Iraq Army to receive 16 helicopters and 4,000 armored vehicles

Azzaman, January 8, 2007

Iraq has signed contracts for the purchase of armored vehicles and other weapons with European and U.S. weapons companies, a statement by the Defense Ministry said.

The statement did not say how much the contracts were worth but a defense spokesman said the value of Iraqi weapons purchases was conditional to budget allocations which he did not specify.

But the statement said most of the weaponry will come from the United States and will be a gift to the troops as part of U.S. moves to strengthen Iraqi forces.

It said the U.S. has pledged to supply the army with 4,000 armored vehicles and 1,800 Humvees and 16 helicopter gun ships.

The statement said the weapons were to arrive in March.

It said the ministry was doing all in its power to obtain the kind of weapons that will give the army an edge over “the terrorists.”