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Author - Dan
Last update - 27.03.2002

Iraqi Ground Forces

The defeat of 1991, the sanctions and the trade embargo continuing since 1990, have seriously impaired the Iraqi army, once considered one of the strongest Arab armies.
Before Desert storm, the Iraqis had almost a million soldiers and officers (regular and reserve), some 6,000 - 6,700 tanks, from 5,000 to 8,000 IFVs and APCs of all types, up to 500 SP howitzers and from 3,000 to 5,000 towed artillery pieces and heavy mortars, some 1,500 ATGMs and a thousand ADA pieces.
After Desert storm, all these numbers have reduced by two-three times.
There are now 7 corps instead of 8, out of 60 divisions only 24 remained, separate brigades - 7 out of 15.
Moreover, in the units that are operational at least half of all equipment and weaponry is not combat ready because of lack of proper maintenance and spare parts.

Iraqi ground forces are composed of two separate services - the Army, and the Republican Guard (RG), that is subordinated personally to Saddam Hussein and his son Qusai.
Republican Guard units are considered more "privileged" and elite units, they are better trained and equipped. Today, only Republican Guard units are fully combat ready, while regular Army units are at best 50% equipped.

Total manpower - 424,000 and 650,000 reservists (according to Jane's 350,000 men; according to IISS 375,000, including 100,000 called up reservists; according to JCSS 400,000), including some 60,000 - 80,000 in the Republican Guard (RG).

 

Iraqi ground forces organization:

Units and commands
Quantity
Corps
7 (5 Army, 2 RG). According to JCSS - 5 corps and two HQs without unit (probably Army corps)
Divisions, total
24 (23 - JCSS)
Armored divisions
5 (6 by JCSS and IISS - 3 Army, 3 RG)
Mechanized divisions
5 (4 by JCSS and IISS - 3 Army, 1 RG)
Infantry divisions
14 (13 by JCSS and IISS - 11 Army, 2 RG)
Separate Army Special Forces Brigades
3 (2 according to JCSS and IISS)
Separate Army Commando Brigades
5 (according to IISS)
Separate RG SF Brigades
4 (5 according to IISS)

 

Iraqi armored and mechanized division equipment and personnel:

Armored division
Mechanized division
Army
RG
Army
RG
Total personnel
12,000 men
14,000 men
12,000 men
14,000 men
Tanks
245
308
175
220
IFV and APC
472
538
544
622
Artillery pieces
114
114
114
138
Air defense artillery
90
90
90
90
MANPADS
50
50
50
50



Republican Guard units and their location

4 separate "Special Forces" brigades (14 battalions in all), guarding Saddam's palaces.

So called "Special Republican Guard" (according to JCSS 26,000 men; 5 brigades according to IISS).

  • 1st brigade - Baghdad
  • 2nd brigade - Al Rashid
  • 3rd brigade - Taji
  • 4th brigade - Baghdad

Northern corps - Al-Rashadia

  • ??? armored division "Al-Medinah" - Al Munawara
  • 1st mechanized division "Adnan" - Mosul
  • 2nd infantry division "Baghdad" - Maqloob Maoten
  • ??? infantry division "Al-Abed"- Kirkuk

Southern corps - Al-Bafreia

  • " ??? armored division "Al-Nedaa" - Baaquba, Deyala Governate
  • " ??? mechanized division "Hammurabi" - Al Wahda
  • " ??? infantry division "Nebuchadnezzar"- Alhussainia, Al Khut Governate

Army units and their location

  • 65th Special Forces brigade
  • 66th Special Forces brigade
  • 68th Special Forces brigade

1st corps - Kirkuk

  • 5th mechanized division - Shuwan
  • 2nd infantry division - Airabee
  • 8th infantry division - Shuwan
  • 38 infantry division - Karam

2nd corps - Deyala

  • 3rd armored division- Jalawla
  • 15th infantry division - Amerili
  • 34th infantry division - Alsadia

3rd corps - Al-Naserria

  • 6th armored division - Shalamcha
  • 51st mechanized division - Zubair
  • 11th infantry division - Al Naserria

4th corps - Al-Amara

  • 10th armored division - Al Teab
  • 14th infantry division - Al Amara
  • 18th infantry division - Al Musharah, Al Kahla

5th corps - Mosul

  • 1st mechanized division - Makhmur
  • 4th infantry division - Bashiqa Maoten
  • 7th infantry division - Alton Kopri Castle
  • 16th infantry division - Mosul

Weapons

Tanks - some 2000-2500 (according to JCSS - 2,400, including 2,000 operational)

  • 700 T-72 andT-72M1
  • up to 100 Assad Babil (Iraqi made T-72M1)
  • up to 1,600 (including over 400 non-combat ready according to JCSS) T-54/55/62, Type-59/69 and M-77 (Romanian made T-55 - TR-77)

Note: some sources also mention AMX-30 and other Western tanks captured from Iran and Kuwait - M60A1 (up to 100), M48, Centurions and Chiftains.

Reconnaissance vehicles - some 1,200-1,500 (according to JCSS 2,900 reconnaissance, IFV and APCs of all types, including 2,000 operational; according to IISS 400 reconnaissance vehicles)

  • BRDM-2
  • Engesa EE-3 Jararaca
  • Engesa EE-9 Cascavel
  • AML-60/90

Infantry fighting vehicles - 800-900 (according to JCSS 900 BMP-1/2)

  • BMP-1/2
  • BMD-1
  • AMX-10P

Armored personnel carriers - 2,000 - 2,400

  • BTR-40/50/60/152
  • OT-62/64
  • MTLB
  • YW-531/701
  • FUG-70/PSZH-IV
  • M113A1/A2
  • M60P
  • M-3 (Panhard VTT)
  • Engesa EE-11 Urutu

Self-propelled howitzers - about 150

155mm (95):

  • M109A/1/A2
  • GCT AUF-1
  • Majnoon

152mm:

  • 35 2S3 "Akatsia" (M-1973; SO-152)

122mm:

  • 20 2S1 "Gvozdika" (M-1974; SO-122)

Towed artillery - some 1,800-1,900

155mm:

  • G-5
  • GHN-45
  • M114A1

152mm:

  • D-20
  • D-1 (M-1943)
  • 2A36 "Hyacint-B" (M-1976)

130mm:

  • M-46 (and Chinese Type-59)

122mm:

  • M-30 (M-1938)
  • D-30 (including Iraqi made "Saddam")

105mm:

  • model 56 pack howitzer (M56)
  • M102

Note: some sources say that Iraq also has a few 180mm S-23 and 122mm D-74 guns.

Mortars - some 4,000-5,000

240mm

160mm

120mm:

  • 4 barrel SP
  • M-43

81mm

60mm


MLRS- 150-240 (130 according to JCSS)

262-400mm - see article "Iraqi unconventional weapons"

127/180/300mm:

  • Astros-2 - SS-30/SS-40/SS-60

130mm:

  • Type-82

128mm:

  • M-63

122mm:

  • BM-21
  • BM-11
  • Firos-25

107mm:

  • Type-63

ATGM - some 2,000 (1,500 according to JCSS)

  • PUR-63 "Malutka" (9M14/9M14M; AT-3 Sagger; including on BMP-1 and BRDM-2 platforms)
  • 9K111 "Fagot" (AT-4 Spigot)
  • 9K113 "Konkurs" (AT-5 Spandrel; on BMP-2)
  • Milan
  • SS-11 (probably retired from service)
  • TOW (BGM-71A; including M901 ITV)
  • HOT (self propelled on M-3 and 100 VRC/TH)

Other AT and infantry support weapons

  • 107mm B-11 recoilless guns
  • 100mm BS-3 guns (M-1944)
  • 85mm D-44 guns (M-1945)
  • 82mm B-11 recoilless guns
  • 73mm SPG-9 automatic grenade launchers

РЛС

  • RASIT (обнаружения артиллерии противника, разведка наземных целей)
  • Cymbeline (обнаружения миномётов противника)


Ground forces Air Defense - 500 AD artillery pieces and 1,500 MANPADS, see Iraqi Air Force.
Army aviation - Iraqi Air Force (will be added soon).

Other equipment

  • up to 1,500 tank transporters (1,500 - 2,000 according to JCSS);
  • понтонные мосты ПМП и ТПП;
  • самоходные паромы ГСП;
  • танковые мостоукладчики, в т.ч. МТУ-55 и BLG-60;

Other military and paramilitary organizations

Security forces - 15,000 men (25,000-45,000 according to JCSS).
Border guards - 20,000 men (9,000 according to IISS; armed with small arms and mortars, no heavy weapons).
Saddam's Fedaeen (voluntary paramilitary organization) - up to 15,000 men (18,000-20,000 according to IISS).
Reserves - the so called "Peoples Army", up to 850,000 men with some military training.

Sources:

1. The Military Balance for 2001/2002 published by the IISS - The International Institute for Strategic Studies of London.
2. Armaments, Disarmament for 2001 published by SIPRI - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
3. The Middle East Military Balance for 2000/2001 published by JCSS - Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at the Tel Aviv University.
4. Jane's World Armies.

 

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