Iraqi Army receives seven Bell 505 helicopters from US
Shafaq News/ The Iraqi Army Aviation Command announced Tuesday that it
has received seven Bell 505 helicopters from the United States.
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is an American/Canadian light helicopter
developed and manufactured by Bell Helicopter.
In a statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense said the delivery is part
of "pre-arranged contracts aimed at advancing the country's military
training programs. The handover ceremony was attended by the representative of
the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Air Force Commander, senior officers
from the Ministry of Defense, the US Military Attaché, and a representative
from Bell Helicopter."
"This batch will significantly update and improve our training
system with modern aircraft," said Major General Mohammed Abdul Karim
Awfi, Commander of Army Aviation. "It will also help in preparing skilled
pilots capable of protecting Iraq's airspace and executing missions with high
efficiency."
In turn, the US Military Attaché described this step as "a
pioneering to enhance the command's capabilities and train pilots under
ambitious and advanced plans."
