Vehicle I-D: Iraq’s Super Hercules سوبر هرقل العراق

U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Matthew Marsilia, 21DEC2021.

On 21DEC2021, a U.S. designed Iraqi C-130J-30 Super Hercules landed Iraqi officials to inspect Erbil Air Base, as part of the official end to U.S. led coalition combat operations.

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Adaris Cole, 13DEC2021.

On 13DEC2021, a U.S. designed Iraqi C-130J-30 picks-up cargo at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. It has been revealed that since February 2021, Iraqi C-130Js have picked-up more than $18-million worth of U.S. taxpayer funded ‘free stuff’ on Ali Al Salem Air Base.

USA photo by Specialist Adaris Cole, 13DEC2021.

USA photo by Specialist Adaris Cole, 13DEC2021.

USA photo by Specialist Adaris Cole, 13DEC2021.

U.S. Army Reserve photo by Sergeant William Ploeg, 04AUG2019.

Iraqis conduct ‘C2 Checks’ on their C-130J-30, August 2019.

USAR photo by Sergeant William Ploeg, 23JUN2019.

USAR photo by Sergeant William Ploeg, 22JUN2019.

In June 2018, Lockheed Martin was given an $87-million contract to support the Iraqi Air Force, including ground equipment, spares, repairs and familiarization training on their six C-130J-30 Super Hercules, good until Summer 2022.  The actual ‘overall’ value of the contact is capped at $100-million.

USA photo by Specialist Antonio Lewis, 15FEB2018.

In February 2018, an Iraqi C-130J-30 dropped a load on the Besmaya Range Complex.

March 2017 U.S. Air Force video report, by Technical Sergeant Lance Daigle, about training the Iraqi Air Force to use their new C-130Js:

USA photo by First Lieutenant Daniel Johnson, 30OCT2016.

U.S. Army video, by Private First Class Christopher Brecht, of an Iraqi C-130J-30 arriving on Qayyarah West Airfield, 30OCT2016. The airfield was held by so called Islamic State, the Iraqi C-130J was the first coalition aircraft to land after Islamic State was removed:

In 2015, Lockheed Martin was given an $8-million contract to help maintain Iraq’s C-130E and C-130J transports, good until Summer 2017.

In 2014, the U.S. government approved a Foreign Military Sale to Iraq of $800-million worth of equipment, parts, training and logistical support for Iraq’s C-130E and C-130J transports.

The final three, of the original order of six, Iraqi C-130J-30s were delivered in April 2013.

Iraq’s first C-130J-30s were delivered by a ‘select crew’ from Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Wing (the first and longest serving C-130J Super Hercules unit, according to the Air National Guard).

By the end of 2012, Iraq got three brand new Lockheed Martin C-130J-30s, the first half of a U.S. Office of Security Assistance-Iraq’s Strategic Framework Agreement-Foreign Military Sale of six C-130Js.  The deal (presented to the U.S. Congress in 2008, the deal then ‘upgraded’ to include helicopters in 2009) was estimated to be worth $1.5-billion over the life of the program, and initially included four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 spare engines; six AAR-47 missile warning systems; two spare AAR-47 missile warning systems; six AN/ALE-47 countermeasures dispensing systems; and two spare AN/ALE-47 countermeasures dispensing systems.

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