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IRAQI AIR FORCE REVISITED. I posted a bit in October on the progress (or lack thereof) being made by the Iraqi Air Force. Long story short, the force was virtually non-existent, and the lack of attention given to it carries some long-term implications for the relationship of the United States to whatever kind of state develops in Iraq. David Axe at Danger Room has an update:
Looking ahead, the IAF might rebuild its fighter force in a decade or so, [USAF Brigadier General Stephen] Hoog says. In the meantime, for close air support, "the first capability you�d see would be turboprop-based, but there are no hard plans."The service needs more people to fly and maintain all these new aircraft at the IAF's four main bases: one each in the north and souh and two in and around Baghdad. "Air Force strength is just under 1,000 including 83 to 86 cadets. But they're authorized 2,900. The goal this year is to expand from 950ish to 1,900-2,000 in a controlled fashion. The first thing is to rehire old IAF folks: air traffic controllers, maintanence personnel, warrants, aviation pilots. The IAF has got a significant rehire process underway as we speak." But as result of relying largely on former Saddam-era IAF personnel, the new IAF is rather, um, mature. The average age of a current IAF pilot is 45 years.Right now, the IAF lacks a single fighter aircraft. and it's ground support capability is extremely limited. "Who cares" is an appropriate response for the moment, but for Iraq to become a viable, defensible, independent state in its current location it will require an air force capable of contesting control of the sky and of supporting ground forces. Otherwise, even a post-withdrawal Iraq will be utterly dependent on military support from the United States. Of course, some may understand this to be a feature, not a bug.
--Robert Farley
