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On Dec 10/08, the US DSCA announced a slew of official requests from Iraq to buy military equipment. Some of these requests will represent important upgrades for Iraq’s combat structure as a whole, such as the return of offensive air power represented by its armed reconnaissance helicopter and counterinsurgency/trainer aircraft selections. Other elements underscore the transitions required as Iraq shifts from having key command and logistics functions supplied by the USA, to performing them itself.
The US military uses DHS’ DRASH (Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelters) as instant briefing facilities and command posts, and now Iraq is looking to follow suit. The shelters are combined with requests for a large buy of communications equipment. The combination would make a big difference to Iraq’s command and control capabilities, as it continues to expand its force and looks to take over full responsibility for Iraq’s internal security by 2011 under a bilateral Iraqi-American agreement.
The requested equipment could cost up to $485 million, and includes:
* 64 Deployable Rapid Assembly Shelters (DRASH
* 1,500 50-watt Very High Frequency (VHF) Base Station Radios
* 6,000 VHF Tactical Handheld Radios
* 100 VHF Fixed Retransmitters
* 200 VHF Vehicular Radios
* 30 VHF Maritime 50 watt Base Stations
* 150 150-watt High Frequency (HF) Base Station Radio Systems
* 150 20-watt HF Vehicular Radios
* 30 20-watt HF Manpack Radios
* 50 50-watt Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency (VHF/UHF) Ground to Air Radio Systems
* 50 150-watt VHF/UHF Ground to Air Radio Systems,
* 50 5-watt Multiband Handheld Radio Systems
* Plus the usual ancillaries of ccessories, warranties, installation, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, contractor engineering and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support.
The principal contractors are:
* DHS Systems, LLC in Orangeburg, NY (DRASH command tents);
* ITT Corporation in White Plains, NY (radio option)
* Harris Corporation in Melbourne, FL (radio option)
* Harris Corporation-Defense Systems in Rochester, NY (radio option).
There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. U.S. government and contractor technical assistance will be required, but cannot be fully defined at this time. Attempts will be made to make maximum use of existing, deployed U.S. Military personnel. DSCA announcement [PDF].
