Iraq seeks to strengthen its air defenses.. All eyes turn to South Korea

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[size=52]Iraq seeks to strengthen its air defenses.. All eyes turn to South Korea[/size]

[size=45]Translated by: Hamed Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]Iraq is seeking to strengthen its air defenses through options from multiple international origins, including South Korea, where Baghdad may find what it is looking for in terms of advanced weapons systems in this field, after it had previously obtained air defense systems from the United States and France.[/size]
[size=45]The American magazine Forbes mentioned in a report that Iraq recently announced that it is searching markets around the world for modern air defense systems by sending committees to several countries to negotiate contracts regarding them.[/size]
[size=45]While it is not yet clear whether Baghdad will eventually obtain these systems, South Korea may be the preferred country for several reasons.[/size]
[size=45]The magazine quoted the Iraqi army spokesman, Major General Yahya Rasoul, as saying in media statements on March 18, that “Iraq is contracting to purchase defense systems, and that there are technical and military committees that have visited a number of countries and made offers to them to obtain anti-aircraft air defense weapons.”[/size]
[size=45]The Iraqi Defense Minister, Thabet Al-Abbasi, met last week with his South Korean counterpart to discuss military cooperation between the two countries.[/size]
[size=45]The report indicates that while none of these recent developments confirm that Baghdad has chosen a South Korean air defense system, if true, this option would be preferable to other options.[/size]
[size=45]One of the most important air defense systems that Iraq acquired after 2003 was its acquisition in 2014 of the Russian Pantsir S-1 medium-range systems.[/size]
[size=45]In late 2010 and early 2020, Iraqi officials repeatedly indicated Baghdad's desire to obtain advanced Russian long-range air defense missile systems, the S-300 or S-400.[/size]
[size=45]But Iraq has first-hand experience when it faced difficulty in maintaining its fleet of Russian military helicopters, especially its fleet of Mi-17 helicopters, which are considered a vital air weapon for the army’s operations against ISIS.[/size]
[size=45]Since then, Baghdad has turned to alternatives from the United States, and the S-400 systems are much more complex than useful helicopters, so Iraq may not risk spending billions on such an offer.[/size]
[size=45]The United States is also an option, but many may not see it as an ideal option. There is a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024, which was passed by Congress, “to arm and train Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga forces to defend against attack by missiles, projectiles, and unmanned aerial systems.” However, it is possible that the United States will refrain from equipping advanced air defenses for Iraq if Baghdad insists on coalition forces leaving the country.[/size]
[size=45]Incidentally, in 2013, Iraq turned to the United States to obtain air defense systems. Baghdad requested that it be equipped with forty Avenger A N-TWQ1 air defense systems and three Hawk-21 batteries, which is an updated version of the medium-range Hawk-23 system.[/size]
[size=45]In the end, with Iraq at the time facing war with ISIS, it received only eight Avenger systems, and it is not known that it wants to renew that contract.[/size]
[size=45]Iraq had received long-range Tail Groundmaster 403 air reconnaissance radars from France, and it is not unlikely that Paris would also be prepared to sell air defenses to Baghdad.[/size]
[size=45]Coincidentally, Iraq's air defenses during the 1980s included Russian-made missiles manufactured according to the French CARRY systems for command, control and communications.[/size]
[size=45]Baghdad may buy French short-range Mistral or Crotal missiles to enhance its existing arsenal of Pantsir-S1 and Avenger air defense systems and total defense systems against drones.[/size]
[size=45]It may also choose long-range SAMT-T systems, which are more capable against cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.[/size]
[size=45]The report indicates that there is no doubt that South Korea would be willing to sell its new medium-range defense system, the Cheonggang-11 KM-SAM, to Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]Above all, it expressed its desire to sell its upcoming fighter aircraft, the Burami KF-12, to Iraq, which had previously purchased 24 T-50 Golden Eagle Supersonic aircraft for training purposes.[/size]
[size=45]Seoul even manufactured a special model of the aircraft, the T-50, for Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]This is why Iraq can obtain advanced air defense systems from South Korea whose features match the specifications of the Russian S-400 systems without any obstacles that may occur when purchasing them from Russia.[/size]
[size=45]About: Forbes magazine[/size]
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