Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq on Sunday pushed back against a recent Forbes report questioning the readiness of its F-16 fleet, describing the assessment as inaccurate and inconsistent with operational reality.

The Air Force Command argued that its forces rely on locally trained engineering and technical teams with certified expertise, stressing that foreign contractors maintain a limited role focused on supervision and the supply of spare parts requested by Iraqi specialists.

“The F-16 aircraft carried out 20,071 sorties between Dec. 1, 2014 and June 1, 2026, firing 2,753 Hellfire missiles and dropping 13,176 bombs of different types,” it added, noting that during operations against ISIS, the fleet flew more than 1,300 combat missions, killing 675 militants and destroying more than 280 hideouts and fortified positions.

Pointing to joint exercises with the United States, France, Italy and Jordan, the Command outlined plans to expand military cooperation with additional partners and continue efforts to upgrade capabilities and diversify the fleet.