Tag Archives | Aero Vodochody

Iraq Air Force resumes use of L-159 Strike Aircraft

By John Lee. The Iraqi Air Force has resumed tasking its Czech-made L-159 and Russian-made Su-25 strike aircraft again for operations during the quarter. According to a recent report from Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), the L-159's combat tasking is notable since it had not been used for operations in nearly 5 years. […]

Czechs may send Pilot Trainers to Iraq

By John Lee. The Czech defense minister, Martin Stropnicky, says he is planning to send about 30 instructors and military technicians to Iraq to train pilots for Czech-made planes. The Czech Republic agreed to sell 15 Czech-made Aero Vodochody L-159 light combat planes to Iraq last year, but according to a report from Associated Press the deal […]

Video: Iraq shows off New Fighter Jets

Reuters reports that Iraq showed off two newly-purchased fighter jets at Balad Air Force Base on Thursday. The Aero Vodochody L-159 subsonic jets, bought from the Czech Republic, are due to be used in the fight against the Islamic State group (IS, ISIS, ISIL).

Bribery Alleged in Czech Plane Deal

By John Lee. Iraqi politicians have reportedly made allegations of corruption relating to the sale of Czech military aircraft to Iraq. According to media sources, Iskandar Watoot, from the Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee, says corruption worth millions of dollars has accompanied the purchase of the L-159 subsonic combat planes, while Haitham al-Jubouri, a […]

Czech Deal for Combat Planes 'Complicated'

By John Lee. The weak Czech crown is complicating the reccently-agreed sale of the Czech L-159 combat aircraft to Iraq, according to reports from Prague Monitor and Hospodarske noviny (HN). The Czech government now wants Penta, the owner of the mediating firm Aero Vodochody, to pay it 850 million crowns ($35 million, 41 billion Iraqi […]

Czech Republic Sells Combat Planes to Iraq

By John Lee. The Czech government has approved the sale of 15 redundant L-159 combat planes to Iraq. Defense Minister Martin Stropnický said the government will receive 750 million Kč ($30 million) via the Aero Vodochody mediating company. Prague Post reports that the deal will give work to up to 100 people who will assemble […]

Czech Govt Postpones Decision on Iraq Jets

By John Lee. The Czech cabinet has postponed a decision on the sale of redundant L-159 subsonic fighters to Iraq. Defence Minister Martin Stropnicky said on Wednesday that "the way of assigning the proceeds from the sale to the Defence Ministry must be defined before the decision is made." Global Times reports that the Czech Defence […]

Czech Govt Seek Iraq Arms Deals

By John Lee. The Czech Foreign Minister, Lubomír Zaorálek and Deputy Defense Minister, Tomáš Kuchta, is to visit Iraq this week with a delegation of businesspeople to boost business deals, mainly in the defense sector. “Negotiations about the supplies of aviation technology, the pilots' training and the armoring of helicopters are underway there,” Kuchta told […]

Iraq to Buy Czech Fighter Jets

By John Lee. Czech aviation company Aero Vodochody has reportedly agreed to sell 12 L-159 subsonic fighter jets to Iraq, but the package must still be approved by the governments of both countries. Martin Danko, the broker for the deal, refused to reveal the price. According to Associated Press, Iraq had initially agreed to buy […]

South Korea Wins $1.1bn Jet Fighter Deal

By John Lee. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has signed a $1.1 billion contract with Iraq to export T-50 supersonic advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft. The deal for the 24 aircraft, which includes the training of Iraqi pilots, was signed today in Baghdad by KAI's President and CEO, Ha Sung-yong, Defense Acquisition Program Administration's […]

Czech/Iraq Aircraft Deal "Fails"

By John Lee. The planned sale of the Czech military L-159 planes to Iraq is reported to have broken down. Producer Aero Vodochody has allegedly limited the preparation for the production of 24 new planes to the minimum. The contract, which was announced last year, has not yet been signed, according to the Insider daily, but […]

Iraq to Spend $1bn on Czech Attack Jets

By John Lee. Iraq has agreed to buy 28 Czech-made Aero Vodochody L-159 advanced trainer/light-attack jets valued at $1 billion dollars (770 billions euros), a Czech defence ministry announced on Friday. Agreement to buy the 24 new planes and four older army surplus aircraft was reached at the end of a two-day visit to Prague by […]