Fighting are tough for Iraqi helicopter pilots

Iraq’s war on Islamic State has taken a heavy toll on the Iraqi army’s helicopter crews. And the battle of Mosul that began in October 2016 has only increased the pressure on the young aviation force, which formed with American assistance in 2007.

Many of the Iraqi army’s chopper crews fly from Erbil airport in Iraqi Kurdistan and Qayyarah airfield south of Mosul. The force suffered its latest loss on Oct. 29, 2016, when a Bell IA-407 belonging to the army’s 21 Squadron crashed in the Mukeshefah area north of Samarra.

We spoke to two pilots who’ve been fighting ISIS for more than two years.

Iraqi Army Chopper Pilot — ‘The Fighting Must Continue!’

Libyan National Army Air Force added a second 'Fitter' in its fleet

Following the seize of al-Watiya airbase in summer 2014 by the Libyan National Army (or LNA), LNA Air Force technicians and engineers started working on the refurbishing of former former Su-22s. Ten to twelve of these Su-22Ms were stored in shelters before the uprising and escaped the destruction by NATO because they were decommissioned.

LNA AF Su-22UM-3K in flight over al-Watiya AB

Les Emirats Arabes Unis en guerre en Libye

Au cours du mois de novembre, le Conseil des Révolutionnaires de la Shura de Benghazi, ou BRSC - un groupe ayant des liens avec Al-Qaïda - a publié des photos d’avions AT-802 "Air Tractor" et de drone de type MQ-9 Reaper de la force aérienne des Emirats Arabes Unis (UAEAF) en vol au-dessus de Ganfouda, un district de la ville de Benghazi dans l'est de la Libye.

IOMAX AT-802U "Air Tractor"de la force aérienne émirati envol au-dessus de Ganfouda le 12 novembre quelques minutes avant qu’il ne frappe

Enquêtes Exclusives - La poudrière libyenne : menace aux portes de l'Europe

Dimanche 20 novembre, M6 diffusait l'émission Enquêtes Exclusives : La poudrière libyenne : menace aux portes de l'Europe.  Se déplacer dans un pays comme la Libye n'est pas aisé et comporte beaucoup de risques. Aussi, pour réaliser leur reportage les journalistes de la chaîne n'ont pas eu le choix que de s’assurer de la protection de l’Armée Nationale Libyenne fidèle au Général Khalifa Haftar.

Libya’s Chinook Helicopters Are Old as Hell

The Libya Dawn Air Force, one of two competing air arms in Libya, is overhauling two former Libyan air force CH-47C Chinook heavylift transport helicopters at Mitiga air base in Tripoli, with the goal of returning the twin-rotor copters — serial numbers LC-017 and, probably, LC-010 — to service in Libya’s grinding civil war.

The CH-47Cs are old … with an incredibly rich history.

Libya’s Chinook Helicopters Are Old as Hell - But they’re about to take flight again

Libyan airstrikes Situation Report : 17 October - 6 November 2016