Iraqi CTS establishing air wing

CTS personnel board an Mi-171 helicopter during training in April 2018. (Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve)

Iraq's elite Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) is establishing its own aviation wing, according to a report released by the US Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General (OIG) on 29 July.

“The CTS made progress in developing an organic air assault capability through the establishment of an air wing,” the quarterly report on Operation ‘Inherent Resolve' cited the US-led coalition as saying. “It has successfully negotiated reduced pilot training timelines and secured the transfer of experienced helicopter crews. CTS leadership engaged with manufacturers for aircraft contracts while developing funding plans for aviation equipment. Air wing personnel were enrolled in language courses to meet technical training requirements.”

The CTS reports directly to the prime minister so is independent of the Ministry of Defence, but currently relies on helicopters from Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IAAC). IAAC is part of the Iraqi Ground Forces, which is expanding its own special forces by adding a second division.

The OIG report said the CTS is also acquiring new intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) equipment that it did not identify and was making progress with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including testing video feeds to its operations centre.

For more information, please seeIraq receives first newbuild Caracal helicopters .