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Iraqi Air Force receives final KAI T-50IQ Fighting Eagle

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Iraqi Air Force receives final KAI T-50IQ Fighting Eagle

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Iraqi Air Force receives final KAI T-50IQ Fighting Eagle
Iraqi Air Force receives final KAI T-50IQ Fighting Eagle

The Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) has received into service its 24th and final Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50IQ Fighting Eagle light fighter and trainer aircraft. T-50IQ is an Iraqi Air Force version of the FA-50 light attack variant of the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic advanced trainer jet. The IqAF fields the twin-seat T-50IQ primarily as a lead-in fighter trainer for its 36 Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters. Basic flight training takes place on Serbian Utva Lasta 95 piston-engined aircraft, with intermediate training on the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II turboprop.

Iraq was negotiating the acquisition of T-50 trainer jets, having first publicly expressed official interest during the Korea–Iraq summit in Seoul on 24 February 2009. In April 2010, Iraq reopened the jet lead-in fighter-trainer competition for 24 aircraft, in which TA-50 competed.[93] In December 2013, it was announced that Iraq signed a contract for 24 aircraft of the FA-50 variant designated T-50IQ, plus additional equipment and pilot training over the next 20 years. Deliveries were to begin in April 2016, with all aircraft to be delivered over the next 12 months.

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The KAI T-50 Golden Eagleis a family of South Korean supersonic advanced trainers and light combat aircraft, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with Lockheed Martin. The T-50 is South Korea’s first indigenous supersonic aircraft and one of the world’s few supersonic trainers.[6] Development began in the late 1990s, and its maiden flight occurred in 2002. The aircraft entered active service with the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) in 2005. The T-50 has been further developed into aerobatic and combat variants, namely T-50B, TA-50, and FA-50.

Iraqi Air Force receives final KAI T-50IQ Fighting Eagle
Iraqi Air Force receives final KAI T-50IQ Fighting Eagle

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