Iraq intends to renew discussions with the United States on its plan to purchase up to 36 F-16s, reports AFP. Chief Pentagon spokesman, Marine Col. David Lapan, said an Iraqi delegation will visit the United States in August “to discuss moving forward on 18 of the jets.” He said discussions remain in the “initial phase,” emphasizing that it could take “years” before a final agreement is reached, pilots are trained, and Iraq receives the first aircraft. Manufacturer Lockheed Martin said earlier this year it was confident that the potential foreign military sale would move forward. But just last month, an Iraqi government spokesman reportedly said the Iraqi defense ministry intended to postpone talks on the F-16s for a few years due to budgetary constraints.
The F-47 fighter will be run differently than previous fighter programs and share the same mission systems architecture as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told the Senate Armed Services Committee. That means advances in one will fuel advances in the other.