Iraq Air Force Goes Solo as Coalition Mission Ends Sept. 30
“No force from the coalition has carried out any duty inside Iraqi territory from the beginning of 2026 until now,” Tamimi told an Iraqi news agency. The interview came two days before the coalition's mission in Iraq is due to end on Sept. 30.
“All missions currently carried out by the Air Force are independent of coalition forces, and there is no direct support from them,” he added.
Tamimi said the air force is building an integrated network of workshops, facilities and warehouses. Maintenance of Iraq's F-16 fighter jets, he noted, is handled “100% by Iraqi personnel.” Some levels of engine repair must still be sent to Pratt & Whitney, a US-based aerospace manufacturer, while Iraqi crews perform part of that work locally.
Talks on acquiring Rafale fighter jets are moving forward, Tamimi said, revealing that “the first batch under negotiation is for 14 aircraft,” but he did not name the party involved in the negotiations.
On training, he said Rafale aircraft based in Jordan join monthly exercises with the Iraqi Air Force. A drill planned for France this year was postponed because of the war in the region.
Iraq's air defenses provide radar coverage over the entire country, Tamimi said, and fighter jets armed with air-to-air missiles and their pilots stay on standby every day.
“We conduct a full daily aerial scan of all Iraq,” he said, adding that reports go to the office of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces via the army chief of staff.
The commander also pointed to efforts to develop domestic manufacturing and a proposal to create a separate command for drones, though he said work in this area is at an early stage.
On security threats, Tamimi said sleeper cells persist in remote and rugged terrain but characterized the present danger as “very limited,” crediting public vigilance and the capabilities available to Iraqi forces.
During the war against the ISIS/Daesh terror group, he said, the Iraqi Air Force flew 58,822 missions, spanning transport, reconnaissance and other operations, as well as support for ground forces and strikes on the group's positions.
Tamimi also disclosed that an Antonov transport aircraft was withdrawn from service after a missile struck it at a base in Baghdad. He did not say when the incident occurred or who was responsible.
Baghdad and Washington agreed in September 2024 to end the military mission of the US-led international coalition in Iraq and shift toward bilateral security partnerships meant to support Iraqi forces and keep pressure on ISIS to prevent its return.
The US-led coalition was created in September 2014 to fight ISIS and backed Iraqi forces throughout the campaign against the group. After ISIS lost its territory in Iraq in 2017, the coalition's role moved largely toward advising, assisting and strengthening Iraqi security capabilities.
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