Colorado-based Vectrus Systems has secured a major $252-million US Air Force contract to sustain Iraq’s F-16 fighter jet program, expanding on a previous $118-million deal awarded earlier this year. The new contract includes critical base operating support, life support functions, and security services at the Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base in Iraq’s Salah al-Din province.
The agreement extends through September 24, 2026, marking over a decade of continuous US contractor involvement at the air base. This long-term support has been essential to keeping Iraq’s F-16 fleet mission-ready despite challenges such as contractor withdrawals and repeated threats from Iran-backed militias targeting US-linked facilities in the region.
Iraq’s air force operates a fleet of 34 F-16s, which began arriving in 2014 as part of the broader security cooperation effort tied to Operation Inherent Resolve. Their arrival coincided with the height of the Islamic State (IS) insurgency, turning the fighters into a key asset for precision strikes across the country.
Located roughly 60–70 kilometers north of Baghdad, the Martyr BG Ali Flaih Air Base serves as Iraq’s primary hub for fixed-wing strike operations. The newly awarded contract aims to ensure the F-16 fleet maintains strong operational capability and continues supporting missions against remaining IS strongholds.
