Iraqi Air Force rebuilds with assistance from U.S. Air Force at COB Speicher

Photo By 1st Sgt. Jessica Barnett | U.S. Air Force Major Damien Ludwick, an assistant director of operations with the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron, uses a model of the Hawker Beechcraft T-6A aircraft to brief U.S. and Iraqi Airmen on possible hazards and expectations prior to conducting a formation training flight, at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq, March 31.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IRAQ

03.11.2010

Story by Spc. Jessica Barnett 

135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq —Iraqi air force pilots train with the U.S. Air Force 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron as they work to rebuild and regain air sovereignty.

The Iraqi Air Force College opened its doors at Contingency Operating Base Speicher with the support of the 52nd EFTS instructor pilots, March 11.

A small group of Iraqi pilots were selected by Iraqi Air Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Anwer Hamad Amen Ahmed to conduct training with the 52nd EFTS at COB Speicher. The pilots ranged from new first lieutenants, who have only been flying for the last three years, to lieutenant colonels with 28 years of experience.

To implement this program, the Iraqi air force purchased a total of 15 Hawker Beechcraft T-6 military trainer aircraft, eight of which are currently at COB Speicher.

The training consisted of eight days of academics, including an introductory level systems class combined with formation and aerobatics maneuvering, according to Lt. Col. Jeffrey Myer, operations officer of the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron.

"These classes prepared them for the six flights with the 52nd EFTS pilots. The flights allow the Iraqi pilots to witness firsthand what the planes are capable of," said Myer.

The Iraqi Air Force pilots selected to go through the training play a vital role in their country's future.

"When the Iraqi instructor pilots graduate, these pilots can begin training our cadet pilots," said Anwer. "It is very important for us that we can depend on ourselves after 2011, for training our pilots for our future."

"Overall, this helps with the military drawdown. And the goal there again is that the Iraqis need to provide for their own defense," said Myer. "Just as we have been training their forces on the ground … the Iraqis are ready to take the lead on defending their air space. In doing so, it reduces the need for us to provide that protection in their air space, allowing us to withdraw or reduce our air footprint here in Iraq."

"As the Iraqi air force, we are moving in the right direction," said Iraqi Air Force 1st Lt. Harith Nabil Abdulkader, an Iraqi Air Force College student. "This is one of the baby-steps into the right direction. I am very happy to be one of the first pilots to go through this course."

"What we [the 52nd EFTS and Iraqi Air Force] are doing right now lends itself to the government of Iraq being stable in the future," said Westbrook. "It lends itself for the people of Iraq to be a sovereign nation, to defend them and to move forward into a world where they are now a free democracy that can stand on its own two feet. So it is very exciting to be a part of that history."

• Date Taken: 03.11.2010
• Date Posted: 05.01.2010 03:47
• Story ID: 48968
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ