109th Squadron (Iraq)

Last updated
109th Attack Squadron
Active1978-2003 [1]
2015-current
Country Iraq
Branch Iraqi Air Force
RoleGround attack
Base Al Rasheed Air Base
Insignia
Fin Flash Flag of Iraq.svg
Aircraft flown
Attack Sukhoi Su-25

The 109th Attack Squadron is an Iraqi Air Force ground-attack squadron. It operates the Sukhoi Su-25 from Al Rasheed Air Base. [2]

Contents

Pre-2003 era

No. 109 Squadron was established in 1978. [3] It was equipped with Sukhoi Su-22s, [4] and was based at Wahda AB near Basra. [3] No. 109 Squadron's pilots became the first in Iraq to receive dedicated training for anti-ship attacks. [5]

The squadron participated in the three waves of Iraqi air strikes on Iran on the first day of the Iran-Iraq War. It did not lose any aircraft on that day. [6]

Post-2003 era

On 2 April 2015, the Iraqi Ministry of Defence confirmed that the 109th Attack Squadron had been formed at Rasheed Air Base to operate the Sukhoi Su-25s the country received from Russia and Iran. The first of these aircraft had arrived in Iraq on 28 June 2014. [7]

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References

Notes

  1. Sipos & Cooper 2022, pp. 53, X
  2. AirForces Monthly . Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. May 2015. p. 26.
  3. 1 2 Sipos & Cooper 2022 , p. 53
  4. Sipos & Cooper 2022 , p. 30
  5. Sipos & Cooper 2022 , p. 49
  6. Sipos & Cooper 2022 , pp. 59, 63, 66
  7. Delalande 2016 , p. 24

Bibliography

Further reading