The Iraqi government has witnessed a 15.56% expenditure growth in past five years with $17.1 billion increase on advanced defence equipment and military training for the year 2013.
In 2011, $11.6 billion was spent on weapons and training for the military. The budget allocated to acquiring advanced military hardware more than tripled in the 2013 defence budget, from US$1.1 billion in 2012 to US$3.7 billion in 2013.
The Iraqi Ministry of Defence initiated its military modernisation program with M1A1 Abrams battle tanks from the US, with follow-up orders on F-16 fighter jets, air defence missile systems, Apache helicopters and additional tanks. The country has also signed military deals with Russia and Czech Republic.
According to a new report from Strategic Defence Intelligence (SDI), the country’s defence and security expenditure is estimated to grow at a rate of 8.68% over next five years to reach US$26 billion by 2018. The country’s strong oil reserves will play an important role in supporting the country’s military initiatives and will supplement growth of the Iraqi economy with a CAGR of 9.93% over the next five years.
Iraq does not have a strong domestic arms industry, and many of its military goods are therefore imported. The US defence suppliers have dominated imports in the post war period, accounting for 75% of total arms imports by Iraq during the period 2008-2012. The country has also imported a large number of military goods from countries such as Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.
Surveillance operations involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and patrol vessels are expected to be an area of focus for Iraq until 2018. The government is expected to focus on protecting its high value assets, such as oil refineries, tanks, tactical trucks, armoured vehicles, and attack helicopters from insurgency attacks.
Iraq takes delivery of the first four Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships as part of a multibillion dollar weapons deal. Iraq expects to receive a consignment of around 40 Mi-35 and Mi-28NE attack helicopters by the end of the year in order to bolster its borders and for use in antiterrorist operations, according to RIA Novosti
Russia will soon supply over 10 fully armed and equipped Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters to Iraq under a $4.3 billion agreement signed in 2012
L-3 Link announced today that it has been awarded a contract modification from the U.S
Iraq is in talks with the U.S
The U.S
The U.S today announced a $900 million arms package to Iraq that would include 50 M1135 Stryker Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles among others
Michael Baker International has been awarded contracts worth total $838 million to support Iraq's purchase of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft under the US foreign military sales (FMS) programme. Under the contracts, the company will provide design, engineering, construction, and other services to support the deployment of the aircraft at Balad Air Base, Iraq, over the next three years
The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of 500 AGM-114K/R Hellfire Missiles and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $82 million. Iraq will use the Hellfire missiles to help improve the Iraq Security Forces capability to support current on-going ground operations
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