Iraqi Army Aviation Command

Iraqi Army Aviation Command
قيادة طيران الجيش العراقي
File:Iraqi Army Aviation Emblem.jpg Iraqi Army Aviation Insigna
Active	26 June 1980 (1980-06-26) 2011 (Reshaping After 2003 invasion of Iraq
Country	Iraq
Type	Army aviation
Role	Aerial reconnaissance Air assault Airlift Airstrike Close air support Combat search and rescue Medical evacuation Military logistics ISTAR Support special operations
Part of	Iraqi Armed Forces
Command Headquarters	Baghdad, Iraq
Equipment	Helicopters UAVs
Engagements	Iran–Iraq War Invasion of Kuwait Gulf War 2003 invasion of Iraq Iraqi insurgency (2011–2013) Anbar campaign (2013–2014) Fall of Mosul
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief of Army Aviation	Lieutenant general P.S.C. Samir Zaki Hussein
Insignia
Country Flag
Command Flag	File:Iraqi Army Aviation Command flag.png

The Iraqi Army Aviation Command is one of the formations of the Iraqi armed forces, founded in 1980. It manages and commands the helicopter class as well as the class of Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs). It is a completely separate force from the Iraqi air force, currently led by the Lieutenant General Samir Zaki. It has had important and impressive roles in most of the Iraqi army's wars after its establishment such as the first Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War and its role in Iraq's war on terrorism in supporting ground forces, providing air cover in battles and targeting terrorist movements. This force reached its climax at the end of the first Gulf War, when the commanding cadres consisted of nearly 900 different helicopters.

History

Helicopters have been a part of the arsenal of global armies since their creation. For the most part their use was limited to transportation of personnel and logistical support to rugged areas which are difficult to reach by ground equipment or conventional aircraft.

During the Vietnam War, and as a result of the American forces engagement with battle in bushes and harsh terrain, light weapons were added to American helicopters for close air support operations, and that was the creation of armed attack aircraft.

With the technological development and the start of the use of unmanned aircraft, some armies began to use these types of aircraft under the command of army aviation.

Origination Of Aviation Command

Army aviation is a very precise specialization, and few countries have army aviation because of the accuracy it requires in completing the tasks entrusted to it. At the beginning of the nineteen eighties and with the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war, it became necessary to separate army aviation from the air force in the sense that the helicopters are preoccupied with the army's aviation, and are assigned their own tactical missions, while the air force is preoccupied with strategic duties. This resulted in the formation of the Iraqi Army Aviation Command in 1980.

The 90s

After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and its military repercussions in the second Gulf War (Desert Storm), the Army Aviation Command lost much of its equipment in military operations and Iraq was unable to rebuild its military force as a result of the United Nations decision to blockade Iraq and the deterioration of the state of readiness for equipment and personnel.

after 2003

After the United States and its allies invaded Iraq in 2003 and the civil administrator, Paul Bremer, decided to dissolve and rehabilitate the Iraqi army, the Army Aviation Command was dissolved and most of the military, logistical equipment and lots of infrastructure was dismantled. The United States then reconstructed the Army Aviation Command and supplied it with the necessary military equipment, logistics and rehabilitation of bases and airports.

Organization

Command

Army Aviation Command Headquarters: Baghdad

Academies and training centers

Army Aviation College

The College of Aviation is one of the formations of the Army Aviation Command. The college habilitates, prepares and trains pilot officers in various specialized and military sciences and skills, including navigation, flight theories, air conditioning, English language, communications and various military lessons in order to prepare them to work in all squadrons and air bases and continue performing their tasks in combating terrorism and defending the country. The college consists of five wings: Aviation, Teaching, Technical, Administration, supplies and Military Training.

Bases and airports

The Army Aviation Command uses military bases and airports scattered throughout Iraq.

Personnel

Army Aviation Command Commanders

Military Rank	Name	Duration
Lieutenant Major P.S.C.	Hamed Al-maiki	2005-2020
Lieutenant Major P.S.C.	Samir Zaki	2020- till now

Ranks

The ranks of the army aviation force are the same as the standard armed forces ranks, and because the army’s flight force is derived from the air force, it inherited the ranks of the air force and comes with epaulets of sky blue color and below the epaulettes are two wings of an eagle (indicating the pilots), technical officers, engineers and ground crews have the same rank form with the wings of an eagle. The wings of the eagle are on the red stripe in the case of the staff officer, the epaulettes used to be the olive drab or khaki of the Army but with wings.

Officers

lieutenant pilot	First L. pilot	Captian pilot	Major pilot	L. colonel pilot	Colonel pilot	Brigadier General pilot	Major general pilot	L. general pilot	General pilot

Soldiers and Warrant officers

Soldiers and warrant officers in Army Aviation Command constitute are the ground crew, responsible for set and preparation of the aircraft on the flight line as well as ground guidance. they are not flying the aircraft, so the epaulette have no eagle's wings. The soldier's uniform does not contain epaulettes.

Soldir	1stSoldir	Sergeant	Corporal	Chief S.

Equipment

Helicopters

This force reached its climax at the end of the first Gulf War, when the commanding cadres numbered nearly 900 different helicopters. The armament of the Iraqi army was generally from the eastern bloc. As a result of the policies followed by the Iraqi state, most of the helicopters were Soviet. After 2003 the United States armed the Iraqi army aviation with American and Western helicopters.

In October 2012, it was reported that Iraq had signed a contract with Russia to purchase weapons, including approximately 30 Mil Mi-28 helicopters. The agreement was confirmed on October 9. Part of the deal was later canceled due to the Iraqi parliament's condemnation of the deal on suspicion of corruption, but the Iraqi Defense Minister stated that "the deal will go ahead". The contract was already signed and included the Mil Mi-28NE helicopters, and deliveries began in September 2013. Another 10 aircraft of the same model were delivered in January 2014.

The Army Aviation currently owns 175 operational helicopters, including 15 attack helicopters, out of 300 purchased, including 67-114 heavy attack helicopters (it is scheduled to reach 500 helicopters), as follows:

name	image	origin	type	number	notes
Helecopter/Aircraft
bell 206		United States	multi role helecopter	10
bell 407		United States	multi role helcopter and training	27 3
Bell OH-58 Kiowa		United States	Training	8
Eurocopter EC635		France	Light attack	24
Bell UH-1 Iroquois		United States	Multi purpose	15
Mil mi-8		Soviet Union	Transport	Unknown
Mil mi-17		Soviet Union	Multi purpose	22
Mil mi-24		Soviet Union	Attack	15
mil mi-35		Russia	Multi purpose	18
Mil mi-28		RussiaSoviet Union	attack	14	called Night hunter in the aviaiton command

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

File:Iraqi Amy Aviatin CH-4 UAV.jpg

CH-4 of The Iraqi Army Aviation

Iraq has contracted for 14 CH-4 medium-altitude and long-range (M.A.L.E.) UAV from China, used for reconnaissance and treating targets using precision-guided missiles.

Losses of helicopters destroyed during the fight against ISIS

Helicopters	origin	downed/ destroyed
bell 407	United States	1
Mil mi-17	Soviet Union	1
Mil mi-28	Soviet Union	1
mil mi-35 m	Russia	1
Total		4