Iraqi Army inaugurates second batch of Bell 505 helicopters

A Bell 505 helicopter takes off from Taji Air Base with General Abdul Amir Yarallah aboard. (Iraqi Ministry of Defence)

Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IAAC) has received a second batch of Bell 505 helicopters, the Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 27 October.

The MoD said Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Yarallah attended a ceremony held at Taji Air Base to mark the delivery of a squadron of Bell 505 helicopters, bringing the total number operated by the training fleet up to 15. It announced on 13 October that a second batch of eight 505s had arrived at the airbase next to Baghdad International Airport.

The first batch of seven 505s arrived in July 2024, when IAAC Commander Lieutenant General Mohammed Abdul Karim Awfi said they were needed to train personnel to operate the more advanced helicopters that had been ordered for IAAC from various manufacturers.

While he did not identify the new types, it was announced in September 2024 that 12 Airbus H225M Caracals had been ordered for IAAC to replace Russian-made Mi-17s. Airbus told Janes at the time that two civilian helicopters would be refurbished to the same standard and delivered alongside the 12 Caracals. The first Caracals arrived in Baghdad in June.

The US Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General reported in February 2023 that the Iraqi MoD submitted requests for 16 Bell 412M and four Bell 412EPX helicopters to replace some of IAAC's Mi-17s, 15 new Bell 407Ms to replace existing 407s in the light-attack role, and 15 new Bell 505s to replace the 407s and OH-58s currently used as trainers.

The orders for the other Bell helicopters remain unconfirmed.

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