F-16 Fighting Falcon News

November 24, 2025 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The United States has awarded Vectrus Systems Corp. a $252 million contract to continue providing maintenance and support services for the Iraqi Air Force’s F-16 fleet.
The agreement follows a previous $118 million contract signed in June, underscoring Washington’s ongoing commitment to keeping Iraq’s F-16 operations fully mission-ready.

Under the new contract, Vectrus will deliver base operations support, life-support services, and security functions at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base in Salah al-Din province. All work is scheduled to be completed by September 24, 2026.

The award extends more than a decade of U.S. contractor involvement in sustaining Iraq’s F-16 program. Despite challenges in previous years—including temporary contractor withdrawals caused by security threats—support has remained steady, ensuring the Iraqi F-16 fleet stays operational. According to Army Recognition, maintaining consistent contractor presence has been essential to preserving readiness and flight safety.

Iraq currently operates 34 F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft, delivered between 2014 and 2017. The jets form the backbone of the Iraqi Air Force’s fixed-wing combat capability and are its primary platform for air-to-ground and precision-strike missions.

The fleet is based at Martyr BG Ali Flaih Air Base (formerly Balad Air Base), located 60–70 km north of Baghdad. Since their arrival in 2014, the aircraft have played a major role in operations against the Islamic State under Operation Inherent Resolve.

Reliable sustainment remains critical for Iraq, as the F-16IQ program includes advanced systems—such as the AN/APG-68(V)9 radar, modern defensive suites, and precision-guided munitions—that require ongoing technical expertise.

With the new contract in place through 2026, Iraq’s F-16 fleet is expected to remain fully capable of meeting current and future security demands, including counterterrorism operations and regional air defense requirements.