Posted on 11/17/2010 11:42:10 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Iraq, which has no combat aircraft, will be vulnerable to an air attack for at least a year after American troops leave at the end of 2011, the spokesman for US forces in the country said on Wednesday.
While Iraqi forces will largely be able to deal with any internal security threats after the US withdrawal, Brigadier General Jeffrey Buchanan told AFP the country will be at risk of airborne attack until at least 2013, when it hopes to take delivery of F-16 US fighter jets.
"There's a potential; there will be a gap in their capability that they would need to have a complete conventional defensive capability," he said in an interview.
"Air-to-air, air sovereignty, and really what we're talking about is a multi-role fighter ... What they're not going to have is a fighter. That's what the F-16s are for, but they don't come in until 2013."
For its part, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group think tank said last month that Iraq "will be unable to protect the country?s airspace until mid-2014 at the earliest, since they lack both an effective air-defence system and a genuine air force."
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
Like the laid off workers at Raytheon say, “Don’t give us purchase orders, give us export licenses.” Huge worldwide demand.
A wink to the Israelis... all clear for the run to Iran.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.