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Iraqi Air Force Marks Major Milestones (Tikrit)

Multi-National Force-Iraq

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Phoenix Base
APO AE 09348

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release No. 091216-02
December 16, 2009
Contact: pao@iraq.centcom.mil
DSN: 318-852-1334

Iraqi Air Force Marks Major Milestones

TIKRIT– The Iraqi Air Force celebrated the arrival of four training aircraft, a ground breaking for a new air traffic control tower, and the handover of facilities for an air college here Dec. 16.

The Iraqi Minister of Defense, Abd Al-Qadir Al-Mufriji was joined by Iraqi Staff Lt. Gen. Anwar Hamad Amen Ahmed, Iraqi Air Force commander, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq commander, and a host of other senior Iraqi and U.S. military officials to commemorate all three events.

"Today marks a major milestone in rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force and the security of Iraq,” said Lt. Gen. Barbero. “Much work remains, but the Iraqi Air Force continues to make significant progress, and today is another step forward."

The aircraft are the first of 15 T-6As to be used as a stepping stone toward training Iraqi pilots to handle more advanced multi-role fighters the air force would use in the future to protect Iraqi airspace. This $210 million joint U.S.-Iraq venture provides the aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force, along with flight simulators and associated training. The first eight, purchased by the Government of Iraq, will arrive at Tikrit by the end of January 2010. The last seven, purchased by the United States, are expected by the end of December 2010.

The construction of a new air traffic control tower at Tikrit, slated to be completed in the latter half of 2010, will provide the base with critical airspace control for its pilot training environment. The tower is planned at nine floors high and will incorporate an air traffic controller simulator in the base of the tower itself for on-site controller training.

In support of the new Iraqi air college that will offer its first courses in January 2010, U.S. forces handed over nine buildings to the Iraqis to be used as dormitories for student pilots. Eventually the entire college facility will be Iraqi operated and will have a capacity of up to 1,500 students learning in various levels of academic and flight training at any given time.

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS CONCERNING THIS RELEASE, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL SECURITY TRANSITION COMMAND – IRAQ PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY E-MAIL AT PAO@IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL OR BY PHONE AT DSN: (318) 852-1332 OR IRAQNA: 0790-194-0270. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION VISIT: WWW.MNSTCI.IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL.

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