What happened to the several hundred Iraqi helicopters?

[MadRat]

I don't doubt that the Iraqi airplanes cannot operate from the last third of their major airbases that they occupy, but what is eerie is that they aren't using their helicopters. After the Gulf War they used them extensively to quell the uprisings in Shiite territories. Even if attrition has taken eighty percent of them out of service that would leave over a hundred operational. I believe they only operate them in two squadrons, one transport and one tactical, which is a pretty common way for arab countries to organize their assets. Serbia used their fleet alot during their siege and it was difficult to knock their fleet out of service...

Has anyone seen anything about the Iraqi helicopter force?

 

[andreasl]

Well first of all there has been a decade of sanctions and patrols over the no-fly-zone which has probably left most of their choppers and planes unusable from lack of spare parts and their pilots taught a lesson or two. I also think that the reason they haven't even attempted to fly any sorties is because their pilots are sane enough to realise that they will be shot out of the sky the moment they take off. At the very least their flying careers would be very short indeed.

 

[woowoo]

All they are is dust in the wind........