Major General Pilot Tahsin Al-Khafaji, Director of the Directorate of Media and Moral Guidance at the Ministry, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the latest batch of “Bell 505” aircraft represents a qualitative addition to the Army Aviation College. He noted that seven aircraft arrived last year, while eight more have recently arrived, to be allocated for updating the training fleet. He confirmed that the selection of these aircraft was based on strategic studies prepared by the relevant authorities.
He pointed out the interest of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Minister of Defense, and the Chief of Staff of the Army in enhancing armament by acquiring advanced military equipment to meet security challenges and increase capabilities in providing support and assistance in difficult circumstances.
Al-Khafaji added that these aircraft will constitute a qualitative leap in the development of military training, expressing Iraq’s aspiration to acquire more advanced weapons. In this context, he confirmed that two French Caracal aircraft have already arrived, and two additional aircraft are expected to arrive this month or early next month, completing the receipt of six advanced aircraft by the end of December 2025.
Al-Khafaji affirmed that this step enhances Iraq’s position in possessing an advanced training fleet, supporting its military and strategic capabilities. This was stated by the Director of Media and Moral Guidance at the Ministry, Major General Tahsin Al-Khafaji, according to the Iraqi News Agency “INA”, which indicated his confirmation that Baghdad now has a comprehensive strategy for employing drones in surveillance tasks and handling targets of a complex nature.
He noted that Iraq currently possesses a number of advanced aircraft capable of executing surveillance tasks with high precision, with future plans to use other more advanced types to resist jamming and deal with the electronic warfare environment. Al-Khafaji added that the Army Aviation Command and the Military Intelligence Directorate are already beginning to operate these systems, while preparations are underway to increase capabilities in this field.
