Kuwait Army

The Kuwait Army, established in 1949, is the oldest armed branch among the military of Kuwait.[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.

Kuwait Land Forces
Arabic: القوات البرية الكويتي
Country Kuwait
Allegiance Kuwait
BranchMilitary of Kuwait
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

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, 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.

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 Origin Type Quantity Notes
M1A2 Abrams United StatesMain battle tank218sep v3
M-84ABYugoslaviaMain battle tank149200 Ordered 1989 and 15 in service by 1990
Desert WarriorUnited KingdomInfantry fighting vehicle 254236 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-3Soviet UnionInfantry fighting vehicle~200142 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-2Soviet UnionInfantry fighting vehicle76245 delivered between 1989–90 and 46 delivered between 1994–95, 76 in service as of 2005
M113A2United StatesArmoured personnel carrier260230 M113A2, 30 M577 (CP)
M577United StatesArmoured personnel carrier30the 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 240EgyptArmoured personnel carrier60Second 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.[3]
M88A2 HerculesUnited StatesArmoured recovery vehicle1414× M88A2 in service with the Kuwait Army, and 19 more ordered from the United States.[4]
M-84AIPoland / YugoslaviaArmoured recovery vehicle15Polish WZT-3 built under license by Yugoslavia as M-84AI
Fuchs 2 NBC-RSGermanyArmoured personnel carrier0NBC vehicle, 12 on order[5]
T-90MSRussiaMain battle tank76146 T-90MS tanks as replacement for M-84.[6]

Logistics and utility vehicles
Name Origin Type Quantity Notes
HumveeUnited StatesMultipurpose wheeled vehicleUnknownVehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program

Self-propelled field artillery
Kuwaiti BM-30 Smerch MLRS firing during a training exercise in 2021
Name Origin Type Quantity Notes
PLZ-45ChinaSelf-propelled howitzer51(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-109A1BUnited StatesSelf-propelled howitzer23Withdrawn from service

Multiple launch rocket systems

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

Anti-tank
Name Origin Type Quantity Notes
RPG-7Soviet UnionRocket-propelled grenade
TOW M-901United StatesAnti-tank guided missile400
M966/M966A1 United States TOW missile carrier 900
TOW IIUnited StatesAnti-tank guided missile82 launchers
9M113 Konkurs Soviet Union Anti-tank guided missile 2,402 missiles
9K111 FagotSoviet UnionAnti-tank guided missile4,601 missiles
AT-10RussiaAnti-tank guided missile1,250 missiles
9M133 Kornet Russia Anti-tank guided missile
Carl Gustav M3 Sweden Recoilless rifle 200

Firearms
Name Origin Type Calibre Notes
Beretta 92ItalyHandgun9×19mm Parabellum
Browning Hi-PowerBelgiumHandgun9×19mm Parabellum
CAR-15 United States Carbine 5.56×45mm NATO
FN MAGBelgiumGeneral-purpose machine gun7.62×51mm NATO
Heckler & Koch MP5GermanySubmachine gun9×19mm Parabellum
M16 rifleUnited StatesAssault rifle5.56×45mm NATOStandard issue assault rifle. M16A2 variant in service.
M4 carbineUnited StatesCarbine5.56×45mm NATO
M60 machine gunUnited StatesGeneral-purpose machine gun7.62×51mm NATOMostly 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
Rank group General/flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
 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
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

References
  1. https://www.tacticalreport.com/news/article/49199-kuwait-brigadier-mohammad-al-dhafiri-new-klf-commander
  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. John Pike (22 April 2013). "Kuwait – Army Equipment". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  4. "Kuwait buys $281m worth of armoured vehicles from US". Middle East Monitor. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. Army Recognition. "World Defence News: Rheinmetall of Germany contract to supply 12 Fuchs 2 NBC 6x6 reconnaissance vehicles to Kuwait". worlddefencenews.blogspot.com.
  6. "Contract with Kuwait to supply T-90MS tanks can be signed before yearend". TASS. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.