T50IQ – Iraq's new trainer / light fighter

today the contract for 24 T50IQ aircraft were signed.

The aircraft is a modified version of the FA-50 light fighter.

Delivery will be from 2015-2017.

The flyaway price of the aircraft is $1.1Bn ($45M per airframe).

The training and support contract for 20 years is for $1Bn.

The price that the Iraqis paid for the aircraft indicates that they did not buy the FA-50 with the “standard” Elta EL2032 radar (which is made in Israel and Iraq automatically rejects). This explains some of the price difference to a “standard” FA-50.

If they will get it with a new AESA radar, it would potentially have higher power requirements, and operating in high ambient temperatures in Iraq, the Iraqis would also want an aircraft with higher thrust (IMHO!). So I expect that there is a good chance that the Iraqis will buy an uprated engine with the aircraft (EJ200 / F414).

Would the Iraqi planes have 9 hardpoints and strengthened wings?

Would they have JHMCS / Sniper added in the price (and match the F16s)?

what armaments would the Koreans supply (apart from the ammo the Iraqis are getting from the US for their F16s).