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Jordanian EC635
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Iraq’s air force is growing, slowly. The force still has no fixed-wing combat aircraft, but a handful of helicopters, transports, and surveillance aircraft are beginning to create a set of limited core capabilities. Bell Helicopter’s 407 has been picked as Iraq’s ARH armed scout helicopter, and they may soon be accompanied by agreements to buy AT-6B trainer/light attack turboprops, Korea’s T-50 family of trainers and lightweight jet fighters, and eventually even American F-16s.

The Bel 407 ARHs would operate beside Iraq’s fleet of Russian-designed Mi-17 medium helicopters (which have been armed), and a handful of Bell Huey-IIs. Now it seems that a 4th type is likely to enter service. The Bell 407 could serve dual duty in the light utility role, and so could its Huey-IIs. But Iraq is diversifying its options, and its fleet, with the first military order from France since 1990…

Contracts and Key Events

EC635, armed
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March 25/09: French media report that Iraq has signed a EUR 360 million ($488 million equivalent) for 24 EADS Eurocopter EC 635 light twin-engine helicopters, plus training and maintenance, during a meeting in Paris between French defense minister Herve Morin and his Iraqi counterpart Abdul Qader Obeidi.

In February 20089, French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid the first French visit to Baghdad since Saddam’s overthrow by an American-led coalition. He promised French help to Iraq, and singled out defense as one area of potential cooperation. Morin also announced that Paris was going to “re-open a military mission to Baghdad” at the French embassy in Baghdad “from this summer…. We want to return to the relations that France had (with Iraq) up until the 1980s [under Saddam Hussein, when] a large part of the Iraqi army was trained in France and equipped with French military equipment.”

Iraqi Minister of Defence Obeidi, in turn said the deal would reinforce the “independence” of his country and “facilitate the agreement with the United States on the withdrawal of American forces.” A number of Middle Eastern countries are careful to maintain defense supplier relations with several countries, as a way of spreading political risk and gaining influential friends. Saudi Arabia is perhaps the best example of this strategy, with separate land divisions equipped with American or French equipment, while dividing aircraft purchases between the USA and Britain, and buying top-line naval ships from France. Agence France Presse | Radio France Internationale.

Nov 2/08: A briefing [PDF] from Iraqi General Nasier Abadi, Vice Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Joint Forces specifies Iraq’s interest in EC635s, which could be seen as Eurocopter’s successor to the famous SA 341/342 Gazelle.

EC635s can be armed, or used as a light utility and search-and-rescue helicopter. Sales have not reached the Gazelle’s impressive level of international success yet. Customers to date include Jordan (13) and Switzerland (18), both of whom use it in light utility and search-and-rescue roles. Jordan actually bought Portugal’s helicopters after the contract was cancelled, and Eurocopter reportedly claimed that disagreements over the integration of weapons systems played a significant role.

July 17/08: Rumors mention Iraq’s interest in up to 50 used SA 341/342 Gazelle helicopters from France or Britain. Saddam’s armies used the French Gazelle helicopters in an armed scout and light attack role from the 1970s onward, and Britain has deployed SA 341 utility variant Gazelles to Iraq since 2003.

Additional Readings

• Eurocopter – EC632 P2/T2. The difference is their engines: P2 for Pratt & Whitney’s 206B2 turbines, and T2 for Turbomeca’s Arrius 2B2 turbines.

• Air Force Technology – EC 635 Twin-Engined Light Combat and Ground Support Helicopter, Europe

• Wikipedia – Eurocopter EC635