According to Iraqi media reports, on February 14, 2023, Abdulmir Yalalah, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, met with visiting senior officials of the German Defence Forces at his official residence. On the coffee table in the living room, there is a weapon model equipped by the Iraqi army, which has attracted everyone's attention.
Judging from the models, they are basically the active equipment of the Iraqi army, such as the M 1A 1 main battle tank imported from the United States, the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle imported from Russia, and the "Armor -S 1" short-range missile-gun combined air defense system. However, among these active weapons and equipment, a fighter is particularly eye-catching. Judging from the aerodynamic layout of its single engine and pointed arched strake wing, this is an FC- 1 Xiaolong fighter made by Ba Hang Industry.
For a country's armed forces, it is more or less serious to put a weapon and equipment unrelated to the Iraqi army in the office of a senior general like the army chief of staff and in a batch of active weapons and equipment. This is similar to the A-300 long-range rocket launcher placed by the Saudi Ministry of Defence. First, the model was made public by chance, and then it was found that the country's army had been equipped with this type of weapon.
Therefore, the appearance of "Jilong" fighters on the desks of senior Iraqi generals can also be interpreted as a side evidence that the Iraqi army is preparing to introduce or has introduced "Jilong" fighters.
Iraqi Defense Minister Anade announced to the media that the contract for the introduction of Xiaolong fighters has been basically settled through negotiations between Mahmoud, deputy commander of the Iraqi Air Force, and the Pakistani side. So it was agreed in 2022 and a model was released in 2023. It seems that this matter is true.
Judging from the contract signing and delivery cycle of large-scale weapons and equipment, the signing and delivery of military trade contracts is more complicated. First, the two sides should reach an intention of cooperation, and then sign an arms sales framework agreement. After the arms sales framework agreement is signed, the details will be finalized and then the contract will be formally signed. The main engine factory can only prepare materials for production, mass production is completed, and delivery can only begin after customer acceptance. At this time, it is the "arms sales we saw", that is, the "Xiaolong" fighter plane flying over Iraq.
Let's look at the military trade and delivery cycle of highly complex weapons and equipment such as fighter planes or ships. For example, in the contract for the export of 054AP frigates from China to Pakistan, the two sides reached cooperation intentions around 20 16. However, CSTC officially signed a contract with the Pakistani Navy in June 20 18, and finally officially delivered the first ship in June 2022. The entire military trade cycle takes six years from the formation of intentions, the signing of agreements to the delivery of products.
Another example is a contract for a country to buy Su -35S fighters from Russia. The contract framework agreement was formed on 20 13 and formally signed on 20 15. The first delivery took another two years, and the delivery was completed at the end of 20 16, and the whole military trade cycle was as long as three years.
Therefore, I don't know whether the contract between Iraq and Pakistan for purchasing Xiaolong fighters disclosed in early 2022 is a cooperation framework agreement or a formal procurement contract. If it is the latter, even after the contract is signed, it may be delivered to the Iraqi Air Force in 2023-2024. All we can see is a model that Pakistan sent to Iraq after signing the contract, which is a souvenir.
Tactically speaking, the reason why the Iraqi Air Force bought the "Xiaolong" fighter can be regarded as to replace or supplement those F- 16C/DBlock52 fighters in its hands. These F- 16 fighters were provided by the United States to the Iraqi Air Force from 20 15, with a total of 36 fighters. Among them, 28 are single-seat type C and 8 are two-seat type D, which will be delivered in 20 17.
Although the version number of the aircraft is relatively high and it is an advanced Block52 model, the United States still left some back doors when selling these aircraft. For example, F- 16C/D Block52 is quite advanced in the opposite attack capability, and can carry GBU series precision-guided weapons, etc. in order to meet the needs of the Iraqi Air Force's engagement with the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations. , and can also carry a "sniper" pod to execute target instructions.
However, these aircraft are poorly equipped in air combat capability, such as the lack of some special equipment to guide medium-range air-to-air missiles, and the difficulty in using AIM- 120C7 air-to-air missiles. The American view is that the Iraqi Air Force does not need air combat capability at all. AIM-9M melee bomb is enough. If you really want to fight someone, give it to the US Air Force.
To be fair, as far as the main combat opponents and imaginary enemies of the Iraqi Air Force are concerned, the Americans are indeed right. But which country's air force can tolerate that the fighters it buys can only be used for ground attacks, and it depends on the face of Americans to fight air battles?
The F- 16C/D Block52 of the Iraqi air force also relies on the technical support of Lockheed Martin for routine maintenance. After the outbreak of the epidemic in 2020, Lockheed Martin's technicians once retreated. In July 2020, the problem of poor adaptability of the Iraqi Air Force F- 16 fighter fleet broke out. Although the Iraqi Air Force urgently denied it, it was certainly not groundless.
American products must be banned, and European products also depend on the face of the United States. Russian products know something about MIG -35, but even if MIG -35 is in Russia's hands, it is only a futures, and the remaining products are only from China. J-10CE fighter seems a little too advanced for Iraq. Moreover, many functions of J-10C are duplicated with F- 16C/D, so the Iraqi Air Force may not use them at all. So after so many choices, FC- 1 "Xiaolong" fighter is the most suitable.
From the technical performance, although Xiaolong fighter is a light fighter, the active phased array fire control radar is as indispensable as the integrated electronic warfare system, even its performance. Compared with the AN/APG-68V5 plane slot array full waveform fire control radar equipped with F- 16C/D Block52 fighter, it is advanced by one generation, and it is not a big problem to hit F- 16C/D in the medium range interception capability.
The latest technical configuration of "Xiaolong" fighter is lighter than F- 16C/D in terms of the use ability of aviation weapons, but it is equipped with two air-to-air missiles, PL- 15E and PL- 10E. The performance of the former can be compared with that of AIM- 120C7 and AIM-9X.
Finally, even in the air-to-ground attack capability that the Iraqi Air Force is concerned about, FC- 1 Block3 Xiaolong can carry domestic GPS/BDS/INS guidance and laser-guided precision strike ammunition, or anti-radiation missiles and air-to-surface missiles, and even the aviation's sea power has shrunk. Although the strike configuration, mounting capacity and operational radius under specific mounting configuration are a little worse than F- 16, there is nothing unacceptable for the Iraqi Air Force.
After all, the joint operational radius of the Iraqi Air Force is so large that the problem of insufficient range under heavy load is completely acceptable to the Iraqi Air Force. In fact, the "Xiaolong" fighter is not the best option for the Iraqi Air Force, but it is definitely the most cost-effective option that can best meet the tactical needs of the Iraqi Air Force under the existing conditions. It is not only possible for the Iraqi Air Force to start the "Jilong" Block3 fighter, but also it may be very large.
If the order of Xiaolong fighter in Iraq can be successfully completed, it means that this model jointly developed by China and Pakistan has won orders from Pakistan, Myanmar, Nigeria and Iraq. The total number of exports has reached more than 300, and it is estimated that several European and African countries will be interested in this model. Although the order for 300 aircraft seems nothing, it is undoubtedly a huge technological breakthrough for the foreign trade of our advanced fighters.