Used F-16s for Iraqi air defense?

BAGHDAD, July 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force will send a team to Iraq to examine ways to bolster the fledgling air force there with retired F-16 fighters jets, military commanders say.

The Iraqi army and navy have made advancements with the help of coalition forces. National forces took the lead over security measures from their U.S. counterparts in June, while naval teams patrol the vital port regions.

The Iraqi air force, however, is not keeping pace with the rest of the military divisions in Iraq. U.S. military forces in Iraq say the government needs the air defense capability to intercept other fighters, but may be unable to do so with new aircraft in time for the scheduled U.S. troop withdrawal in 2011.

U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq, said a U.S. team was scheduled to meet with Iraqi officials to find creative ways to address the gaps in Iraqi air defense, including the potential use of retired U.S. F-16 fighters.

"We're going to bring this team over here to try and get them some creative solutions that might allow them to have some capacity by 2011," said Odierno.

A $2 billion per year plan to overhaul the Iraqi air force envisions a fleet of 350 aircraft with around 20,000 air personnel by 2020.