Baghdad Advances Talks for Advanced Combat Aircraft Acquisition
Iraq is reportedly in advanced discussions with France to acquire 14 new-build Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 fighters, with a potential contract signing in 2026. The package would include 10 single-seat Rafale C and 4 two-seat Rafale B aircraft, along with a weapons package and training. This development comes as Iraq seeks to diversify and rebuild its combat aviation capacity, amid challenges with its US-supplied F-16IQ fleet. The news was first reported by AeroTime.