Iraqi Army

Iraqi Army
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Unit name	Iraqi Army
Native name	الجيش العراقي
Caption	Flag of Iraq
Dates	1921–present
Country	Iraq
Branch	Iraqi Armed Forces
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Size	Approximately 180,000 active personnel
Command structure	Ministry of Defense
Garrison	Baghdad
Battles	Anglo-Iraqi War, 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, Iran–Iraq War, Gulf War, Iraq War, War in Iraq (2013–2017), Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
Anniversaries	January 6 (Army Day)

Iraqi Army. The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi Armed Forces, bearing primary responsibility for the nation's ground-based defense and security. Its history is deeply intertwined with the modern state of Iraq, from its founding under the British Mandate for Mesopotamia through periods of regional conflict, dictatorship, dissolution, and reconstitution. Today, it operates under the authority of the federal government in Baghdad, facing challenges of internal cohesion and external threats while maintaining a significant order of battle.

History

The army's origins trace to 1921, formed under the Hashemite monarchy after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. It saw early action in the Anglo-Iraqi War of 1941 and participated in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The 14 July Revolution in 1958, led by Abd al-Karim Qasim, overthrew the monarchy and politicized the military. Under the Ba'ath Party and later Saddam Hussein, the army grew into a massive force, engaging in the protracted Iran–Iraq War and the Invasion of Kuwait, which precipitated the Gulf War and devastating defeat by the United States-led Coalition of the Gulf War. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by a U.S.-led coalition, the army was formally dissolved by Coalition Provisional Authority Order 2, creating a security vacuum. Its reconstitution began under the auspices of the Multi-National Force – Iraq, facing immense challenges during the ensuing Iraq War and Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011). The army nearly collapsed in 2014 when the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant captured Mosul, but was rebuilt with international support, notably from the United States Armed Forces, and played a key role in the Battle of Mosul (2016–2017) and the broader War in Iraq (2013–2017).

Organization

The army is organized into several corps-level commands, known as Operations Commands, responsible for specific geographic regions like Baghdad, Nineveh, and Anbar. Its primary combat formations are divisions, which include infantry, mechanized, and armored units. Key divisions include the 9th Armored Division, the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, and various infantry divisions. The army also maintains separate support commands for logistics, training, and aviation, with the latter operating helicopters like the Mil Mi-17. The force falls under the command of the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, who reports to the Minister of Defense and the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces.

Equipment

Following massive losses and obsolescence, the army's inventory has been largely rebuilt with modern, predominantly American and Soviet-era equipment. Its main battle tank fleet includes the M1 Abrams and upgraded variants of the T-72. Infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers consist of the M113, BMP-1, and M1117 Armored Security Vehicle. Artillery systems range from the M198 howitzer to truck-mounted MLRS like the Fajr-1. The army's aviation command fields utility and attack helicopters, primarily the Mi-17 and the Bell 407. Small arms are a mix of AK-pattern rifles and American M16 and M4 carbines.

Personnel and training

The army has an estimated active-duty strength of approximately 180,000 personnel, serving on a volunteer basis. Recruitment and basic training are conducted at centralized facilities like the Besmaya Combat Training Center, often with advisors from the United States Department of Defense. Officer education occurs at military academies, including the Iraqi Military Academy in Rustamiyah. Specialized training for elite units, such as the Counter Terrorism Service, is frequently conducted in collaboration with foreign partners like Joint Special Operations Command elements. Persistent issues include sectarian tensions, political interference, and logistical shortcomings, though professionalism has improved since the campaigns against ISIL.

Role and deployments

The army's primary constitutional role is to defend Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity from external aggression. Since 2014, its central operational focus has been counter-insurgency and combating residual threats from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, conducting frequent operations in regions like the Hamrin Mountains and the Iraqi desert. It operates jointly with the Popular Mobilization Forces, though this relationship is complex and politically sensitive. The army maintains a significant static presence along borders with Syria and Iran, and its units are routinely deployed to secure major events, critical infrastructure such as the Kirkuk oil fields, and to support civilian authorities. It has not engaged in external expeditionary deployments since the Gulf War.

Category:Military of Iraq Iraq