Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has acknowledged delays in F-16 multi-role fighter deliveries to Iraq.

Officials said the Defense Department expected a suspension in plans to deliver the first F-16 Block 52+ aircraft to Baghdad.

The officials said the Pentagon would be unable to supply the F-16s amid the drive by Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, deployed outside the Iraq Air Force base at Balad.

“I don’t have a specific timeline for how the relocation of contractors from Balad will affect the delivery of the F-16,” Pentagon spokesman Steve Warren said. “It certainly will.”

In a briefing on June 30, Warren confirmed Iraqi complaints of a delay in the delivery of the first of 36 F-16s. He said U.S. government and contractors had been airlifted from Balad, meant to house the F-16 fleet.

“These contractors were part of the process,” Warrens said. “They’re no
longer operating in Balad.”

Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama sought to
accelerate arms deliveries to Iraq in an effort to stop ISIL. They cited
plans to supply the AGM-114 Hellfire as well as 24 AH-64 Apache attack
helicopters.

So far, Warren said, Iraq has not paid for the Apaches, approved by
Congress in early 2014. He said the Pentagon has overseen the delivery of
400 out of 500 Hellfires ordered by Baghdad.

“We are working as quickly as possible to ensure that they receive all
the foreign military sales that they have requested and that they paid for,”
Warren said. “We don’t believe our process is any slower and more deliberate
than it needs to be.”

  Balad air base, ISIL, Pentagon, U.S. F-16s to Iraq on hold amid ISIL siege of Balad air base