Iraq has received two H225M Caracal medium-lift helicopters from Airbus as part of a 14-helicopter deal signed last year.
The helicopters were delivered to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense in Baghdad and are scheduled to be handed over to the Iraqi Air Force within the month. Both aircraft are set to enter service in June.
The next six units are scheduled to arrive between June and October, with the final batch arriving by early 2026.
Aside from strengthening the defense partnership between Iraq and France, the Caracals were also purchased to bolster the country’s air force following the withdrawal of US troops from the country last year.
The H225M Caracal
The Airbus Caracal was developed as a long-range tactical military helicopter designed for troop transport, casualty evacuation, and combat search and rescue.
It can carry up to 28 troops, or a payload as heavy as 12,500 pounds (5,670 kilograms), with a maximum speed of 201 miles (324 kilometers) per hour.
Some of its operators include Brazil, Indonesia, and the Netherlands, which ordered 12 helicopters in 2024 to replace its aging AS532 Cougar medium-weight multi-purpose helicopters for “very demanding special forces operations.”
