Colorado-based Vectrus Systems LLC[V2X] has been awarded a $118,020,690 cost-plus-fixed-fee undefinitized contract action, for base support services in support of the Iraq F-16 program.
This contract provides for base operating support, base life support, and security services. Work will be performed at Martyr BG Ali Flaih Air Base (formerly Balad Air Base), Iraq, and is expected to be completed by 30th November, 2026.
According to a statement from the US Department of Defense:
"This contract was a sole source acquisition as requested in a Letter of Request and agreed to in a Letter of Offer and Acceptance. FMS funds in the amount of $57,830,138 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8630-25-C-B017)."
MarkZ Disclaimer: Please consider everything on this call as my opinion. People who take notes do not catch everything and its best to watch the video so that you get everything in context. Be sure to consult a professional for any financial decisions
Member: Happy Saturday to everyone
Member: Good morning Patriot visionaries and Dinar faithful!!! I have a feeling this is our last Saturday waiting for our blessing
MZ: We spend the first 45 minutes with the CBD gurus and then on to the news of the day.
MZ: I did finally get in touch with one of my redemption center/wealth management folks ….He was told they are not working this weekend but be in early on Monday…. They were told to enjoy the weekend because they would be working some very long hours over the next 2 weeks.
MZ: I hope that means us.
MZ: From Iraq there have been some breakthroughs…..especially on the Baghdad/Erbil issues.
MZ: “ Economist: Iraq loses one billion dinars a month due to smuggling of the region’s oil” the Erbil/Baghdad agreement would stop this.
MZ: “ Imminent agreement between Erbil and Baghdad to re-export the region’s oil and settle the salaries of the employees” looks like they are finally taking care of the “elephant in the room” and stalling us. They are expecting a agreement in the coming days.
MZ: “After the technical delegation . A political delegation from Baghdad awaits arrival in Erbil to end the outstanding files” We are expecting a busy few days in this upcoming week. To me today is a pretty exciting news day.
MZ: The last obstacles appear to be getting out of the way.
MZ; “Departments to stop taking cash in two days. Fifteen million Iraqis are without an electronic card” the government of Iraq is going cashless. From now on folks will not be able to use cash to pay for government services. In the past there was too much cash disappearing from greedy government officials. This has made a massive difference in their revenue.
MZ: This is part of the white paper reforms they wanted to get under control before they raised the value of their currency
MZ: “Iraq’s printed currency at lowest level in a year” they are down to under 100T. .
Member: Many rumors that IQD gets a new rate Monday?
Member: Monday would be sweet.
Member: The 1st is also a great day for the rate!! That is Tuesday and the first day of the third quarter.
Member: PNC Bank just issued a late night notice to their staff regarding the Dinar and Dong
Member: Mr. Cottrell was informed we are quite close. He stated this yesterday.
Member: I’m looking forward to seeing how this plays out….It’s been one hell of a journey.
Member: Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. And hope this is our last weekend broke.
The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has issued a press release claiming extensive praise from an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Jean-Guillaume Poulain, following meetings from 4th to 13th of May, 2025.
Flour factory
The CBI statement, widely reported in local and international press, cites the post-meeting report from the IMF, which Iraq Business News publicised here. The report takes a more nuanced view of achievements to date.
It does, however, commend the CBI for the successful transition to the new trade finance system, saying:
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Trade finance is now fully processed by commercial banks through their correspondent banking relationships.
"This has also supported the recent decline in the spread between the official and parallel market exchange rates.
"Nonetheless, further efforts are needed to further reduce the spread, including by imposing Iraqi dinar usage for car and real estate transactions, improving customs controls to curb smuggling, and simplifying FX access."
AKI: Three meetings. The last meeting lasted two hours. My boss tells me, 'I need you back at the bank [In Dearborn Michigan] this Monday because we are waiting on the new exchange rate.
'
I have to go back because we're waiting for the new rate.
WALKINGSTICK: That's the only thing they're waiting for. They already got all the banking software in place, ATM machines, the bank structures, all the bank regulations are set..
Theopening of new Iraqi TIR corridorshas enabled a dramatic reduction in transit times between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with journey durations cut from 24 days to just 10, according to a press release from theInternational Road Transport Union (IRU).
Polish logistics company Milton Group recently completed a round-trip from Poland to the UAE using Iraq's overland TIR transit system.
Carrying yacht engines and spare parts, the truck travelled through Poland, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia before reaching the UAE. The return leg to Poland was also completed overland, maintaining the 10-day timeframe for each direction.
The route passed into Iraq through the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border and exited via Traibeel [Terbil], highlighting Iraq's emergence as a strategic land bridge for trade between Europe and the GCC.
The corridor was made fully operational three months ago, with support from IRU members General Company for Land Transportation (GCLT) and Transforat. It forms part of Iraq's wider ambition to become a regional logistics and trade hub.
Milton Group COO Waleed Kassem called the development "a game changer," noting substantial time savings and enhanced logistics resilience by avoiding congested seaports.
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto praised Iraq's efforts, saying this new connectivity offers "faster and more secure journey times" and greater resilience amid regional uncertainties.
Full statement from the International Road Transport Union (IRU):
From Europe to the GCC: New resilient Iraqi TIR routes slash journey times
With Iraq now fully operational in the TIR system, new faster and more flexible transport routes are opening between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. One example: from Poland to the United Arab Emirates in 10 days, more than halving the traditional 24-day journey.
Polish transport operator the Milton Group has successfully completed a roundtrip journey linking Poland to the GCC entirely by road, via Iraq's newly operational TIR corridors, with a journey time of 10 days compared to 24 days for traditional maritime-based multimodal routes.
The truck, with two drivers, transported yacht engines and spare parts from a Polish factory through the EU to Bulgaria, then through Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia before arriving at the customer's facility in the UAE.
With the support of IRU members GCLT and Transforat and other partners, TIR corridors in Iraq became fully operational three months ago, reinforcing the country's aim to become a strategic regional logistics and trade hub.
Milton, already experienced in multimodal routes between Europe and the Middle East, has been among the first companies to test the new road links. In this case, the trucks entered Iraq from Türkiye via the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border crossing and exited to Jordan via Traibeel.
The results were striking: the full road journey took just 10 days, compared to the 24 days typically required for a multimodal route.
To further enhance the economic viability of the trip, Milton organised a return load from the UAE back to Poland, completing the roundtrip within the same timeframe.
Milton Group Chief Operating Officer Waleed Kassem said, "This new inland TIR transit corridor through Iraq is a game changer for trade between Europe and the Middle East.
"By bypassing congested seaports and offering a fully overland route, we've already reduced our door-to-door transit time from 24 days to just 10, a tremendous improvement.
"We see a huge opportunity in the development of this corridor and are proud to have taken part. At Milton, we look forward to scaling this route into a core pillar of efficient, secure, and time-sensitive logistics to the GCC region."
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, "It is truly inspiring to witness the successful launch of this new TIR route through Iraq, seeing the fruits of years of preparations and planning by the Iraqi authorities come to life.
"This marks only the beginning of what promises to be a landmark development for resilient regional connectivity across the Middle East via Iraq, not only providing faster and more secure journey times, but offering significantly more route flexibility and resilience to transport and logistics operators to better manage regional uncertainty."
TIR is the only globally recognised trade facilitation tool, backed by the UN TIR convention and managed by IRU, ensuring the seamless, secure and cost-effective transit of goods across international borders.