Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq on Sunday pushed back against a recent Forbes report questioning thereadiness of its F-16 fleet, describing the assessment as inaccurate andinconsistent with operational reality.
The Air Force Command argued that its forces rely on locally trainedengineering and technical teams with certified expertise, stressing thatforeign contractors maintain a limited role focused on supervision and thesupply of spare parts requested by Iraqi specialists.
“The F-16 aircraft carried out 20,071 sorties between Dec. 1, 2014 andJune 1, 2026, firing 2,753 Hellfire missiles and dropping 13,176 bombs ofdifferent types,” it added, noting that during operations against ISIS, thefleet flew more than 1,300 combat missions, killing 675 militants anddestroying more than 280 hideouts and fortified positions.
Pointing to joint exercises with the United States, France, Italy andJordan, the Command outlined plans to expand military cooperation withadditional partners and continue efforts to upgrade capabilities and diversifythe fleet.