Iraq receives new batch of KAI T-50 jets from South Korea
This picture shows KAI T-50 Golden Eagle fighter jets, recently received from South Korea, at a military base in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 12, 2018. (Photo by Xendan news agency)
Basra (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq received on Saturday the third batch of the T-50 jet fighters coming from South Korea, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Air Force.
The new shipment, composed of six KAI T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic advanced trainers and light combat aircraft, arrived safely at Martyr Mohamed Alaa Airbase near Baghdad International Airport, the statement read, without giving further details.
The newly-imported warplanes are expected to be used in the country’s fight against Islamic State remnants, who scattered across Iraq following the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens last year.
In December 2013, Iraq signed a contract for 24 South Korean T-50 fighter jets, plus additional equipment and pilot training over the next 20 years.
The contract was initially estimated at $1.1 billion, but the manufacturing Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said supporting the aircraft over 20 years will achieve total revenues beyond $2 billion.
The KAI T-50 Golden Eagle is a family of South Korean supersonic advanced trainers and light combat aircraft, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with Lockheed Martin. The T-50 is South Korea’s first indigenous supersonic aircraft and one of the world’s few supersonic trainers
Iraqi air forces, assisted by jets from a US-led international coalition, have been actively bombarding Islamic State militants’ locations in several Iraqi provinces as part of a major operation that seeks to completely eliminate the group after former prime minister Haidar al-Abadi announced last December the full liberation of Iraqi lands.