By U.S. Army Sgt. Lorie Jewell
Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq |
TAJI, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2005 — The largest equipment donation to the Iraqi Army to date - dozens of T-72 tanks and armored personnel carriers - arrived at Taji Military Base over a three-day period last week.
"This is a great day for our division. These are the base of what we are building. The strength and power of the division is in our tanks."
Iraqi Gen. Bashar, commander, 9th Mechanized Division
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The final convoy of tractor-trailers hauling the equipment delivered its load Nov. 11, completing the long journey of 77 T-72s, 36 armored vehicles (BMPs), four recovery vehicles and several containers of parts and weaponry from Hungary to the 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized).
The largest equipment donation to the Iraqi Army to date - dozens of T-72 tanks and armored personnel carriers - arrived at Taji Military Base over a three-day period last week.
The final convoy of tractor-trailers hauling the equipment delivered its load Nov. 11, completing the long journey of 77 T-72s, 36 armored vehicles (BMPs), four recovery vehicles and several containers of parts and weaponry from Hungary to the 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized).
The vehicles will equip two tank battalions and one mechanized battalion of the division's 2nd Brigade, said Iraqi Gen. Bashar, division commander.
"This is a great day for our division," Bashar said, after driving the first tank off a tractor trailer on the second day of deliveries. "These are the base of what we are building. The strength and power of the division is in our tanks."
Until now, the division's tank fleet has consisted of Russian T-55 models, which belong to a 1st Brigade battalion. The brigade also has two mechanized battalions. The division expects to form a third brigade within the next year, Bashar said.
Many of the division's soldiers drove T-72 tanks in the old Iraqi Army, so they are familiar with operating and maintaining them, leaders said. A handful of the tanks remain at Taji and are used for training purposes.
"We have no trouble using these types of tanks and maintaining them," said Iraqi Lt. Col. Saleem, commander of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade. "The soldiers are very happy because now we have enough weapons to kill the terrorists in our country."
The 45-ton tank can move as fast as 60 kilometers an hour and fire eight rounds a minute with an auto-loader and a three-man crew. With a laser range finder, the crew can shoot while moving at speeds up to 20 kilometers an hour.
"These are a very good type of tank," said Saleem, through an interpreter. "Not all countries use this type of tank."
Hungary approached Iraq earlier this year about donating the tanks. Bashar and others traveled to the country to inspect the tanks before agreeing to accept them. Another country offered 500 BMPs, with Iraq accepting 100, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kevin Meredith, the mechanized and armor project officer for the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq. Three dozen of the 100 arrived with the tanks; the remaining 64 are expected in the coming months, Meredith said.
Although the vehicles were donated, the cost of refurbishing and shipping them here was covered by Iraqi's Ministry of Defense, which paid about $4.5 million, and roughly $500,000 from Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq, officials said.
Bashar and others said they appreciated the vehicles and the efforts of the countries involved in donating them and getting them to the division. |
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| Iraqi soldiers and Coalition advisers worked together to off-load 77 T-72 tanks during a three-day delivery period. Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Lorie Jewell |
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"We give many, many thanks to them," Bashar said. "All of the people gave us all of their effort."
The vehicles will equip two tank battalions and one mechanized battalion of the division's 2nd Brigade, said Iraqi Gen. Bashar, division commander.
"This is a great day for our division," Bashar said, after driving the first tank off a tractor trailer on the second day of deliveries. "These are the base of what we are building. The strength and power of the division is in our tanks."
Until now, the division's tank fleet has consisted of Russian T-55 models, which belong to a 1st Brigade battalion. The brigade also has two mechanized battalions. The division expects to form a third brigade within the next year, Bashar said.
Many of the division's soldiers drove T-72 tanks in the old Iraqi Army, so they are familiar with operating and maintaining them, leaders said. A handful of the tanks remain at Taji and are used for training purposes.
"We have no trouble using these types of tanks and maintaining them," said Iraqi Lt. Col. Saleem, commander of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade. "The soldiers are very happy because now we have enough weapons to kill the terrorists in our country."
The 45-ton tank can move as fast as 60 kilometers an hour and fire eight rounds a minute with an auto-loader and a three-man crew. With a laser range finder, the crew can shoot while moving at speeds up to 20 kilometers an hour.
"These are a very good type of tank," said Saleem, through an interpreter. "Not all countries use this type of tank."
Hungary approached Iraq earlier this year about donating the tanks. Bashar and others traveled to the country to inspect the tanks before agreeing to accept them. Another country offered 500 BMPs, with Iraq accepting 100, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kevin Meredith, the mechanized and armor project officer for the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq. Three dozen of the 100 arrived with the tanks; the remaining 64 are expected in the coming months, Meredith said.
Although the vehicles were donated, the cost of refurbishing and shipping them here was covered by Iraqi's Ministry of Defense, which paid about $4.5 million, and roughly $500,000 from Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq, officials said.
Bashar and others said they appreciated the vehicles and the efforts of the countries involved in donating them and getting them to the division.
"We give many, many thanks to them," Bashar said. "All of the people gave us all of their effort." |
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