A group of officers who had previously graduated from a military college were admitted to the armored school of the Iraqi army. 107 people from January to October of this year will study military equipment in the troops, in particular T-90S tanks and infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3M.
This Russian-made equipment is considered the most modern of all land samples available in the armed forces of the state.
They will also have to master the American M1A1M Abrams main battle tanks and M113 tracked armored personnel carriers.
It is assumed that future commanders, thanks to an intensive theoretical and practical course after graduation, will be able to perfectly know all the tactical and technical characteristics, especially the operation of the entrusted material part. They will gain driving skills in various conditions, the use of standard weapons, such as guided missiles.
To do this, various modern teaching methods are used. It is known that the Iraqi military received simulators, including for the development of the BMP-3.
"Nineties" and "troikas" are currently available in parts of the elite ninth Armored Division.
In addition, Chinese Type 69-II tanks purchased during Saddam Hussein's regime and T-55 tanks purchased in the Soviet Union and the countries of the former Warsaw Pact, as well as T-72M and T-72M1 received at different times, continue to serve in other formations.
The mechanized units are armed with infantry fighting vehicles BMP-1, BMP-2, lightly armored transporters of Soviet and Bulgarian production MT-LB. BTR-80UP armored personnel carriers received additional reservations from Ukraine via Poland. It was planned to replenish the fleet with BTR-4 wheeled vehicles manufactured by the Kharkiv Heavy Machinery Plant, however, as it turned out, these armored vehicles suffer from a lot of defects, as a result, the deal was canceled, and a significant part of the equipment was returned to Ukraine.
Alexey Moiseev