Corea del Sur proveerá a Irak con 24 cazas FA-50

S. Korea Wins $1.1 bln Iraqi Tender for 24 FA-50 Light Attack Fighters

(Reuters) - South Korean defense contractor Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KAI) has signed a deal with Iraq to export 24 light fighter jets valued at $1.1 billion, the company said on Thursday.

The deal to supply FA-50 aircraft also includes training for Iraqi pilots and other support for the Iraqi Air Force for the next two decades, which could push the total value of the deal to $2 billion, the contractor said in a statement.

The FA-50 is a light attack variant of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer that was co-developed by KAI and U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin Corp.




The Iraqi version of the FA-50, labeled the T-50 IQ, can be armed with air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, machine guns and precision-guided bombs along with other munitions, KAI said.

"This deal will improve the performance of the Ministries of Defense and Interior in defending the country and in fighting terrorism," a statement from the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said.

Iraq has sought F-16 fighter jets from the United States as part of a deal to rebuild its airforce.