They Had Been Sent To Yugoslavia 20 Years Ago By Saddam Hussein

19 Soviet-built MiG 21's and MiG 23's sent to the former Yugoslavia for maintenance 20 years ago by Saddam Hussein have been uncovered by the Iraqi defense ministry. But the jets are mostly cannibalized and abandoned, and are unlikely to fly again anytime soon, if ever, Serbian officials say.

MiG 21 File Photo

Hussein had sent the jets to what is now Serbia in 1989, and they were caught up in the embargo that was put in place against Iraq in 1990 following that country's invasion of Kuwait.

According to Serbian officials, only two or three of the aircraft are still "in one piece". The Australian Courier Mail reports one was stored in Belgrade's Air Museum.

An Iraqi delegation uncovered the planes while in Belgrade last week to close a small arms deal with Serbia. They said they found the planes while trying to trace what Saddam had done with the country's military assets. These planes had apparently been shipped to what is now Croatia, but when war broke out there, they were sent to Belgrade mostly in parts, where they languished.

MiG 23 File Photo

Iraqi defense officials are particularly interested in the aircraft, saying they hope they can be part of a new Iraqi Air Force as coalition troops withdraw over the next two  years. But Lt. Col. Gary Kolb, a spokesman for the Multi-National Transition and Security Command-Iraq, said the planes would likely be of little use, as Iraq would have to establish a supply chain, train pilots, and attempt to find spare parts for the Soviet-era aircraft. Iraq has made a request, as yet unapproved, to buy U.S. built F-16s.

FMI: www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.milU.S.