Iraq agrees on deal to buy 12 Airbus military helicopters

Iraq reached an agreement on Thursday to purchase a dozen Caracal H225M multi-role combat helicopters from European aviation giant Airbus, said an AFP journalist who witnessed the signing ceremony.

Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbassi attended the signing ceremony for the deal in Baghdad alongside the French ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, and a representative of Airbus Helicopters, the AFP journalist said.

Arnaud Montalvo, head of Airbus Helicopters for the Middle East, said the agreement was for 12 H225M helicopters to be delivered starting in early 2025. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Durel said the agreement stemmed from “exchanges and discussions” between French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.


AFP