Iraqi airmen officially have their own U.S.-supplied F-16 warplanes.
“After years of preparation & training in the U.S., Iraqi pilots today landed the 1st squadron of Iraqi F16s in #Iraq,” said Brett McGurk, President Obama’s deputy envoy for the international coalition against the Islamic State, on his social media account.
The Iraqi defense ministry’s website also read “Arrival of four F-16s at Balad Air Base,” Defense News reported Tuesday.
The website said that the delivery of the aircraft was delayed because of lingering security concerns at Balad Air Base. Once security improved to a point where contractors could maintain the jets, they were delivered.
Iraq has ordered 36 F-16s in total.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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