Iraq Continues Rotary-Wing Diversification With Bell Helicopter Order

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $800 million Foreign Military Sale to Iraq covering Bell 412EPX and 407M helicopters, weapons, equipment, training, and support. Bell Textron would be the principal contractor, and the package would broaden Iraq's rotary-wing options as Russian-origin fleets become harder to sustain; reported armaments include GAU-19 machine guns and M260 rocket launchers. The approval is a congressional notification, not a signed order, and public documents do not specify final quantities, so price, configuration, and deliveries may change during negotiations.