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Kuwait Army

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Kuwait Land Forces
Arabic: القوات البرية الكويتي
Country Kuwait
Allegiance Ministry of Defense
BranchKuwait Armed Forces
TypeLand force
Size60,000 personnel
Garrison/HQKuwait City
Nickname(s)His Highness Land Force
Motto(s)الله والوطن والامير
God, Country & The Emir
ColorsGreen & Red
AnniversariesNational and Liberation Day (25 and 26 February)
Engagements
DecorationsMilitary awards and decorations
Commanders
Assistant Chief Combat Commander of Kuwait Land ForceBrigadier Mohammad Al-Dhafiri[1]
Notable
commanders		Mubarak Al-Sabah
Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalhami

The Kuwait Army, established in 1949, is the oldest armed branch among the Kuwait Armed Forces.[2] 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.

History

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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, during the first Gulf War, most of the equipment was seized and or destroyed by invading Iraqi forces. At that time the Kuwait military was a lot smaller.

In early 2024, up to 149 M-84AB tanks were sent to the Djuro Djakovic factory in Croatia for refurbishment and repairs with the wide belief among military analysts they will be then sent to Ukraine.[3]

Structure and organization

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  • 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

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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

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Name Photo Origin Type Quantity Notes
M1A2 Abrams  United States Main battle tank 218[4]
M-84AB  Yugoslavia Main battle tank 149[5] 200 Ordered 1989 and 15 in service by 1990. In 2024 sent to Croatia for refurbishment.[3]
Desert Warrior  United Kingdom Infantry fighting vehicle 254 236 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  Soviet Union Infantry fighting vehicle ~200 142 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  Soviet Union Infantry fighting vehicle 76 245 delivered between 1989–90 and 46 delivered between 1994–95, 76 in service as of 2005
M113A2  United States Armoured personnel carrier 260 230 M113A2, 30 M577 (CP)
M577  United States Armoured personnel carrier 30 the Kuwait Army operates 30 M577 Command Post Vehicles, mostly M577A1s. Following the 1991 Gulf War a number of M577A3s were purchased from the U.S. to replace vehicles destroyed by Iraqis forces.
Fahd 240  Egypt Armoured personnel carrier 60 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.[6]
M88A2 Hercules  United States Armoured recovery vehicle 14 14× M88A2 in service with the Kuwait Army, and 19 more ordered from the United States.[7]
M-84AI  Poland /  Yugoslavia Armoured recovery vehicle 15 Polish WZT-3 built under license by Yugoslavia as M-84AI
Fuchs 2 NBC-RS  Germany Armoured personnel carrier 0 NBC vehicle, 12 on order[8]

Logistics and utility vehicles

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Name Photo Origin Type Quantity Notes
Humvee  United States Multipurpose wheeled vehicle Unknown Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program

Self-propelled field artillery

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Name Photo Origin Type Quantity Notes
PLZ-45  China Self-propelled howitzer 51 (51) 27 PLZ-45s (to form a training platoon and the first battalion) ordered in 1998 and delivered in 2000–2001. 24 more howitzers (to form the second battalion) were ordered in 2001 and delivered in 2002–2003.
M-109A1B  United States Self-propelled howitzer 23 Withdrawn from service

Multiple launch rocket systems

Name Photo Origin Type Quantity Notes
BM-30 Smerch  Soviet Union /  Russia Multiple rocket launcher 27 Purchased 1995–96

Anti-tank

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Name Origin Type Quantity Notes
RPG-7 Soviet Union Rocket-propelled grenade
TOW M-901 United States Anti-tank guided missile 400
M966/M966A1 United States TOW missile carrier 900
TOW II United States Anti-tank guided missile 82 launchers
9M113 Konkurs Soviet Union Anti-tank guided missile 2,402 missiles
9K111 Fagot Soviet Union Anti-tank guided missile 4,601 missiles
AT-10 Russia Anti-tank guided missile 1,250 missiles
9M133 Kornet Russia Anti-tank guided missile
Carl Gustav M3 Sweden Recoilless rifle 200

Firearms

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Model Image Origin Type Caliber Notes
Handguns
Beretta 92  Italy Handgun 9×19mm Parabellum
Submachine guns
MP5  Germany Submachine gun 9×19mm NATO [9]
Rifles
Bushmaster M4A3  United States Carbine 5.56×45mm NATO Used by the 25th Commando Brigade.[10]
M4 carbine  United States Carbine 5.56×45mm NATO [11]
M16A2  United States Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO [12]
Machine guns
M60 machine gun  United States General-purpose machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO
M2 Browning  United States Heavy machine gun 12.7×99mm NATO Mostly as vehicle armament.
Sniper rifles and designated marksman rifles
M107/M107A1  United States Anti-materiel rifle 12.7×99mm NATO Standard issue sniper rifle.
Grenade launcher
M203 grenade launcher  United States Grenade launcher 40×46mm SR
Anti-tank/Anti armor weapon
9M133 Kornet  Russia Laser-guided Anti-tank missile 152 mm
BGM-71 TOW  United States Wire-guided Anti-tank missile 152 mm
RPG-7  Soviet Union Anti-tank rocket
M3 MAAWS  Sweden Anti-tank recoilless rifle 84 mm

Kuwait Army Ranks

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Main article: Military ranks of Kuwait

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

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Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Kuwait Army
فريق أول‎‎
Fariq 'awal 		فريق
Fariq 		لواء
Liwa 		عميد
Amid 		عقيد
Aqid 		مقدم
Muqaddam 		رائد
Ra'id 		نقيب
Naqib 		ملازم أول
Mulazim awwal 		ملازم
Mulazim

Enlisted

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Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Kuwait Army
 No insignia
وكيل أول
Wakil 'awal 		وكيل
Wakil 		رقيب أول
Raqib 'awal 		رقیب
Raqib 		عريف
Earif 		جندي أول
Jundiun awwal 		جندي
Jundiun‎‎‎‎

See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://www.tacticalreport.com/news/article/49199-kuwait-brigadier-mohammad-al-dhafiri-new-klf-commander [bare URL]
  2. ^ Enein, Youssef H. Aboul (May–June 2004). "A History of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces". Military Review. 84 (3). Archived from the original on 7 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b "The Fearsome Tanks That Fought Saddam Hussein May Soon Come for Vladimir Putin". Popular Mechanics. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Kuwait receives first M1A2K tank". Janes.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  5. ^ Isidorovic, Nikola (21 April 2021). "M-84". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  6. ^ John Pike (22 April 2013). "Kuwait – Army Equipment". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Kuwait buys $281m worth of armoured vehicles from US". Middle East Monitor. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  8. ^ Army Recognition. "World Defence News: Rheinmetall of Germany contract to supply 12 Fuchs 2 NBC 6x6 reconnaissance vehicles to Kuwait". worlddefencenews.blogspot.com.
  9. ^ Rottman 1993, p. 53.
  10. ^ Neville 2019, p. 46.
  11. ^ US Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Notifications to the 108th Congress (November 2004)
  12. ^ "wiw_me_kuwait – worldinventory". sites.google.com.[permanent dead link]

Works cited

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