Iraq reached a $664 million agreement with Pakistan to purchase 12 JF-17 Block 3 aircraft after more than two years of negotiations.
Iraq buy fighter jets from Pakistan: Pakistan and China jointly produce these aircraft, driven by a smart export strategy. Further, Iraq, Malaysia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and Myanmar have purchased their most recent variant, the JF-17 Block III, although Argentina had previously expressed interest.
Rumors suggest that Iraq has purchased 12 JF-17 Thunder Block III fighters at a cost of approximately $664 million. The specifics of the sale are still secret. The new fighters will replace the US F-16s, which are the only type of fighter jets currently in use in Iraq. Unfortunately, the US transferred the F-16s, and they rapidly degraded, becoming non-operational and necessitating costly repairs.
According to a comment by Jumaa Inad, the defence minister of Iraq, “We signed a contract with a Pakistani company to purchase aircraft.” regarding more than two years, there were negotiations regarding the sale of the jets.
The governments of Pakistan and Iraq gave their approval to the defence agreement. The successful JF-17’s newest version, the JF-17 Block III, might be a welcome addition to the Iraqi Air Force.