Reply With Quotei thought malaysian already bought it...two others moored in Italy ...
Iraq to fetch MiG fighter planes from Serbia
Iraq to fetch MiG fighter planes from Serbia
(AFP) – 1 day ago
BAGHDAD — An Iraqi military delegation has gone to Serbia to bring back 19 MiG fighter planes that Saddam Hussein's regime sent for servicing 20 years ago, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
"General Othman al-Fredji, a defence ministry adviser, and Anwar Mohammed Amin, head of the air force, are in Serbia negotiating the return (of the planes) at the earliest possible date," spokesman General Mohammed al-Askari said.
The Soviet-built MiG-21 and 23 aircraft, whose existence has just been discovered, "were sent by Saddam's government in 1989 for maintenance and everything was paid for with Iraqi money," he said.
Askari said the planes are important for Iraq as "our air force only possesses helicopters."
The former Yugoslavia was a major exporter of arms to Saddam's dictatorship before breaking up in the 1990s.
Askari said the ministry "is searching in the United States, France, Italy, Russia and some Arab countries to locate funds or military equipment that the former government bought for its army."
Iraq has found two navy vessels belonging to it in Egypt and two others moored in Italy as well as "aircraft and equipment in Russia and France," the spokesman said, without giving further details.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...xf_AFBm6LcWACg
i thought malaysian already bought it...two others moored in Italy ...
there is also an Iraqi cargo ship in Bremerhaven, Germany - since 18 years.
Unless they want them for scrap metal, I dont think they 'll be of much use at this point.
lol
So what?
Don't tell me the migs or mirages are still mission capable after sitting for 20 years in the open (or even in a hangar)
Agreed. It would cost more to bring them back to Iraq then the scrap metal is worth. Better to just sell them to Serbia and let them keep 'em.Originally Posted by Universal_Soldier
Sell them what they already have/ already used?
Same thing with France... if France had any Iraqi bound Mirage F1 that ended up not going... you can bet they ended up in the FAF inventory...
Look at the Kidd class that was supposed to go to Iran... they became USS Kidd (and they've sold second hand to Taiwan if i am not mistaken)
Serbia does not use the Iraqi Migs, only three where used during the beginning of the civil war and later when Serbia (then Yugoslavia) pulled out (1992,1993) returned to the other Iraqi Migs in storage, they are still in original Iraqi colors (although a bit worn off because of natural influence) and have been sitting behind the Belgrade Aviation Museum for 20 years.
Last week they have been pulled away from the Aviation Museum to an unknown location, some people assume to get them freshly painted or make them ready to go to iraq.
Thanks for the pics MareCar. I think I've touched that plane
this photo have some Kusturica-style awesomeness.
WHen I saw the tractor I thought the same thing. All you need to complete the picture is some cats going at it on the MiG.
this photo have some Kusturica-style awesomeness.
Well, the Iraqi airforce paid for them to be serviced so i guess the Serbs will have to suck it up and completely refurbish the planes, Haha.
The planes were actually on overhaul in Zagreb , in ZTZ "Zmaj" enterprise , 1991 brought in Serbia by People's army...
They'd make excellent museum pieces.
Posting Permissions
