In the complex international military arena, alliances and cooperative relations between countries are always constantly adjusted with time and interests. However, a recent news shocked the global military community - Iraq actually turned to China, planned to form an army with Chinese-style equipment as the main body, and also chose to use the yuan for international transactions, and spent as much as 13 billion yuan to buy China's advanced fighters.
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Iraq, which began as a staunch ally of the United States, has unexpectedly chosen the arms of China. This sudden change not only shocked players from all walks of life in the international political arena, but even experts in the military field could not help but widen their eyes. The country, which once closely followed the United States and relied on US armaments, has now decided to form a new army equipped with Chinese weapons, and even used renminbi for transactions, and has suddenly spent 13 billion yuan to buy China's advanced fighter planes.
What is the reason for this dramatic change? How will it affect the political and military landscape of the region?
The F-16IQ fighter jet introduced by Iraq at the beginning of the 21st century was originally intended as a multi-functional fighter and indeed had significant performance advantages on the battlefield. However, the protracted conflict and chaos have placed a heavy burden on these fighters. And as the battle continued, the F-16IQ began to face severe wear and tear and aging components, and needed to be updated and repaired urgently.
Unfortunately, supply chain disruptions and limited repair capacity due to the war have made it difficult for Iraq to quickly obtain the parts and repair services it needs. This dilemma complicates the maintenance of the F-16IQ fighter jets, and their combat effectiveness is seriously affected.
To add insult to injury, the F-16IQ is approaching the limits of its design life. Given the frequency of use and the battlefield environment, these aircraft may be approaching or exceeding their intended service life. Under these circumstances, even if Iraq were able to obtain the required maintenance resources, it would be difficult for them to carry out substantial upgrades and improvements.
Although the F-16IQ has good performance in some aspects, due to the deliberate restrictions of the United States, it does not have the ability to launch active-guided over-the-horizon air-to-air missiles, and it cannot launch the latest AIM-9X air-to-air missiles in close combat air combat, and can only use the previous generation AIM-9M.
In addition, the US-made weapons are too sophisticated and complex for the Iraqi army to be able to maintain on their own, and one of the major drawbacks of US-made equipment is that the after-sales service is poor. In contrast, Chinese fighters may be more in line with Iraq's needs in terms of performance and price.
In view of the challenges faced by the F-16IQ, Iraq began to pursue a procurement option for the new aircraft. In the process, Chinese fighter jets have become an option that has attracted much attention. China's fighter not only has excellent performance and reasonable price, but also comes with comprehensive after-sales service and technical support
In addition to technical and economic considerations, political and diplomatic relations between countries also influence such decisions.
After the war, Iraq was in dire need of help from the outside world, especially for post-war reconstruction. Iraq's accession to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) led to the arrival of a large number of Chinese companies and capital to help the country build oil fields, hydropower stations and railways. This good foundation for cooperation has made the Iraqi authorities willing to cooperate with the Chinese side, so the Iraqi military has chosen to purchase Chinese "Thunder" fighters.
This change has undoubtedly set off ripples in the political and military landscape of the region, and the consequences are far-reaching and widespread. From a geopolitical point of view, it has the potential to intensify the strategic rivalry between China and the United States. In this context, countries may reconsider their positions and interests, leading to new changes in the balance of power in the region.
However, on the other hand, such a transformation has also opened up a new path for China in the international arms trade market, winning more reputation and opportunities. This will not only help enhance China's status and influence in the international community, but also promote the sustained and healthy development of the domestic economy.
The international situation is too complicated.
Stop the loss in time.
Right!
It's a bit extreme, but it's not rough.