delayed or cancelled, the requirement for these light attack aircraft exists.
• 1x Training Squadron:  Between 15 and 20 T-6A trainers have been ordered for delivery by the end of 2011.
• 1x Training Squadron:  No delivery schedule has been published for the 20 Lasta-95 trainers ordered from Serbia.
• 1x Training Squadron:  While T-50s have been reportedly ordered from Korea for the jet trainer role, numbers of aircraft and other potential ground-attack variants have not been officially reported.  It is probable that two or more Attack Squadrons are also ordered or will be.
• 3x Transport or Special Operations (Helo) Squadron:  Five squadrons of personnel for MI-17s have been reportedly trained.  Two of those squadrons (4th and 15th) are operational.  Another squadron's worth of the special operations variant of the MI-17 is ordered and are to be delivered by August 2010.  The remaining two squadrons of trained cadre are to be equipped at a later date.
• 2x Armed Recon (Helo) Squadron:  One squadron's worth of Bell-407s has been ordered for delivery by 30 Aug 2011.  The option for another squadron's worth is expected to be exercised and delivered by October 2012.
• 2x Attack (Helo) Squadron:   One squadron's worth of  EC-635s have been ordered for delivery in 2011.  The option for another squadron's worth is expected to be exercised and delivered in 2012.

While the remaining planned 15 squadrons of IZAF aircraft are not identified in reporting, they can be speculated on (SWAG):

• 2x possibly 4x Attack Squadrons with A-50s from Korea.
• 5x Fighter Squadrons of additional US, French, and/or Chinese aircraft.
• 1x Transport Squadron of additional C-130 or other medium transports.
• 4x possibly 5x Special Operations or Transport (Helo) Squadrons of MI-17s.  Expect five special operations squadrons supporting ISOF and four-to-five transport squadrons supporting the Iraqi Army.
• 1x Reconnaissance Squadron.
• 1x Naval/Marine Support Squadron.  It might be 2nd Squadron re-designated and further equipped.  If so, then the additional transport (Helo) squadron will be needed.

Direct support of the four planned Iraqi Army corps will probably be from four Air Wings (Aviation Brigades) composed of a reconnaissance squadron, a (MI-17) transport squadron, and either an armed recon or attack (Helo) squadron.  Each of those wings would be under the operational control of the army corps.  It is also possible that the Kurdish Regional Guards will be designated a corps.  If that happens, they may or may not get a wing. 

Five special operations squadrons are expected to be direct support to the Iraqi Special Operations Force brigades:  One special operations squadron to support each ISOF brigade.  One is already operational and another squadron's worth of special operations configured MI-17s is on order for deliver by the fall 2010.

The additional fighter and ground attack aircraft are needed to build a credible air defense against the most likely threats.  The Iraqi Air Force Chief of Staff has stated he wants an air force comparable to Iran or Turkey.

In addition to the Iraqi Air Force, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MoI) has been shopping for aircraft.  In August 2008, Ministry of Interior officials were reported reviewing helicopters.  The types of helicopters they were reviewing were the same types used by the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.  This indicates the helicopters were meant to be support for the Emergency Response Brigade.   The Emergency Response Brigade is expanding and expected to become an eight brigade force.  That means that eight special operations squadrons would be required to support those brigades.

Additional helicopter squadrons might be desired for MoI's Federal Police.  At least one battalion in each Federal Police division has had air assault training.  Half of the 1st Federal Police Division's battalions have had air assault training and experience.  An additional aviation brigade to support the Federal Police is very likely planned.

MoI's Department of Border Enforcement and the Ministry of Oil's Oil Police Directorate already receive reconnaissance support from the coalition and Iraqi Air Force.  Given the low priority for funding for those forces, the Iraqi Air Force will probably remain their primary support.