Baghdad: F-16 upkeep fully domestic

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi engineers and technicians have handled 100% of maintenance on the country’s F-16 fighter jets since 2025, Defense Ministry spokesperson Maj. Gen. Yahya Rasool told Shafaq News on Sunday, saying the work no longer relies on foreign personnel.

Rasool said maintenance, aircraft operations, fuel provision, and pilot training are now handled entirely by Iraqi personnel. Iraq only needs the aircraft manufacturer to provide spare parts, he added, describing that as normal practice in dealings with aircraft manufacturers worldwide.

Many Iraqi F-16 engineers and technicians participated in advanced training courses in the US, while others were trained inside Iraq in cooperation with specialized companies, Rasool said. Some are now capable of training other personnel.

The Global 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.

Iraq procured 36 F-16IQ aircraft, two of which were lost in training accidents in the US, according to defense publication Janes, which reported that the Iraqi Air Force fields 34 of the fighters.