Iraq to buy 28 Czech-made L-159 fighters

Iraq will buy 28 Czech-made L-159 fighters, Czech Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra said here on Friday. Four of the aircraft will be fighters owned by the Czech military and the remaining 24 will be new ones, Vondra said after a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Sadoun al-Dulaimi. The contract is worth about 1 billion U.S. dollars and will be signed after experts from the two countries agreed on the details. The negotiations on the deal lasted more than one year. Czech experts will participate in the training of Iraqi pilots, which is to start as soon as possible, Vondra said. He said the four Czech military's jets will be transferred to Iraq seven months after the contract takes effect. The Czech producer Aero Vodochody will deliver the 24 new aircraft to Iraq in about two years, he said.