Iraq seeks rockets, vehicle spare parts

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Congress has been notified that Foreign Military sales deals are in the works for Iraq for spare parts and more than 20,000 laser-guided rockets.

The required notifications were made by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which said both possible contracts -- worth a combined total of $697 million -- had already won approval from the U.S. State Department.

The proposed sales "will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner," the agency said, and "directly supports the government of Iraq and serves the interests of the people of Iraq and the United States."

The first deal, worth an estimated $600 million, is a Foreign Military Sales Order II contract to provide funds for blanket order requisitions under a Cooperative Logistics Supply Agreement.

The CLSSA is for spare parts to support M1A1 tanks, M1070 heavy equipment tactical trucks, M88A1/2 tank recovery vehicles, M113 vehicles, M198 towed Howitzers, M109A5 self-propelled Howitzers, High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles, and heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks.

Spare parts and other items covered include heavy and light machine guns, common repair sets, and additional authorized items with associated equipment and services.

"Iraq requires continuing procurement and repair of spare parts through the U.S. Government's FMSO II program in order to maintain its military fleets of tanks, vehicles, and other associated equipment," DSCA said. "The spare parts and repair sets to be procured under this proposed sale are critical for maintaining these ground transportation vehicles in operational condition."

The principal contractor would be General Dynamics Land Systems in Michigan. U.S. government or contractor representatives would not be required to travel to Iraq.

The second proposed contract is for as many as 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, or APKWS, and associated equipment, parts and logistical support.

The APKWS is a 70mm Hydra rocket fitted with a laser guidance and control section between the warhead and rocket motor with standard tools. It is fired from helicopters.

"The proposed sale will improve Iraq's capacity to sustain security operations and strengthen its internal and external defense capabilities," DSCA told Congress. "The sale of APKWS will increase the Iraqi Army Aviation Command's ability to carry out operations against terrorist forces while significantly reducing risk to civilians."

Included in the sales package would be weapon and test support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, transportation, and technical and logistics support services.

BAE Systems in New Hampshire would be the principal contractor. Multiple trips to Iraq by U.S. government and contractor representatives would be required over a three-year period for program management, technical reviews, training, maintenance support, and site surveys, the agency said.

Coincidently, the FMS notifications follow a Department of Defense statement that it will not deliver F-16 fighter aircraft to Iraq due to the security situation in the country, where the government is battling the terrorist army of ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is also known by the acronym ISIS.

Eight F-16 Fighting Falcons were procured by Iraq through the FMS program and the first three were to be delivered next month to Balad Air Base, located in the so-called Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad. Gains in the area by ISIS, however, forced the evacuation of contractors from the base who were to have provided support for the aircraft.

The planes are now to be delivered to a U.S. Air Force base in Arizona, where Iraqi pilots are training on F-16s.