For nearly two decades, Iraq has lacked a sophisticated air defense system that counters air breaches or attacks carried out by drones from time to time. Since its invasion in 2003, it has obtained only short-range American and Russian systems, in addition to some radars that were rehabilitated from the remnants of the former army.

And the Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced last July that it had contracted with French and American companies to obtain advanced radars for high, medium and low detection, as part of its plans to enhance its defense capabilities, protect Iraq's airspace and impose air sovereignty over all parts of the country.

Al-Ziyadi revealed that there is an understanding between Baghdad and Washington to install advanced radars covering all of Iraq (Al-Jazeera Net)

advanced radars

The former deputy of the Security and Defense Committee, Badr Saegh Al-Ziyadi, says that Iraq had a sophisticated air defense system, but it did not cover the entire area of ​​the country.

Al-Zayadi adds to Al-Jazeera Net that there is a contract with the French government to provide Iraq with a more advanced air defense system, as well as the American radars controlling the Iraqi airspace are working well under the supervision of a trained Iraqi cadre, but their ranges are limited.

He stressed that Iraq's lack of an integrated air defense system affects the control of Iraqi airspace, noting that there is high coordination between the air monitoring of civil aviation and the military air defense command, in terms of accurate information about any air violations of any strange planes that penetrate Iraqi airspace.

The former deputy reveals that there is a high-level understanding between Iraq and the United States regarding the development of the Iraqi air system by installing advanced American-made and French radars, which will cover all of Iraq, and all Iraqi airspace will be under the control of the Iraqi air defenses, and Iraqi cadres are currently working with experts Specialists in the installation of these radars.

Al-Zayadi refused to disclose the locations of these radars, arguing that they are classified information, but the Iraqi News Agency had quoted military officials that the systems would be deployed in the governorates of Nineveh and Kirkuk (north), Anbar (west), Diwaniyah and Basra (south).

step late

For his part, writer and political researcher Dr. Anmar Nizar Al-Droubi attributes Iraq's delay in acquiring advanced radar systems to the fact that the American side was responsible for training and arming the new army, after the Iraqi air defense system was in the east, whether they were Russian or Czech systems.

Al-Droubi shows to Al-Jazeera Net that the dissolution of the former army prompted many air defense experts to migrate or retire, and some of them were arrested or assassinated, as this system is important and dangerous and needs mechanisms, basics and scientific, methodological, engineering and not only military rules.

He points out that, after 2003, Iraq entered a catastrophic and unprecedented phase of financial and administrative corruption, which affected even the defense establishment, along with other institutions such as health, education, electricity and others, as institutions became incapable of providing services to society.

Another reason that led to the delay in Iraq obtaining a sophisticated defense system was the US control of Iraqi airspace to protect its military bases, but this did not prevent Turkish violations to strike the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, according to Al-Droubi.

The political researcher stresses that air, land, and sea sovereignty are a complete and integral part of Iraq's sovereignty, but not having this system led to a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

Al-Droubi calls for the establishment of a specialized air defense institute to study advanced radar systems, and to seek the assistance of experts from abroad according to the systems owned by Iraq, so that the import of expertise will be based on that.

Al-Bayati warns that the Iraqi airspace is still infiltrated even with the presence of radars (Al-Jazeera Net)

In turn, the military expert Sarmad Al-Bayati supports what Al-Droubi referred to regarding the rampant corruption in the contracts of the successive defense ministries, where a lot of money was spent without interest.

Al-Bayati adds to Al Jazeera Net that one of the reasons that led to the delay in Iraq's possession of modern radar systems was that there was internal and external opposition to its possession of such systems, but today there are no parties that impede the operation of radars.

He explains that there are two French "GM 403" radars (GM 403) installed and 3 American radars, and there are French radars that detect high targets and low targets.

The military expert warns that the Iraqi airspace is still infiltrated even with the presence of radars, because the air defense system is not complete without the use of weapons that destroy targets that penetrate the airspace.

Al-Bayati calls on the Iraqi parliament to take the required measures to provide adequate funds and budget by instructing the Ministry of Finance to disburse funds for arming and strengthening the Iraqi army.

Causes and goals

For his part, the strategic expert Major General Dr. Jamal Ibrahim believes that the reason for Iraq's choice of the American radar systems is that they are advanced, as there is a race between the major industrial countries for military purposes.

It shows to Al Jazeera Net that all countries are trying to own radar systems that work efficiently in different atmospheres, conditions and weather, whether it is high heat, rain, dust and storms, or even in the absence of visibility, so these radars work with technical techniques that do not affect them or do not reduce their efficiency in any surrounding conditions. .

He pointed out that the purchase of advanced radar systems is very expensive, especially that the infrastructure, equipment and devices in Iraq have been destroyed, and the Ministry of Defense was rebuilt after 2005 through simple formations whose duties are limited to extending security in cities, and with the re-formation of the Air Defense Command in 2010, the need arose Because of the presence of these radars, they began to work at a high speed and with a steady development in order to rebuild this system, and NATO and America, in particular, contributed in bringing in a number of radars and equipping them for air defense.

Ibrahim reveals that the plan to rebuild the armed forces - including air defense - and reduce multinational forces needed the multinational forces to remain until 2030 and a part of them for 2035, but the issuance of orders and their exit in 2011 caused a very large defect in the completion of these systems.

The strategic expert continues that 4 country radars have been established covering very large areas, one in the northern region and another in the western region, as well as in the center and south, to detect violations.

He expressed his belief that the bombing of Dohuk (in the north of the country) last July renewed the demands of military planners on how to develop the radar system to deal with violations, and the development that has now taken place with drones and low-altitude planes made the need for the presence of radars that detect low altitude.

Marei ruled out Washington's submission of the Patriot system to Iraq because it does not trust the directions of the Iraqi state (Al Jazeera Net)

Expected results

As for the effectiveness and success of the new systems in protecting Iraq’s airspace, Hadi Glo Marei, head of the Political Decision Center for Studies, believes that this matter depends on the ability of the Iraqi forces to use them, with a focus on the ability to maneuver, speed of movement, and strike targets from nearby areas, ruling out the ability of this system to succeed. at present.

Regarding the measures that Iraq can take in the future when it identifies through the radars the parties that carry out the attacks, Marei expressed to Al Jazeera Net his belief that this is related to the ability of the Iraqi government to implement legal procedures, and until now no government has that ability due to the multiplicity of decision centers in the country. Iraqi.

Marei rules out Washington's willingness to provide the Patriot system at the present time, because it does not fully trust the orientations of the Iraqi state and the unstable regime, and therefore it will be satisfied with some types of conventional weapons.

A report published by the American magazine “Forbes” last March suggested that Washington cannot currently supply or loan Patriot missiles to Iraq to help it, and that Baghdad’s options in this are very limited, explaining that Germany, too, may refrain from selling or transferring Patriot missiles. To Iraq now because of its preoccupation with the Ukrainian war.