{"id":19607209,"date":"2026-09-03T10:28:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T08:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/us-approves-800m-bell-helicopter-sale-iraq-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T08:42:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T06:42:00","slug":"us-approves-800m-bell-helicopter-sale-iraq-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/us-approves-800m-bell-helicopter-sale-iraq-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Gli Stati Uniti approvano la vendita all&#039;Iraq di $800M di elicotteri Bell 412 e 407M."},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\n\n<style>\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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On 31 August 2026 the U.S. State Department cleared it to buy a great many more of them, along with a bigger stablemate and enough guns, rockets and sensors to turn utility helicopters into armed scouts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The approval, logged as Transmittal 26-85, covers Bell 412EPX and Bell 407M helicopters plus related equipment, at an estimated total cost of $800 million. Notably, the notification does not say how many aircraft are involved.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>This is a Foreign Military Sale approval, not a signed contract. Quantities, configuration and final price can all move before anything is delivered.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f5f5f5;padding:20px 22px;margin:24px 0;font-size:15px;line-height:1.8\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 10px;font-weight:600;font-size:17px\">Quick Facts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Approved:<\/strong> 31 August 2026, State Department Transmittal 26-85<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Value:<\/strong> $800 million estimated total<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Aircraft:<\/strong> Bell 412EPX and Bell 407M &mdash; quantities not disclosed<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Weapons:<\/strong> GAU-19 three-barrel machine gun launchers; M260 2.75-inch seven-tube rocket launchers<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Sensors:<\/strong> L-3 Wescam MX-15HDI electro-optical\/infrared; AN\/AAR-60 Block 2 missile launch detection<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Prime contractor:<\/strong> Bell-Textron, Fort Worth, Texas<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What Iraq is actually buying<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The GAU-19 is a three-barrel .50-calibre rotary gun. The M260 is a seven-tube launcher for 2.75-inch rockets. Bolt those onto a light single-engine helicopter with a Wescam MX-15 ball under the nose and you have a cheap armed scout that can find something and shoot at it without waiting for a strike aircraft.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The AN\/AAR-60 missile launch detection system is the defensive half of the package &mdash; it warns the crew that a shoulder-launched missile is on its way, which is the threat that has historically hurt helicopters in Iraq.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><em>&ldquo;The proposed sale will improve Iraq&rsquo;s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its rotary wing transport, reconnaissance, and air-to-surface targeting capabilities.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>U.S. Department of State<\/strong> &mdash; Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Transmittal 26-85, 31 August 2026<\/div><\/div>\r\n<p>The State Department framed the deal in the standard language of these notifications, saying it will support American foreign policy and national security &ldquo;by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner&rdquo;.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Russian helicopters in the background<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>There is a wider re-equipment story here, though it needs handling with care. A 2026 Department of Defense Inspector General report on Operation Inherent Resolve noted that Iraq&rsquo;s Ministry of Defence had lodged Foreign Military Sales requests for four Bell 412EPX and 16 Bell 412M helicopters to replace Russian-built Mi-17s, along with 15 Bell 407Ms to replace existing 407s in the light-attack role.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img data-opt-id=1531559374  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/09\/iraqi-army-aviation-mi-171e-helicopter.jpg\" alt=\"Iraqi Army Aviation Mi-171E helicopter\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An Iraqi Army Aviation Command Mi-171E. Iraq has operated Russian-built Mi-17 family helicopters for years, and a Pentagon watchdog report has described requests to replace them with American types. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<p>Those figures come from the watchdog report, not from this sale. Defense News was explicit that the OIG numbers should not be read as the quantities or configuration behind the $800 million approval. Still, the direction of travel is hard to miss: Iraq&rsquo;s rotary fleet has been part Russian and part American for two decades, and the American share keeps growing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Bell&rsquo;s own presentation of the 407M &mdash; the militarised version at the centre of this deal &mdash; is below.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pbcppIP3hcE\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n<p>Whether all of it gets bought is another question. Congressional notification is the beginning of the process, not the end, and Iraqi defence budgets have swallowed ambitious plans before.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>What did the United States approve for Iraq?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">On 31 August 2026 the State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of Bell 412EPX and Bell 407M helicopters and related equipment to Iraq, at an estimated total cost of $800 million. The notification is logged as Transmittal 26-85.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many helicopters are involved?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The notification does not say. Quantities were not disclosed, which is unusual enough to be worth noting.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What weapons come with them?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">GAU-19 three-barrel .50-calibre rotary guns and M260 seven-tube launchers for 2.75-inch rockets, plus L-3 Wescam MX-15HDI electro-optical and infrared sensors and AN\/AAR-60 Block 2 missile launch detection systems.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Is this a signed contract?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">No. A Foreign Military Sale approval is a congressional notification and the start of the process. Quantities, configuration and final price can all change, and Iraqi defence budgets have swallowed ambitious plans before.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Is Iraq replacing its Russian helicopters?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Possibly, but the evidence is indirect. A 2026 Pentagon Inspector General report described Iraqi requests for Bell 412s to replace Russian-built Mi-17s, and Bell 407Ms to replace existing 407s in the light-attack role. Those figures come from the watchdog report, not from this sale.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Who builds these helicopters?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Bell-Textron, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is named as the principal contractor.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What did the United States approve for Iraq?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"On 31 August 2026 the State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of Bell 412EPX and Bell 407M helicopters and related equipment to Iraq, at an estimated total cost of $800 million. The notification is logged as Transmittal 26-85.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many helicopters are involved?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The notification does not say. Quantities were not disclosed, which is unusual enough to be worth noting.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What weapons come with them?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"GAU-19 three-barrel .50-calibre rotary guns and M260 seven-tube launchers for 2.75-inch rockets, plus L-3 Wescam MX-15HDI electro-optical and infrared sensors and AN\/AAR-60 Block 2 missile launch detection systems.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is this a signed contract?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. A Foreign Military Sale approval is a congressional notification and the start of the process. Quantities, configuration and final price can all change, and Iraqi defence budgets have swallowed ambitious plans before.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is Iraq replacing its Russian helicopters?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Possibly, but the evidence is indirect. A 2026 Pentagon Inspector General report described Iraqi requests for Bell 412s to replace Russian-built Mi-17s, and Bell 407Ms to replace existing 407s in the light-attack role. Those figures come from the watchdog report, not from this sale.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Who builds these helicopters?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Bell-Textron, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is named as the principal contractor.\"}}]}<\/script><p><em>Sources: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (Transmittal 26-85); Defense News; Reuters; U.S. Department of Defense Office of Inspector General report on Operation Inherent Resolve.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\n\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/iraq-reopens-its-skies-after-40-days-of-silence\/\">Iraq Reopens Its Skies After 40 Days of Silence<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/us-service-member-killed-iraq-iranian-drone-ordnance-disposal-2026\/\">The Drone Was Already Down<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/anduril-thunder-autonomous-tiltrotor-farnborough-2026\/\">Three Drones, One Apache, Triple the Missiles<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The State Department has cleared a possible $800 million Foreign Military Sale of Bell 412EPX and 407M helicopters to Iraq, complete with rotary guns, rocket pods and targeting sensors.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":19606874,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19607209","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - 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