U.S. officials give base to Iraq's government Published Jan. 8, 2010 By Senior Airman Eric Summers Jr. 447th Expeditionary Group Public Affairs SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- U.S. Forces-Iraq gave control of Hawk Base back to the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi air force Jan. 1, as part of the U.S. drawdown and transfer of responsibility from U.S. forces to the Government of Iraq security forces. The transfer of Hawk Base, to include 31 facilities, four generators and all required life support equipment, established a permanent headquarters for the Iraqi air force and is collocated with the new Iraqi Air Operations Center currently under construction on Victory Base Complex. "Establishing a permanent headquarters for the Iraqi air force and ensuring they have the continued use of the Air Operation Center is an important step in the continued growth and development of the Iraqi air force," said Maj. Gen. Robert C. Kane, the Commanding General of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team. During U.S. Forces-Iraq occupation the base was used by a linguistics company, that provided interpreters throughout Iraq, as a headquarters and transition point for interpreters moving in and out of the country. Hawk Base is the first property within the Victory Base Complex to be transferred back from U.S. Forces-Iraq to the Government of Iraq. "I am very happy to start the new year by signing Hawk Base over to the Iraqi air force," said Mr. Sameer AlHaddad, the Government of Iraq Receivership Cell secretariat. "Hopefully it will be the start of a great year for the Iraqi air force."