August 11, 2007: The Iraqi Air Force has ordered 18 Cessna C172 single engine aircraft. Each aircraft costs $589,000, and will be used mainly for reconnaissance. These aircraft are cheaper than UAVs, and also serve, in a militarized version, as the T-41 basic flight trainer. The C172 is a 1.1 ton aircraft with a max speed of 228 kilometers an hour, and can stay in the air for about six hours per sortie. The aircraft is easy to fly, and can be equipped with all manner of night and day video cameras. The Iraqis have lots of unemployed pilots, who are happy to have anything to fly.