n August 1980 the Iraqi Military had 212.000 troops, 2.000 tanks, 1.000 artillery pieces, 370 combat aircraft, and 230 helicopters.
The Order of Battle of the Iraqi Army was as follows:
I Army Corps (sector between Rawanduz and Marivan)
- 7th Infantry Division (HQ Soleimaniyah)
- 11th Infantry Division (HQ Soleimaniyah; including 113IB, parts of which were detached to III Army Corps)
II Army Corps (sector between Qassre-Shirin, Ilam, and Mehran, armor deployed between Mehran and Dezful)
- 6th Armored Division (HQ Baqubah)
- 9th Armored Division (HQ Samavah; 35AB, 43AB, 14MB)
- 10th Armored Division (HQ Baghdad, 17AB, 42AB, 24MB)
- 2nd Infantry Division (HQ Kirkuk)
- 4th Infantry Division (HQ Mawsil)
- 6th Infantry Division (HQ Baqubah)
- 8th Infantry Division (HQ Arbil)
III Army Corps (HQ al-Qurnah, sector between Dezful and Abadan)
- 3rd Armored Division (HQ Tikrit; 6AB, 12AB, 8MB)
- 10th Armored Division (HQ Baghdad; 10AB)
- 12th Armored Division (HQ Dahuoq; held in reserve)
- 1st Mechanized Division (HQ Divaniyeh; 1MB, 27MB, 34AB)
- 5th Mechanized Division (HQ Basrah; 26AB, 15MB, 20MB)
- 10th Independent AB
- 31st Independent Special Forces Brigade (minus two battalions: one was attached to 5th Mechanized Division, another to 3rd Armored Division),
- 33rd Independent Special Forces Brigade
- 113 Infantry Brigade (detachments)
There were also two independent armored brigades, the 10th and the 12th, dislocations of which are as of yet unclear.
Standard Iraqi armored division (AD) of the time had two armored (equipped with 300 T-62 MBTs) and one mechanized brigade (with BMP-1 ICVs), a single artillery brigade (with self-propelled artillery), and support elements. A standard Iraqi mechanized division (MD) had one armored brigade (equipped with 200 T-54/55s), one mechanized brigade (equipped with Czech OT-64s APCs or BTR-50s), and one artillery brigade, as well as support elements.
According to Western sources, in September 1980 the IrA operated some 100 T-72 tanks, probably attached to the 10th Independent Armored Brigade, based at al-Rashid Barracks, in Baghdad. Some Iraqi sources state that the first shot of the war was in fact fired by their T-72s. However, there is no firm confirmation yet that the Iraqi Army indeed operated T-72s at this stage of the war. Their first confirmed appearance occurred only in 1982.
All Iraqi ADs and MDs had also an organic air defense regiment, consisting of at least one SA-6 SAM-site (contrary to many wrong reports, the Iraqi SA-6s always remained under the Army control), SA-9s, and ZSU-23-4s. At later stages of the war the SA-13s replaced SA-9s in most of the mechanized formations.
Iraqi Army Air Corps (IrAAC)
The IrAAC at the time operated two “Composite Combat Transport Wings” (the 1st and the 2nd) with a total of eight squadrons of helicopters. Each of the squadrons had several flights, each of which was equipped with a different types of helicopters, so that every squadron had a number of Mi-8s, SA.342L Gazelles, and SE.316 Alouette IIIs on order. The exception from this rule was the “4th Assault, Transport, Training, and Special Operations Squadron” (4th ATTSOC), which, beside the Mi-8s and SA.342Ls, also operated all the 17 Mi-25s available to the Iraqis at the time, as equipment of the “4th Squadron’s Special Operations Unit” (4th SSOC). Also, the “3rd Assault, Transport, and Training Squadron” operated the handful of remaining Wessex HU.Mk.52 helicopters. The main base of the IrAAC was al-Taji, but different flights from different squadrons were deployed at many different sites throughout the country. The 4th ATTSOC/4th SSOC, for example, had usually pairs of Mi-25s based at Basrah International, near the Presidential palace in Baghdad, al-Kut, Kirkuk, Nassiriyah, Jalibah, Ruthbah, and Tallil. Very early after its establishment in 1980, the Mi-25s of the 4th SSOC were armed with chemical weapons, and the unit would usually have at least a pair of Mi-25s armed with chemical bombs based at Samara, Baiji, Mawsil, and/or Falluja. Later, the same unit was to get Bo.105 helicopters, some of which were also armed with tanks for spraying chemicals. Also later during the war, at the times of the larger Iranian offensives and after more Mi-25s were delivered to Iraq, the 4th SSOC established permanent detachments at each of these bases, at which the Hinds equipped with chemical weapons stood constant alerts.
Theoretically, the IrAAC was under IrA control, but effectivelly it was put directly under the control of regime already at these times.
The IrAAC did not control all the Iraqi helicopter assets: a VIP-Transport unit, flying SA.342s and Mi-8s, was responsible for transportation of important political and military figures, while a squadron of some 14 (out of 16 originally delivered) SA.321G/H Super Frelons, some of which were compatible with AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, was assigned to the Iraqi Navy.
Iraqi Air Force (IrAF)
(Note: The following Order of Battle for the Iraqi Air Force and the Iraqi Army Air Corps were upgraded with additional informations, which were not available at the time the book “Iran-Iraq War in the Air, 1980-1988” was published by Schiffer Military Publishing, Atglen, PA, in December 2002):
IrAF/Support Command
(Deployment as from north towards south, and from west towards east)
Kirkuk Fighter-Bomber Wing
- No. 1 FBS, Su-20, at al-Hurriyah AB (Kirkuk)
- No. 5 FBS, Su-22M, at al-Hurriyah AB (Kirkuk)
- No. 17 FS, MiG-21MF, at al-Hurriyah AB (Kirkuk)
- No. 44 FBS, Su-22M & Su-22M-3R, at al-Hurriyah AB (Kirkuk)
Mosul Fighter-Bomber Wing
- No. 11 FS (Det.), MiG-21MF, at Firnas AB (Mosul)
Qayyarah West Wing (in formation; not operational)
- No. 63 FS, MiG-23MLA, at Qayyarah West (moved to Tahmmouz AB after the start of the the war)
- No. 79 FS, Mirage F.1EQ (not yet delivered)
- No. 92 FS, Mirage F.1EQ (not yet delivered)
Bomber Wing
- 7th Sqn, Tu-22B/U, at Tahmmouz AB ("al-Taqaddum", near Habbaniyah)
- 8th Sqn, Tu-16/Tu-16K-11-16, at Tahmmouz AB (the 7th and 8th Squadrons were later combined into the 10th Squadron). A handful of Il-28s were at Tahmmouz AB as well; their condition at the moment of Iraqi invasion remains unclear: according to one source they were not operational any more but used as decoys; according to others they were deployed in combat.
- No. 39 FS "Defenders of Baghdad", MiG-23MS, Tahmmouz AB
- No. 84 FRS, MiG-25RB, Tahmmouz AB (in formation; not operational)
- No. 96 FS, MiG-25PDS, Tahmouz AB (in formation; not operational)
Flying Leaders School
- Detachment ?, Hunter F.Mk.59A/B at Rashid AB (Baghdad)
- Detachment ?, Jet Provost T.Mk.52 at Rashid AB (Baghdad)
al-Rashid Fighter Wing
- No. 9 FS, MiG-21PFM, at Rashid AB (Baghdad)
- No. 11 FS, MiG-21bis, at Rashid AB (Baghdad)
- No. 70 FRS, MiG-21RF, at Rashid AB (Baghdad)
H-3/al-Wallid Wing
- No. 84 Sqn (actually detachment), MiG-23MS, at al-Wallid AB
- No. ?? Sqn (actually detachment), MiG-21bis/MF, at al-Wallid AB
al-Kut Fighter-Bomber Wing
- No. ?? FBS, Su-7BMK, at Abu Ubaida al-Jarrah AB ("al-Kut" or "al-Jarrah" AB)
- No. 23 FBS, MiG-23BN, at Abu Ubaida al-Jarrah AB ("al-Kut" or "al-Jarrah" AB)
Nasseriyah Fighter-Bomber Wing
- No. 73 FS, MiG-23MF, at Ali Ibn Abu-Talib AB ("Tallil") (in formation; not operational)
- No. 77 FBS, MiG-23BN, at Ali Ibn Abu-Talib AB
Shoibiyah Fighter-Bomber Wing
- No. ?? FS, MiG-21MF, at al-Wihda/Shoibiyah AB
- No. 109 FBS, Su-22M, at al-Wihda/Shoibiyah AB
The IrAF/ADC also operated almost 120 SA-2 and SA-3 sites (soon to be reinforced by at least four batteries of Roland-2 SAMs, delivered from France), as well as all the AAA over caliber 57mm. While SA-2s and SA-3s were operated as complex sites, Rolands were to be deployed as single firing units.
It must be added that a sizeable contingent of Soviet air force was operational with the IrAF at the time of invasion. This consisted of 24 MiG-25R/RB/RBShs, at least 12 MiG-21MFs and at least eight MiG-23MLAs, all based at as-Shoibiyah AB, near Basrah, which was effectivelly put under Soviet control. Original intention was to test these aircraft against Iranians, before gradually putting them under Iraqi command. For example, between August 1980 and April 1981 four MiG-25s were put under Iraqi control, and the MiG-23MLA-unit consisted of Soviet but also Iraqi pilots, while the MiG-21MFs were eventually all given to the IrAF after the war started. The Iranians, however, did not care very much about Soviet or Iraqi plans, but four F-4Es from TFB.3 raided as-Shoibiyah heavily already in their first strike in response to the Iraqi invasion, on the late afternoon of 22 September. Additional strikes were flown on the following two days, and eventually the Soviets were forced to evacuate all MiG-25s to H-3/al-Wallid AB, in western Iraq, while all the MiG-23MLAs were moved to Qayyarah West AB, in north-western Iraq.
Although Moscow was time and again stressing its neutral stance regarding this war, its contingent remained in Iraq until April 1981: it was actually evacuated only after the MiG-23MLA-unit suffered heavy losses in air combats with Iranians (including four MiG-23MLAs to a single IRIAF F-14A, on 29 October 1980; two additional examples were lost while fighting Iranian counteroffensives in 1981), and several MiG-25s were destroyed and/or damaged on the ground by Iranian Phantoms in the "H-3 Blitz", on 4 April 1981.
IrAF/Training Command
Air Force Academy, Tikrit
Basic Training
- 1st Flying School, A.202A Bravo
- 2nd Flying School, A.202A Bravo
- 3rd Flying School, Mi-2, Mi-4, SA.342 Gazelle
Primary Training (partially conducted from al-Rashid AB)
- 4th Flying School, L-29
- 5th Flying School, L-29
Weapons Training
- 6th Flying School, PC-7
- 7th Flying School, Jet Provost T.52, at al-Rashid AB
IrAF/Transport Command
Transport Brigade
- 31st Sqn/A Flight, Il-76MD, at Baghdad/Saddam International
- 31st Sqn/B Flight, An-12B, al-Rashid AB
- 32nd Sqn/A Flight, An-2, miscellaneous airfields
Most of the transport aircraft – except all the An-12Bs, but including all Il-76MDs – were operated in the colors of the Iraqi national airline, “Iraq Airways”. The same company also operated numerous An-24TVs, most of which, however, were used for military purposes, and quite a few of which were cached and destroyed on the ground during early Iranian air strikes.
Iraqi Navy (IrN)
Naval Aviation
- No. ?? NS, SA.321GV Super Frelon, at NAS Umm-ol-Qassr
- No. ?? NS, AB.212ASW, (in formation; not operational; helicopters never delivered)
Data from :
www.ACIG.org
