US reveals $1 bn arms deal with Iraq

The United States plans to sell nearly $1 bn worth of warplanes, armoured vehicles and surveillance aerostats to Iraq, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

The deal includes 24 AT-6C Texan II light-attack aircraft, a turbo-prop plane manufactured by Beechcraft that has 50 calibre machine guns, advanced avionics and can carry precision-guided bombs.

The aircraft and related equipment and services are valued at $790 mn.

The Pentagon's Defence Security Cooperation Agency informed Congress on Tuesday of the planned sale, which will go ahead unless lawmakers block the deal.

"The proposed sale of these aircraft, equipment and support will enhance the ability of the Iraqi forces to sustain themselves in their efforts to bring stability to Iraq and to prevent overflow of unrest into neighbouring countries," the agency said in a notice.

The sale is the latest in a series of US weapons deals with Iraq as Baghdad seeks to bolster its armed forces amid rising violence linked to al-Qaeda militants and sectarian divisions between the Shiite-led government and disgruntled Sunnis.

Iraq has previously agreed to purchase 36 US F-16 fighter jets.

This week's deal also included 200 "up-armoured" Humvee vehicles with machine gun mounts, worth $101 million.

The vehicles will help "Iraq's ability to defend its oil infrastructure against terrorist attacks," the agency said.

And Iraq purchased seven aerostats, airships or tethered balloons that rely on a buoyant gas, to provide surveillance for military installations and key infrastructure, it said.

The aerostats and deployment towers were worth about $90 mn.

In February 2014, Reuters reported that Iraq signed eight arms contracts with Iranian state-owned companies in November 2013, just weeks after Prime Minister Nouri Maliki travelled to Washington to lobby President Obama for more military aid to help combat al-Qaeda.

US State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki had stated at the time that if the deal for weapons and ammunition was confirmed, it “would raise serious concerns” since any transfer of arms from Iran to a third country would be a direct violation of UN Security Council resolution 1747, which seeks to constrain Iran’s nuclear and missile activities.

Furthermore, Psaki said that the US provided more than $14 bn in military and security equipment, services and training.

“We certainly view the government of Iraq as a partner in the fight against terrorism and we’re committed to supporting them,” Psaki had told the BBC.