Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq’s F-16 fighter fleet can now be operated and maintained by Iraqi personnel, the Defense Ministry told Shafaq News, days after the US-led Coalition ended its military mission in the country on Sept. 30.
Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Yahya Rasool explained that Iraqi crews have handled flight operations, maintenance, fuel provision, and pilot training since 2025, while spare parts and replacement components continue to arrive through the manufacturer and established supply channels.
Iraq acquired 36 F-16IQ Block 52 fighters from the United States, comprising 24 single-seat F-16Cs and 12 twin-seat F-16Ds. Thirty-four remain after two were lost in training accidents in the US, according to defense publication Janes.
The first fighters arrived at Balad Air Base in July 2015, with deliveries completed in May 2019. They are now stationed at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base, formerly Balad Air Base, in Saladin province.
Read more: Iraqi Army after US-led Coalition withdrawal
Iraqi Control, External Supply
Rasool said Iraqi engineers and technicians underwent advanced training in the United States and at home in cooperation with specialized companies, with some now qualified to instruct other personnel.
Maj. Gen. Tahseen Al-Khafaji, deputy head of Iraq’s Security Media Cell, likewise confirmed that local crews fly and service the fighters without foreign personnel directing operations at the base. Routine maintenance is performed domestically, he added, although major overhauls can require manufacturer assistance and imported components.
The main challenge is no longer operating the fighters but securing a steady supply of parts and funding future upgrades, security expert Sarmad Al-Bayati told Shafaq News.
Some components must come from Lockheed Martin or, in some cases, through US bases in Germany, he explained, with existing agreements providing Baghdad access to those supplies. Upgrades, however, could cost millions of dollars depending on the systems involved.
US Support for the Fleet
The expanding Iraqi role has developed alongside US-backed contracts supporting the F-16 program. In June 2025, Vectrus Systems received a contract worth up to $118.02 million for operations, life-support, and security services at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base, with work extending through Nov. 30, 2026.
A further $252.05-million contract followed in November for services related to the Iraqi F-16 program, scheduled through Sept. 24, 2026. Both agreements were funded by Iraq through the US Foreign Military Sales program.
The vulnerability of this support structure emerged in 2020, when US contractors withdrew from Balad Air Base amid attacks and security threats against American personnel and facilities.
Forbes reported that several Iraqi F-16s became inoperable as maintenance and technical assistance declined. Lockheed Martin again relocated its Iraq-based team in 2021 over security concerns, although Iraqi crews continued servicing the fighters and conducting combat missions.
The disruption prompted questions about the fleet’s long-term readiness and speculation that Baghdad might seek alternative fighter aircraft, but the government continued funding the F-16 program.
Long-Term Readiness
Strategic affairs expert Ahmed Al-Sharifi told Shafaq News that Baghdad now needs a clearer long-term strategy for the fighters within its air force and broader defense relationship with Washington. He questioned whether the country could sustain the necessary technical capacity when critical components and specialized services remain tied to US companies and potentially vulnerable to changes in bilateral relations.
Al-Sharifi also argued that the Iraqi Air Force employs the F-16 across a narrower range of missions than the aircraft is capable of performing.
The US-led Coalition’s military mission in Iraq officially concluded on Sept. 30, according to Iraq’s Foreign Ministry, which said security cooperation with partner countries would continue through training, information exchange, and capacity-building.