I have not seen anything about Iraqs war planes since the war started, do they have any?
From the FAS website:
Does Iraq have an air force? Yeah, and are his arms tired!
Thank you, thank you, I’m here all week…
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/airforce.htm
Yes they do. (Hence the “no-fly” zones") How effective it is ATM, I am not sure. (Not at all against our boys, I’m sure)
In fact, there was some noise about a couple of going past the southern no-fly zone a few weeks back. (
Thanks
An often overlooked note: After the cessation of hostilities in 1991, Iraq still had the lion’s share of its helicopters. Estimates now are about 100 attack helos left, in the models Mi-24, PAH-1 Bo-105, SA-316 Alouette III, SA-321 Super Frelon, and SA-342 Gazelle. The Mi-24 and BO-105 were used as hunter-killer teams. I was an Air Defense Officer in Gulf War, Round One, and if they were going to stop us then, it would have been with helo-delivered chemicals at our choke points. They had the gear to do it. No idea what skills are left, or what condition they are in today.
Did they ever scramble any helos during the war? I recall them sending up a few planes, but I don’t remember anything about choppers.
They were flying at night, in a supply/communication role. They did NOT fly offensively, and thereby stayed off the bombing lists and survived, short term.
Quick story: There was a helo flying almost every night in the cultivated area just north of the E-W part of the Kuwaiti/Saudi border, north of Kibrit, S.A. The recon guys could hear it and see it, but not hit it. There was an experimental Stinger Night Sight, AN/PVS-18 or some such number, just in the testing phase, and we got our hands on one. We snuck a Stinger Team up onto the berm between S.A. and Kuwait using LAV’s from 2nd LAI (now 2nd LAR) Bn, and they camped out for two nights, waiting to nail that helo with a Stinger Missile fired at night. They watched arty battles with rounds flying over their heads, but no helo flew those two nights. The area was an Allied Air Exclusion Zone. NO Allied air was to be flown there those two nights, it was a Free Fire Zone for those two gunners.
Yes, Iraq has an air force. And you’re not seeing news of their planes in the air because they’re hoping to still have an air force tomorrow.
As was mentioned above, long before the end of the airborne attack phase of the Gulf War, Iraq quit sending their planes up, because all that happened was their combat pilots made a beeline straight for Iran, the only nearby neutral country.
You can send foot soldiers into battle out of fear of their sergeants’ pistols behind them. But if you send a fighter jet up, you’ve pretty much got to trust that the pilot will try to accomplish the mission. Right now, the Iraqi leadership can’t-so the planes are on the ground, and will probably stay there.
Isn’t the bulk of their fighter force still being “held for safe keeping” by Iran?
IIRC, an A-10 got an air-to-air kill when it shot down an Iraqi helicopter.
I would guess…not for long. Anything that flies and doesn’t have feathers is probably not going to be able to fly for much longer.
Yes. It’s called the Iranian airforce.