The Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani has affirmed the government’s commitment to cooperating with Korea Aerospace Industries and benefiting from its expertise and capabilities to develop and enhance Iraq’s air defense systems. This initiative aligns with the objectives of the government program aimed at achieving security sector reform and advancing the capacities of security forces.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani highlighted Iraq’s need to diversify its sources of military armament, a focus of the government’s comprehensive plan to enhance the readiness and efficiency of security forces and strengthen the country’s defense capabilities against internal and external challenges.

They confirmed a $93.7 million contract with the Iraqi Ministries of Interior and Defense to supply KUH-1 Surion with two helicopters, plus the contract includes pilot and maintenance training, with first delivery by March 2029. This is the first export contract for the KUH-1 Surion and marks its inaugural sale on the international market. The deal also includes pilot and maintenance training, as well as customization for firefighting missions.