Last Saturday, a parade of militia Forces was held at one of the military bases in the province of Diyala in Iraq in honor of the seventh anniversary of their formation.
The solemn event involved samples of towed artillery - 152-mm D-20 howitzers, 130-mm M-46 guns, as well as numerous multiple launch rocket systems: both homemade and delivered by Iran 122-mm Raad-24.
Wheeled armored vehicles were represented by American Humvee, LT-79 and Toufan armored vehicles of Iranian production.
For the first time in the history of Iraqi parades, modernized T-72M1S were shown. If the first sample was presented in mid-May, at present, according to some reports, with the help of Iranian specialists, seven such machines have already been finalized.
They received new dynamic protection of the turret and hull, improved sights, communications equipment, modified track belts and more powerful engines.
However, it is surprising that not the usual 12.7-mm "Utes" were used as anti-aircraft guns, but older DShK machine guns. Apparently, the militia has a shortage of NSVT. Along with the upgraded cars, a pair of T-72S also passed.
More numerous was the column of medium tanks, which was formed from the Soviet T-55, Chinese Type 59 and Type 69, in total it included almost two dozen units.
In one formation, BMP-1 also passed with new turrets having single-barreled 23-mm guns, paired ZU-23-2, as well as BMP-2, which have become quite rare in Iraq.
Alexey Brusilov
