Iraq to receive French, American radar systems to tighten control of airspace
The MAMBA air defense system. Photo: The French Ministry of Armed Forces
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Defense, Juma Inad, announced on Sunday that advanced American and French radar systems for long-range detection will arrive soon in Iraq to control the country’s airspace, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Inad, during a ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the new Iraqi Air Defense Command Operations Center, revealed that the new operations center will be one of the Iraqi army’s edifices that provides great services to the Air Defense operations command.
Inad explained that the new operations center will be linked to the new radar system, which was agreed upon with the French company Thales. He added that this system will detect hostile air targets and will be deployed in different sites in the country.
Inad indicated that the new operations center will work upon the arrival of the new American radar system TBS 77. He added that this system will contribute to developing the Air Defense command to reach the highest levels of combat readiness in order to secure the Iraqi airspace, as it is a long-range detection system, without referring to the cost of the two systems.
Inad stressed that the ministry is exerting efforts to obtain medium and short-range radar systems to complete air sovereignty over all parts of the country.
Air Defense Commander, Maan al-Saadi, revealed that two long-range radar systems will be delivered to Iraq soon. He also confirmed that the opening of the new Air Defense Command Operations Center will be a qualitative transition to monitor the Iraqi airspace.
Al-Saadi added that long-range radar systems have been delivered to Iraq already and will be deployed in the southern governorate of Al-Qadisiyah and the western governorate of Anbar.