Kuwait Army

The Kuwait Army, established in 1949, is the oldest armed branch among the military of Kuwait.[1] Its cavalry and infantry predecessors operated in desert and metropolitan areas in 1919, 1920 and 1928 to 1938, tracing their roots directly to the cavalrymen and infantrymen that defended Al-Kout Fortress since the 19th century along with various mounted defensive forces. The "Kuwait Army" was later established as the Kuwait Land Force, which became the principal land force of the Kuwait Armed Forces.

Kuwait Land Forces
Country	Kuwait
Branch	Military of Kuwait
Type	Land force
Size	30,000 personnel
Garrison/HQ	Kuwait City
Nickname(s)	His Highness Land Force
Motto(s)	الله والوطن والامير God, Country & The Emir
Colors	Green & Red
Anniversaries	National and Liberation Day (25 and 26 February)
Engagements	Kuwait–Najd War Battle of Hamdh Battle of Jahra Battle of Al-Regeai Operation Vantage, part of Iraq–Kuwait relations Six-Day War War of Attrition 1973 Samita border skirmish 1973 October War State of Kuwait Embassy Protection (1975–1990) Iran–Iraq War Invasion of Kuwait Battle of the Bridges Battle of Dasman Palace Operation Desert Storm Operation Southern Watch 1994 October Crisis Operation Desert Strike Operation Desert Fox War on Terror Iraq War 2015 military intervention in Yemen
Decorations	Military awards and decorations
Commanders
Assistant Chief Combat Commander of Kuwait Land Force	Land Force Commander

History

The Kuwait Army was created in 1949 by Field Marshal Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah (1949–1961) during the time when its partnership was included part of the Directorate of Public Security Force in 1938 prior to splitting in 1953. As Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah headed the Directorate of Public Security Force which included the Kuwait Army; the later, was headed by deputy commander Colonel Mubarak Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

In 1990 and 1991, most of the equipment was seized and or destroyed by invading Iraqi forces.

Structure and organization

• Kuwait 6th Liberation Mechanized Brigade
• Kuwait 15th Mubarak Armored Brigade
• Kuwait 26th Al-Soor Mechanized Brigade
• Kuwait 35th Shahid (Martyr) Armored Brigade
• Kuwait 94th Saleh Al-Mohammed Mechanized Brigade
• Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade (Independent)
• Kuwait Emiri Guard Authority (Independent)
• Kuwait Military Police Authority (Independent)
• Kuwait Military Fire Service Directorate

Equipment

Kuwaiti M-84AB tanks parading on 25 and 26 February 2011 with members of the 34 nations coalition force partners; celebrations that marked the 50th anniversary of the Independence, the 20th anniversary of Liberation and the 5th anniversary of the ascendance of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the leadership of the State of Kuwait.

Armored fighting vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Country of origin	Notes
M1A2 Abrams	Main battle tank	218	United States	Delivered between 1994–97, to be upgraded
M-84AB	Main battle tank	149	Yugoslavia	200 Ordered 1989 and 15 in service by 1990
Desert Warrior	Infantry fighting vehicle	254	United Kingdom	236 with 25 mm gun, 18 APC. in 2009 Kuwait Upgraded the fire control system, (GITS II) hardware, Improved Thermal Sight System and 2nd Generation Forward-Looking Infrared Radar
BMP-3	Infantry fighting vehicle	245	Soviet Union	142 delivered in 1994–1997. A new contract was signed in 2009 for 70 BMP-3M delivered in 2010-2011. another Contract was signed in 2014 for 33 more, Executed on 30 September 2015.
BMP-2	Infantry fighting vehicle	76	Soviet Union	245 delivered between 1989–90 and 46 delivered between 1994–95, 76 in service as of 2005
M113A2	Armoured personnel carrier	126	United States	-
M577	Armoured personnel carrier	30	United States	Command post vehicle
Fahd 240	Armoured personnel carrier	60	Egypt	Second largest operator in 1988. The Fahd was used by the Kuwaiti side during the invasion of Kuwait, when it lost most of them. Kuwait received more units in 1994, and had most of its captured units returned by Iraq in 1995. =>[2]
M88A2 Hercules	Armoured recovery vehicle	14	United States	14× M88A2 in service with the Kuwait Army.[3]
M-84AI	Armoured recovery vehicle	15	Poland, Yugoslavia	Polish WZT-3 built under license by Yugoslavia as M-84AI
Fuchs 2 NBC-RS	Armoured personnel carrier	0	Germany	NBC vehicle, 12 on order[4]

Logistics and utility vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Country of origin	Notes
Humvee	Multipurpose wheeled vehicle	2,300	United States	Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program

Self-propelled field artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Country of origin	Notes
PLZ-45	Self-propelled howitzer	75	China	27 delivered 2000–01, 24 between 2002–03 and 24 ordered 2003
M-109A1B	Self-propelled howitzer	23	United States	Withdrawn from service

Multiple launch rocket systems

Name	Type	Quantity	Country of origin	Notes
BM-30 Smerch	Multiple rocket launcher	27	Russia	Purchased 1995–96

Anti-tank

Name	Type	Quantity	Country of origin	Notes
RPG-7	Rocket-propelled grenade		Soviet Union	—
TOW M-901	Anti-tank guided weapon	58	United States	—
M966/M966A1	TOW missile carrier	66	United States
TOW II	Anti-tank guided weapon	82 launchers	United States	—
AT-5 Spandrel	Anti-tank guided weapon	2402 missiles	Soviet Union
AT-4 Spigot	Anti-tank guided weapon	4601 Missiles	Soviet Union	—
AT-10	Anti-tank guided weapon	1250 Missiles	Russia	—
9M133 Kornet	Anti-tank guided weapon		Russia
Carl Gustav M3	Recoilless rifle	200	Sweden

Small arms

Name	Type	Caliber	Country of origin	Notes
Beretta 92	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19mm Parabellum	Italy
Browning HP	Semi-automatic pistol		Belgium
CAR-15	Carbine	5.56×45mm NATO	United States
FN MAG	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51mm NATO	Belgium
HK MP5	Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum	Germany
M16A2	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	United States	Standard issue rifle.
M4 carbine	Carbine	5.56×45mm NATO	United States
M60 machine gun	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51mm NATO	United States	Often mounted on vehicles.

Kuwait Army Ranks

His Highness, the Emir of Kuwait: Commander-in-chief of the Military of Kuwait (Arabic: القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الكويتية‎)

His Highness, the Crown Prince of Kuwait: Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Military of Kuwait (Arabic: نائب القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الكويتية‎)

Commissioned Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Kuwait Army	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General (فريق أول)		Lieutenant General (فريق)		Major General (لواء)		Brigadier General (عميد)		Colonel (عقيد)		Lieutenant Colonel (مقدم)		Major (رائد)		Captain (نقيب)		First Lieutenant (ملازم أول)			Second Lieutenant (ملازم)

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Kuwait Army									No equivalent																		No equivalent								No insignia
	Chief Warrant Officer وکیل اول						Warrant Officer وکیل				Sergeant First Class رقیب اول						Sergeant رقیب						Corporal عریف						Private 1st Class وکیل عریف						Private جندي‎‎

See also

• Chief of the General Staff (Kuwait)

References

1. Enein, Youssef H. Aboul (May–June 2004). "A History of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces". Military Review. 84 (3). Retrieved 12 October 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
2. John Pike (22 April 2013). "Kuwait – Army Equipment". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
4. Army Recognition. "World Defence News: Rheinmetall of Germany contract to supply 12 Fuchs 2 NBC 6x6 reconnaissance vehicles to Kuwait". worlddefencenews.blogspot.com.

External links

• UNIKOM
• Kuwaiti Army Equipment