Iraq turns its eye on Russian weapons

Prince Darling wrote:

JohninMK wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:Iraqi pm haider Abadi meeting with dozen iraqi pilots training in Russia in may 2015.

Forget the reason for the meeting, just look with awe at that lighting rig relative to the size of the stage! Talk about overkill.

conference room by day, disco floor at night, the double life of this misterious room  

Its the conference Hall in the hotel where the iraqi delegation stayed... So it very well may have a second life as a cheesy pop disco!

sheytanelkebir wrote:

Prince Darling wrote:

JohninMK wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:Iraqi pm haider Abadi meeting with dozen iraqi pilots training in Russia in may 2015.

Forget the reason for the meeting, just look with awe at that lighting rig relative to the size of the stage! Talk about overkill.

conference room by day, disco floor at night, the double life of this misterious room  

Its the conference Hall in the hotel where the iraqi delegation stayed... So it very well may have a second life as a cheesy pop disco!

I'm a DJ and that don't look like any hotel disco I have ever seen, even cheesy. That is a serious amount of lighting, the only thing I can think of is that someone must have been on a backhander from the lighting supplier.

When i hear someone mentioning they are a "DJ", they are on the same level of usefullness as economists, celebrity journalists and finance speculators.

No offense...

This is the picture of ex-Syrian MiG-29M2 from 2011 and is practically the same as those MiG-35D, which are now build for the secret customer. If Iraq id the customer and take delivery of those 6 new build planes + ex Syrian, than they will get a whole squadron at the end of the year. I think they will all have Zhuk-M radar like MiG-29K, but if also Iraq receive R-77-1 missiles with them, than it will be far more capable in air defense duties than Iraqi F-16 with old Sparrow missiles and practically in pair with other fighters in ME. If Iraq buy them, than is also a question, how many they buy, but Iraq would need at least 3 regiments (72 planes) to secure air control over whole Iraqi air space.

JohninMK wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:Iraqi pm haider Abadi meeting with dozen iraqi pilots training in Russia in may 2015.

Forget the reason for the meeting, just look with awe at that lighting rig relative to the size of the stage! Talk about overkill.

I bet there's a killswitch somewhere for those laser beam projectors to turn on to kill a minister or audience section of one's choosing.

I think back in the day the rumour was that Iraq was supposed to get between 18 and 36 "MiG-29M2". The syrian order was supposed to be 12 plus an option for 12 more so 24. Judging from past RAC MiG financial reports, at least several (4 to 6?) airframes were already completed under the syrian order.
Of course, it would be quite a development for Iraq to get these MiGs. If so, maybe even the MiG-31 deal alleged earlier could become true (to discourage the turks and saudi scums becoming too cocky).

mack8 wrote:I think back in the day the rumour was that Iraq was supposed to get between 18 and 36 "MiG-29M2". The syrian order was supposed to be 12 plus an option for 12 more so 24. Judging from past RAC MiG financial reports, at least several (4 to 6?) airframes were already completed under the syrian order.
Of course, it would be quite a development for Iraq to get these MiGs. If so, maybe even the MiG-31 deal alleged earlier could become true (to discourage the turks and saudi scums becoming too cocky).

If Iraq order 36 MiGs, than it will be interesting to see, if they will be delivered faster than 36 F-16 from US.

Iraqi fighters are.ordered in multiples of 18. I doubt they have enough money for more than one squadron now. Unless Russia agreed to provide financing (which was discussed between Putin and Abadi... But like all things related to iraq everything is opaque and we can only make guesses based on very limited information releases).

medo wrote:

This is the picture of ex-Syrian MiG-29M2 from 2011 and is practically the same as those MiG-35D, which are now build for the secret customer. If Iraq id the customer and take delivery of those 6 new build planes + ex Syrian

The problem is I'm pretty sure that bort 747 has been induced into MiG prototype fleet. We've recently seen it being used to test tech for the MiG-35 like a new targeting pod. I also know there was another MiG-29M that was built at the same time (Bort 741 I believe) that has been used by MiG as a demo plane at airshows for awhile. So I don't think these planes will be getting handed over to this export customer. As for the other MiG-29M that were predicted to have been built for Syria we've never seen them as far as I know. They could be locked away somewhere or they were never completed in the first place.

I think that the 6 airframes that are to be built this year are going to all be two seaters to be used to train the pilots on with the single seaters to follow in the coming years. If the customers does turn out to be Iraq we probably won't see an active squadron till 2018 or 2019.

Really wish we knew who these planes were for. We'll have to wait till they are painted to start to get some idea but my guess that won't happen straight away.

In "Rosoboronexport" there is no information about possible deliveries of BMP-3s to Iraq

MOSCOW, September 30 - RIA Novosti. "Rosoboronexport" has no information about the alleged planned deliveries to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Russian BMP-3s, the company declined to comment on the statements made ​​in the media about this representative of the company producing this technique, said Wednesday RIA Novosti press Secretary of "Rosoboronexport" Vyacheslav Davidenko.

Earlier Wednesday, Russian media reported with reference to the first vice-president and co-owner of the concern "Tractor Plants" Albert tanks that Iraq plans to purchase from Russia 500 infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3, Saudi Arabia wants to buy 950 units.

"Rosoboronexport" has no information on the subject and would not comment on the statement of the first vice-president and co-owner of Concern "Tractor plants" - said Davydenko.

It is "murky"

Iraq had already "ordered" T90S 2S19 BMP-3M in 2013... these were then "postponed" in 2014 after the ISIS takeover of Mosul and Tikrit and Iraqis moved instead to buy second hand armaments for the land forces in larger quantities instead to speed up deliveries (hence BMP1 and T72 and D20 guns etc... purchased in 2014).

At the time it wasn't aparent just when the Iraqis would resume with the original contracts for the "new build" land vehicles. Whether UVZ is now "starting" with the on-hold Iraqi orders now or not is unknown... but in the May 2015 agreement between Iraq and Russia the Russian side agreed to provide financing and bridge loans to cover Iraqi arms purchases... perhaps that allowed the "on hold" purchases to resume? who knows? we will find out if or when the stuff ships. That could also cover the delayed MiG35s... once again... no one knows for sure!

Sheytan said on IMF that according to rumours the first MiG-35s should reach Iraq in December. Nothing is confirmed though (not even if there's an actual order).

mack8 wrote:Sheytan said on IMF that according to rumours the first MiG-35s should reach Iraq in December. Nothing is confirmed though (not even if there's an actual order).

Who or what is the source of these rumours?

Flyboy77 wrote:

mack8 wrote:Sheytan said on IMF that according to rumours the first MiG-35s should reach Iraq in December. Nothing is confirmed though (not even if there's an actual order).

How or what is the source of these rumours?

Lower ranking iraq air force members (pilots and mechanics). There is no official release on the matter.

sheytanelkebir wrote:

Flyboy77 wrote:

mack8 wrote:Sheytan said on IMF that according to rumours the first MiG-35s should reach Iraq in December. Nothing is confirmed though (not even if there's an actual order).

How or what is the source of these rumours?

Lower ranking iraq air force members (pilots and mechanics). There is no official release on the matter.

Cool. Can't wait to see.

reports of more SU-25s delivered from Russia to Iraq.

sheytanelkebir wrote:reports of more SU-25s delivered from Russia to Iraq.

Yesterday, there were reports, that Iraqi air force use Su-30 fighters in their attacks on ISIS. Do you have any more informations regarding Su-30 or is there any photo evidence?

medo wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:reports of more SU-25s delivered from Russia to Iraq.

Yesterday, there were reports, that Iraqi air force use Su-30 fighters in their attacks on ISIS. Do you have any more informations regarding Su-30 or is there any photo evidence?

I think it's a misquote. I believe they mean new su25

sheytanelkebir wrote:

medo wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:reports of more SU-25s delivered from Russia to Iraq.

Yesterday, there were reports, that Iraqi air force use Su-30 fighters in their attacks on ISIS. Do you have any more informations regarding Su-30 or is there any photo evidence?

I think it's a misquote.  I believe they mean new su25

According to Sputniknews in Portuguese, they are actually Su-30s.
http://br.sputniknews.com/mundo/20151016/2459003/cacas-russia-iraque-primeiro-ataque-estado-islamico.html

Iraqi gov denied having Su-30 on saturday

Iraqi government announces budget for 2016. They will not sign any major arms deals due to lack of funds. Budget for ministry of defence and interior has been set at $19Bn. They will only have budget for small and medium arms as well as an additional 10,000 men to the payroll.

Russia Delivers 1,000 Chemical Protection Suits to Iraq

Iraqi Parliament Defense and Security Committee Chairman Haqim Zamli said that Iraq has a big contract with Russia in the sphere of military and technical cooperation, within a framework of this contract Baghdad received Sukhoi aircraft, tanks and other armaments including protection suits.

CAIRO (Sputnik) — Moscow delivered 1,000 chemical protection suits to Baghdad to ensure protection of Iraqi soldiers against mustard gas used by the Islamic State (ISIL) militant group, Iraqi Parliament Defense and Security Committee Chairman told Sputnik on Sunday.

“We have a big contract with Russia in the sphere of military and technical cooperation, within a framework of this contract we have already received Sukhoi aircraft, tanks and other armaments. Several days ago we received 1,000 protection suits. They are vital, because ISIL uses yperite [mustard gas] in its attacks in Syria and Iraq,” Haqim Zamli said.

He added that Iraq expects to renew the agreement with Russia, because the existing one will expire in the near future.

According to Zamli, Iraqi delegation is expected to visit Moscow in the coming days to discuss bilateral cooperation, including the possible request of the Iraqi side to launch anti-ISIL airstrikes in Iraq.

ISIL jihadists occupied vast territories of Iraq and neighboring Syria. Reports of ISIL fighters using chemical weapons in Iraq surfaced in the summer of 2014.

Russia has been conducting precision airstrikes on IS positions in Syria at the request of President Bashar Assad since September 30. Iraqi officials have repeatedly said that they could make a request for similar military assistance, however they have not made such a request yet.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151108/1029775470/russia-iraq-chemical-protection.html#ixzz3qutPkHPl

sepheronx wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:Iraqi government announces budget for 2016.  They will not sign any major arms deals due to lack of funds. Budget for ministry of defence and interior has been set at $19Bn.  They will only have budget for small and medium arms as well as an additional 10,000 men to the payroll.

Missed this post but: $19B is quite a lot of money!  Still enough to purchase plenty of small arms, vehicles like Hummers/Tiger-M's/Other such Alternatives, Kevlar, Ammo, heavier weapons, etc.  Besides those deathtrap of the hummers, what else does Iraq soldiers drive around in?

$19Bn is actually a massive drop from the MOD/MOI budget of just 2 years ago... It was near $27Bn then.

Most of the budget is used for:
1- salaries
2- pensions of the hundred thousand + old officers from saddams era
3- Food / fuel / transport / housing / infrastructure

leaving very little for actual capital purchases. In fact at the budget set for next year I don't even know where they'll get money for munitions let alone weapons.

Sadly the new "US style" Iraqi military spends most of its budget on "human resources" and "external contractors" even for cooking meals and delivering bottled water to pampered "career soldiers" who are only there for the paycheck.

If Iraq had an army "setup" similar to the pre 1990 days then they'd make a lot of work from that money...

Iraqi air defence command is supposed to show a new Russian radar delivered to them. It has a range of 400km

There is talk that Iraq will receive KA-52 helicopters soon

There is further talk of different aircraft that will be recieved by Iraq soon.

once again. all the above is simple "talk" by soldiers, nothing official has been released by Iraqi MOD or by Russian suppliers.