[Marauder]

The New Iraqi Army in Early 2006
March 13, 2006

The Iraqi army now consists of about 140,000 troops. They are organized into 113 combat battalions (91 infantry battalions, 5 mechanized infantry battalions, 4 armored battalions, 1 special-duty security battalion and twelve special intervention force battalions.) The infantry and armor battalions are organized into nine divisions. There are also four special intervention force brigades (each with three battalions.)

Support forces include 9 motor transportation regiments, 3 mechanized combat service-support battalions and 10 base support units. There are not enough support units, and many more will be organized this year.

Before the 2003 invasion, the Iraqi army had about 420,000 troops (a quarter of them reservists, to be called up in wartime.) Most of the officers, and a disproportionate number of the NCOs, were Sunni Arabs, selected mainly for their loyalty to Saddam Hussein. There were thousands of intelligence personnel assigned to keeping an eye on the army, for any signs of disloyalty. Most of the enlisted troops were Shia Arabs, although a large minority were Sunni Arabs. There were also some Kurds, Christians and some other minorities.

The current Iraqi army had a hard time rebuilding its officer corps, because most of the experienced officers available were Sunni Arabs who, until recently, were reluctant to join because of terrorist threats against them. The terrorists were most active in Sunni Arab neighborhoods. But the new government, dominated by the Kurds and Shia Arabs (who comprise 80 percent of the population) wanted their people to comprise most of the officer corps. That required a lot of training, and years of experience for the senior commanders. There were some Kurdish and Shia Arab officers available, but most of these had served in low ranking jobs, and you needed experienced colonels as well as lieutenants. So over a year of intensive officer training was required before battalions could be organized. Many Shia Arab and Kurd NCOs were promoted to officer rank, but even these needed some formal training. The biggest problem with getting Iraqi battalions capable of independent operations, is the shortage of capable officers.  Most civilians simply cannot comprehend how important training and experience is when you are commanding a battalion in combat. 

By 2005, many more former Sunni Arab officers were willing to rejoin the army. That's because the terrorists had been run out of many Sunni Arab areas. But there was still the loyalty problem. Doing background checks was not easy, and many of the rehired Sunni Arab officers proved to be unreliable or untrustworthy. However, the majority did well, and are providing a lot of the senior leadership. But a new crop of Kurdish and Shia Arab officers are rapidly moving up the ranks. These are combat proven men, and that means a lot. During World War II, there were many men in their twenties who ended the war commanding battalions and brigades.

There are also problems with politically connected, but incompetent, officers being kept in their positions. Kurdish and Shia Arab politicians all want army officers they can personally depend on. This was what made Saddam's army so inefficient, and the current Iraqi political leadership had to be constantly reminded of that. But politicians have to worry about staying in power, and in Iraq, that has traditionally been accomplished by having a lot of loyal army officers to back you up.

American advisors are assigned to all Iraqi units. They not only give advice, but also constantly grade these units. Currently, about half the combat units are considered capable of operating on their own. The rest are either still training, or mainly being used for guard duty (checkpoints, infrastructure, oil facilities, government buildings). The guard duty is a good way to train the troops, and their officers. Those units that can operate on their own (with American backup and air support), require officers who can adequately supervise their troops and react effectively to rapidly changing situations. The most taxing job is patrolling and sweeps. This is when you can encounter unexpected opposition, and the officers and NCOs have to be able to handle it.

Most of the weapons are either Saddam era, or Russian stuff (often from Eastern Europe) donated after 2003. New American equipment includes radios and other electronic equipment, body armor, uniforms, trucks and medical gear. Getting new equipment and weapons is complicated by problems with corruption in the Defense Ministry. Old habits die hard.

The new army has proved competent in combat, and Iraqi troops who served in the old army have noticed the difference. The Iraqi troops admire the American, and other Western troops. Seeing these foreign troops operate has made an impression. The foreign trainers have demonstrated that the superiority of Western troops is not some kind of magic, but the result of good training and leadership. Some Iraqi units have made amazing progress in terms of effectiveness. But the main problem remains a shortage of trained officers and NCOs. This is a problem that will take several more years to fix.

The major units of the Iraqi army are currently deployed as follows;

1st Division (counter-insurgency) Habbaniyah

2nd Infantry Division Al Kindi

3rd Infantry Division Al Kasik

4th Infantry Division Tikrit

5th Infantry Division KMTB (Kirkuk military training base)

6th Infantry Division Baghdad

7th Infantry Division Al Asad

8th Infantry Division Diwaniyah

9th Mechanized Infantry Division Taji

10th Infantry Division Basrah

1st Special Intervention Forces Brigade Baghdad International Airport

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htworl ... 60313.aspx

[Luso]

http://www.sftt.org/main.cfm

SFTT has just received this report from a Soldier with firsthand knowledge of the situation

" Operation Swarmer was compromised by the Iraqis.  As soon as Iraqi units left their barracks, their soldiers and local police watching movements were on cell phones.  Orders are not even issued to Iraqi units until 1 hr prior to loading onto trucks and slicks.  The insurgents were tipped of, people we interviewed in the area stated the insurgent cells and cell leaders abruptly left 3 hrs before we even arrived.  This operation was an exercise in PR on how well the Iraqi forces are taking the fight to the enemy, but had little operational success."                                                                                                                

 [NOTE: After the Viet Nam war we discovered that every tactical operation of battalion size or larger, that took place after August of 1965, was compromised. There was no, repeat no, effective OPSEC, due to the penetration of South Vietnamese military by the North Vietnamese intelligence services.]

[Marauder]

The Iraqi army, rebuilt since 2003, still doesn't get any respect. But the force is much larger, and effective, than it was just six months ago. Currently, there are three divisions, 18 brigades and 69 battalions fit for service and out there every day fighting the Saddam diehards and al Qaeda fanatics. Six months ago, there was only one division, four brigades and 23 battalions out there. All of this is the result of several years of training, and a lot of trial and error.  

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htworl ... 60630.aspx

Rising...

[Cabeça de Martelo]

Alguém viu o programa que deu ontem no canal História acerca do novo Exército Iraquiano? Olhem que os Comandos deles...eu não queria enfrentá-los!  

[Marauder]

Humvees para iraquianos
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?sec ... icle=39126

Iraqi Army Receives Trucks
 
(Source: Multi-National force – Iraq ; issued June 13, 2006)
 
BAGHDAD, Iraq --- NATO nations continued to show their determination and support with two major donations in June to bolster the Iraqi security forces.  
 
Since NATO Training Mission - Iraq began in August 2004; member nations have supported its goals by providing trainers and advisers, as well as large donations of equipment.  
 
On 1 June, 100 personnel transport and general purpose cargo trucks donated by Denmark arrived at the Iraqi Army’s 10th Infantry Division in Tallil. Before the used trucks were donated they had to pass maintenance checks and safety inspections to ensure they were fit for duty in the demanding Iraqi environment. Denmark also donated spare parts for the trucks and is devised a two-week course to train mechanics in their servicing and maintenance. The estimated value of this donation is more than $1.5 million. On the same day Spain donated personnel protection equipment to the Iraqi army with an estimated value of more than $2.33 million.  
 
NATO coordinates donations from member countries to Iraq after the training mission defines the needs and requirements of the Iraqi security forces by working closely with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. NATO is in Iraq at the behest of the Iraqi government to train, advise and equip Iraqi forces, and provide technical assistance as necessary.

defense-aerospace.com[re-routing das notícias]

Iraque recebe Cougar Lite [re-routing das notícias]
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htarm/ ... 60612.aspx

[SSK]

Iraque compra helicópteros russos.
Exército do Iraque encomenda Mi-17 Hip. Algumas fontes revelam que são 28 os novos aparelhos pretendidos pelo Ministro Abdel Qadar Jassim al-Ubeidi
O Ministro de Defesa iraquiano, Abdel Qadar Jassim al-Ubeidi, fez no dia 24 de Junho a primeira encomenda dos helicópteros Mi-17 Hip multi-usos para o exército iraquiano depois de inspeccionar os aparelhos numa base aérea perto de Bagdade.

Algumas fontes indicam que o número total de aparelhos encomendados será 28. Em Março de 2007, o Ministro disse que a força áerea iraquiana deveria ter 50 a 60 helicópteros em serviço até ao final do ano.

O Mi-17 é uma versão mais avançada do Mi-8, desenhado para operar a grandes alturas e em condições de calor.

O Mi -17 Hip é produzudo pela indístria aeronáutica russa Kazan Helicopters Plant. Em 2006 o governo indiano comprou 80 unidades.


Konstantin KODENETS

[HSMW]

[brunopinto90]

Não há legendas?

[HSMW]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/sh ... rmy/page39

[HSMW]

On June 18, an Iraqi military source confirmed that the air force command will
receive “Alligator” combat helicopters from Russia in the coming
period.
About This Article
Summary :
The Iraqi government is expanding its armed forces.
The Iraqi Army Receives a Russian Alligator Helicopter
Author: Ali Abel Sadah

In a statement to Al-Monitor, the source, a senior Iraqi army officer, said that "the aircraft will be of the Ka-52 and Mi-28NE models from the French Le Bourget Air
Show.”
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained, “The Iraqi air force command will get a new source of strength with the acquisition of this model of helicopter.”
The source continued, saying, “The new Russian aircraft, especially the Ka-52, are distinguished by their ability to lead a squadron of helicopters and play the role of the command post, which defines and assigns the goals of the squadron’s helicopters.”
The source added that the Ka-52 “does not have less technical and combat characteristics than the US AH-64 Apache helicopters.”
This statement came one day after a Russian news agency published information on the completion of a purchase agreement between the
Iraqi Ministry of Defense and the Russian government, dating back to 2011.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had visited Moscow to hold negotiations for an arms deal. Yet, it was immediately halted after suspicions of corruption against officials close to Maliki.
These officials included members of his office. Maliki later decided to dismiss Ali al-Dabbagh, the Iraqi government’s spokesman, for being involved in receiving kickbacks to facilitate the procedures to conclude the agreement between the Iraqi and Russian parties.
The Russian Interfax news agency said on June 17, “Russia will supply Iraq with Ka-52 ‘Alligator’ [helicopters] and Mi-28NE combat helicopters.” It pointed out that “Le Bourget Air Show has concluded the first export agreement to provide Iraq with these helicopters.”
Interfax added, “An agreement was signed between Russia and Iraq in 2012 to buy military equipment worth $4.3 billion, and that by virtue of the signature of the agreement, Le Bourget Air Show officially brought the agreement into force.”
Iraq signed agreements with Russia to buy weapons worth $4.3 billion during Maliki’s visit last year.
Russian reports said that the deal includes the MiG-29 aircraft, 30 Mi-28 combat helicopters and 42 Pantsir-S1s. The Pantsir-S1 is a surface-to-air missile system.
The Iraqi government seeks to arm the ground, air and naval units of the Iraqi army. It has signed contracts with a number of countries that manufacture sophisticated weapons — including the United States — in order to equip the army with armored [fighting] vehicles, advanced tanks, helicopters and fighter aircraft, including F-16 fighter jets. Nevertheless, the news that Iraq was going to receive Russian aircraft coincided with a report on world military-strength ranking, which ranked the Iraqi army 58th [out of 68].
According to a report published by the Global Fire Power website, “The Iraqi army was ranked 58th, preceded, among the regional armies, by the Iranian
army that ranked 16th, Israel 13th, Egypt 14th and Saudi Arabia 27th.”
 The report stressed that in terms of [military] capabilities, the Iraqi army “comes behind the Syrian army that ranked 39th, the Yemeni army that ranked 43rd, the
Jordanian army that ranked 56th and the United Arab Emirates that ranked 57th.”
The report was based on 40 different factors to determine each country’s power index. They include available manpower, financial resources and
army statistics.
According to the report, Iraq allocated nearly $5.57 billion to its defense budget. It has 396 tanks, 2,643 armored [fighting] vehicles, 24
self-propelled guns, 234 artillery units, 55 rocket projectors and up to 9,000 logistical vehicles.
The report said that Iraq has an air force of nearly 278 aircraft, including drones, transport aircraft, amphibious aircraft and 129
helicopters.
The report revealed that Iraq does not have aircraft carriers, frigates, submarines or amphibious assault forces.
The Iraqi army dates back to 1921, when the first armed forces unit — the Musa al-Kadhim regiment — was
established under the British Mandate of Iraq, and the armed forces command was established in Baghdad. This was followed by the establishment of the Iraqi air
force in 1931 and the Iraqi naval force in 1937. The number of army personnel reached its peak with the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, with 1 million
personnel.

[HSMW]

Muito bom!

[HSMW]

MI-28NE no Iraque.

[HSMW]

TOS-1

MI-35

[mafets]

http://www.janes.com/article/53017/iraq-gets-maxxpro-mine-rollers

Iraq has taken delivery of 30 Navistar MaxxPro mine-resistant, ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles with mine rolling equipment, the US military announced on 13 July.

The vehicles were handed over at Camp Taji, where US and allied personnel are training and equipping the Iraqi Army's new 15th Division.

Cumprimentos

[HSMW]

Heavy US Artillery Fire Support For Iraqi Army In Action + Soldiers Train Iraqi And Kurdish Forces