Iraqi Military

Iraqi Military
Name	Iraqi Armed Forces
Founded	1921 (modern formation)
Headquarters	Baghdad
Commander in chief	Abdullatif Rashid
Minister of defense	Mohammed al-Askari
Active personnel	300,000 (est.)
Reserve personnel	60,000 (est.)
Branches	Iraqi Army, Iraqi Navy (post-2003), Iraqi Air Force
Engagements	Anglo-Iraqi War, Kurdish–Iraqi conflict (1961–1970), Iran–Iraq War, Gulf War, Iraq War, Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011), War in Iraq (2013–2017)

Iraqi Military The Iraqi Armed Forces are the collective defense and security institutions responsible for protecting Iraq and projecting state power. They trace lineage to forces formed during the British Mandate of Mesopotamia and have been shaped by conflicts such as the Anglo-Iraqi War, the Iran–Iraq War, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War. The forces have undergone multiple reorganizations, professionalization efforts, and international partnerships involving states like the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, and Iran.

History

The origins of the modern Iraqi forces began under the 1920 Iraqi Revolt and the establishment of the Kingdom of Iraq following the Treaty of Sèvres era influences and League of Nations mandates. During the Monarchy of Iraq, leaders such as Faisal I of Iraq shaped early institutions before coups in 1958 led by figures associated with the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party and military officers like Abdul Karim Qasim. The First Kurdish–Iraqi conflict and later the Six-Day War regional fallout influenced force posture. Under Saddam Hussein, the forces expanded into large formations used in the Iran–Iraq War and the Invasion of Kuwait, culminating in defeats during the Gulf War led by Operation Desert Storm coalition forces commanded by Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. and supported by allies including France and Saudi Arabia. The 2003 Invasion of Iraq by the United States and the United Kingdom resulted in disbandment policies and subsequent rebuilding under the Coalition Provisional Authority with assistance from NATO and the Multinational Force in Iraq. Post-2003 years saw counterinsurgency against organizations like Al-Qaeda in Iraq and later the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, culminating in campaigns such as Operation Inherent Resolve involving coordination with United States Central Command and regional partners including Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-linked groups. Recent history includes security sector reform initiatives tied to the Iraqi Constitution and engagement with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq.

Organization and Command Structure

Command authority is vested nominally in the President of Iraq as head of state and practically exercised by the Prime Minister of Iraq as commander-in-chief via the Council of Ministers. The Iraqi Ministry of Defense oversees policy, while the Iraqi Joint Headquarters coordinates operations among branches. Key institutions include the Iraqi Special Operations Forces Command, the Counter Terrorism Service, the Popular Mobilization Forces (al-Hashd al-Shaabi) with ties to groups such as Badr Organization and Kata'ib Hezbollah, and the Iraqi Ground Forces Command. Legal frameworks derive from the Iraqi Transitional Administrative Law and subsequent legislation ratified by the Iraqi Council of Representatives. Oversight and reform have involved missions by the International Monetary Fund-backed programs for defense budgeting and capacity-building initiatives with NATO Training Mission-Iraq and bilateral partners like the United States Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom).

Branches and Components

Primary branches include the Iraqi Army, which fields infantry, armored, and artillery units; the Iraqi Air Force, responsible for air defense and strike capabilities; and the Iraqi Navy (post-2003), focused on Persian Gulf security, port protection at Basra port, and maritime interdiction. Specialized components include the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, the Federal Police (Iraq), the Iraqi Border Enforcement, and the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service. Auxiliary and irregular elements include the Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella with organizations such as Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat al-Nujaba. Training and logistics are supported by institutions like the Iraqi Military Academy and the Iraqi Army Logistics Command.

Equipment and Capabilities

Equipment sources are diverse: legacy systems from Soviet Union-era suppliers such as the T-55 and T-72 family, Western platforms acquired post-2003 including M1 Abrams armor and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and regional procurements from Iran and Russia of systems like T-90 tanks and Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft. Small arms inventories include AK-47 variants, the M16 series, and PK machine guns. Air defenses incorporate systems from S-125 Neva lineage and newer procurements coordinated with United States Air Force advisers. Naval assets include patrol craft modeled on designs from Italy and United States Navy-built platforms. Logistics rely on fleets of M-ATV and Humvee vehicles for mobility. Capabilities emphasize counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, and conventional deterrence, with gaps in strategic airlift, integrated air defense, and sustainable maintenance ecosystems noted by audits from International Institute for Strategic Studies analysts.

Recruitment, Training, and Personnel

Recruitment draws from Iraq's ethnoreligious diversity including Shia Islam, Sunni Islam, and Kurdish people communities, with recruitment policies designed to reflect national reconciliation overseen by the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense. Training pipelines include courses at the Iraqi Military Academy (Baghdad), officer candidate schools, and specialized training with foreign partners: the United States Marine Corps and British Army provided initial post-2003 training, while Jordan and Turkey have hosted cadre-level exercises. Professional development leverages exchange programs with France and Germany military education institutions. Personnel challenges have included vetting for sectarian loyalty, integration of former Ba'ath Party affiliates, demobilization of militias, and veterans' rehabilitation coordinated with the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

Operations and Conflicts

Operational history spans conventional wars such as the Iran–Iraq War and the Gulf War, counterinsurgency campaigns during the Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011), the 2014–2017 campaign against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant culminating in the Battle of Mosul (2016–17), and ongoing security operations against remnant militant cells in provinces like Nineveh Governorate, Anbar Governorate, and Kirkuk Governorate. Multinational operations have included coordination under Coalition Provisional Authority frameworks and later with the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Domestic security operations have intersected with political crises, such as clashes during protests associated with the 2019–2021 Iraqi protests.

International Cooperation and Modernization Assistance

Post-2003 reconstruction and modernization have been supported by a broad range of partners: the United States provided training, equipment, and advisory missions through Combined Joint Task Force — Operation Inherent Resolve elements; United Kingdom contributed through defense training teams and equipment donations; NATO ran the NATO Mission Iraq for capacity-building; Russia and France engaged in arms sales and maintenance contracts; Iran influenced militia integration via ties to Popular Mobilization Forces factions. Multilateral assistance from the United Nations and bilateral programs with Italy, Germany, Canada, Jordan, and Turkey focused on institution-building, counter-IED training, and logistics. Modernization priorities include force-wide professionalization, procurement of maintainable platforms like the F-16 Fighting Falcon for the air fleet, fielding integrated command-and-control systems compatible with Allied Joint Publication standards, and improving defense industrial cooperation with firms such as BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Rosoboronexport.

Category:Military of Iraq