The State Department approved a potential military transaction involving the sale of Bell 412EPX and Bell 407M helicopters and related equipment to the Iraqi Government, valued at an estimated $800 million.
In a statement, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Baghdad had requested the acquisition of these aircraft and various associated operational and military materials.
The United States government justified that this operation would be beneficial for American foreign policy and national security, as it would help strengthen a strategic partner. The State Department emphasized that the proposed sale will enhance Iraq's capacity to deal with present and future threats, improving its capabilities in reconnaissance, air transport, and ground attacks.
Bell Textron, headquartered in the state of Texas, was designated as the primary company responsible for the supply. The approval of this sale comes at a time when troops from the international coalition led by the United States have begun withdrawing from military bases in Iraq, a process that Iraqi authorities expect to conclude by September 30.
Concurrently, Iraq seeks to consolidate state control over its existing weaponry, which includes the integration or demobilization of armed factions linked to or associated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Several Iran-backed militias in Iraq, some of which are part of the PMF, have been involved in confrontations with American forces since the start of the U.S. and Israeli offensive against Iran, which occurred on February 28.
The Iraqi government is trying to prevent its territory from becoming a new theater of conflict between Washington and Tehran, while dealing with pressure from the U.S. to restrict the autonomy of armed factions close to Iran.