Report: Pentagon Clears $1B Military Equipment Sale to Iraq

The Defense Department has approved an approximately $1 billion sale of aircraft trainers, aerostats and ground military vehicles to the Iraqi military, Defense News reported Tuesday.

Marcus Weisgerber writes Iraq has purchased 24 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II aircraft trainers and related services for $790 million as part of the Middle Eastern nation’s goal to maintain stability in the country.

Iraq is also purchasing approximately $6 billion in Apache helicopters and associated equipment under a separate sales agreement announced in January.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has also notified the Congress about Pentagon’s approval for the $101 million sale of 200 AM General-built Humvees to Iraq, according to the report.

Defense News reports Iraq intends to equip the vehicles with machine guns, communications systems and training tools in order to further its oil infrastructure protection program.

Weisgerber writes the Pentagon also cleared Iraq’s acquisition of seven Raytheon (NYSE: RTN)-built surveillance aerostats and 14 deployment towers worth $90 million combined for command and control operations.