Boeing, Lockheed deliver Triple 7, Super Hercules to Iraq
The Boeing 777 aircraft arrived Saturday in Baghdad with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Beecroft witnessing the ceremony to mark the delivery, according to Karim al-Nuri, an adviser to Iraq’s transport minister. It is the first of 30 planes ordered from the U.S. firm.
The plane and others set for delivery next year will be the airline’s own as it bids to re-emerge as a major regional airline since restarting operations in 2000. Its current fleet consists of 13 planes leased from regional brokers and six Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft.
Meanwhile, the C-130J is the first of three such planes scheduled for delivery this week to the Iraqi Air Force. The two other Super Hercules departed the U.S. for Iraq. Three more C-130Js will be delivered next year.
Aside from troop transport, the planes will be used for humanitarian relief operations in various locations.
Source: Baghdad, Iraq, AHN News - 16 December 2012
Photo: The Iraqi Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules (Photo by defencetalk.com)
(16.12.2012)
|