Arms sales to Iraq 1973-1990 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Imports of conventional arms by Iraq 1973-1990, by source

Values are shown in millions of US dollars at constant (1990) estimated values. "Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact" includes Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

, East Germany, Hungary

Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

, Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

, and Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

. The majority of these transfers came from the Soviet Union, followed by Czechoslovakia.

Year	Soviet Union Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... and Warsaw Pact Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...	France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...	China (PRC) People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...	United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...	Others	Total
1973	1,321	5	0	0	0	0	1,326
1974	1,471	5	0	0	0	0	1,476
1975	1,087	35	0	0	0	0	1,122
1976	1,161	119	0	0	0	0	1,280
1977	1,062	106	0	0	0	0	1,168
1978	1,827	26	0	0	0	20	1,873
1979	1,108	78	0	0	0	17	1,203
1973–79	9,037	374	0	0	0	37	9,448
1973–79	95.7%	4.0%	0%	0%	0%	0.4%	100%
1980	1,665	241	0	0	12	114	2,032
1981	1,780	731	0	0	46	182	2,739
1982	2,023	673	217	0	71	227	3,211
1980–82	5,468	1,645	217	0	129	523	7,982
1980–82	68.5%	20.6%	2.7%	0%	1.6%	6.6%	100%
1983	1,898	779	745	21	58	773	4,274
1984	2,857	883	1,065	6	0	116	4,927
1985	2,601	700	1,036	9	32	116	4,494
1986	2,663	251	918	9	70	86	3,997
1987	2,719	214	887	30	114	157	4,121
1988	1,202	355	301	125	118	196	2,297
1983–88	13,940	3,182	4,952	200	392	1,444	24,110
1983–88	57.8%	13.2%	20.5%	0.8%	1.6%	6.0%	100%
1989	1,319	113	23	0	47	67	1,569
1990	537	281	0	0	0	33	851
Total $'s	30,301	5,595	5,192	200	568	2,104	43,960
Total %'s	68.9%	12.7%	11.8%	0.5%	1.3%	4.8%	100%

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) makes the following comment of the methodology of this table:

^{The SIPRI data on arms transfers refer to actual deliveries of major conventional weapons. To permit comparison between the data on such deliveries of different weapons and identification of general trends, SIPRI uses a trend-indicator value. The SIPRI values are therefore only an indicator of the volume of international arms transfers and not of the actual financial values of such transfers.}

SIPRI's data are founded entirely on open sources:

^{The type of open information used by SIPRI cannot provide a comprehensive picture of world arms transfers. Published reports often provide only partial information, and substantial disagreement among reports is common. Order and delivery dates, exact numbers, types of weapon and the identity of suppliers or recipients may not always be clear.}

Arms suppliers to Iraq

The table shows the majority of conventional

Conventional weapon

The terms conventional weapons or conventional arms generally refer to weapons that are in relatively wide use that are not weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Conventional weapons include small arms and light weapons, sea and land mines, as well as ...

arms imported by Iraq during the 1970s, when the regime was building up the armies which were to attack Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

in 1980, were supplied by the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

and its satellites

Eastern bloc

The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...

, principally Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

. The only substantial Western arms supplier to Iraq was France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, which continued to be a major supplier until 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait

Invasion of Kuwait

The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...

and all legal arms transfers to Iraq ended.

The United States did not supply any arms to Iraq until 1982, when Iran's growing military success alarmed American policymakers. It then did so every year until 1988

United States support for Iraq during the Iran–Iraq war

United States support for Iraq during the Iran–Iraq War, as a counterbalance to post-revolutionary Iran, included several billion dollars worth of economic aid, the sale of dual-use technology, non-U.S. origin weaponry, military intelligence, Special Operations training, and direct involvement in...

. These sales amounted to less than 1% of the total arms sold to Iraq in the relevant period. Although most other countries never hesitated to sell military hardware directly to Saddam Hussein's regime, the U.S., equally keen to protect its interests in the region, opted for and developed an indirect approach

United States support for Iraq during the Iran–Iraq war

. The CIA began covertly directing non-U.S. origin hardware to Hussein's armed forces, "to ensure that Iraq had sufficient military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to avoid losing the Iran-Iraq war." The full extent of these transfers is not yet known, and details do not appear in the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, which relies entirely on open sources.

In 1996, the Scott Report

Scott Report

The Scott Report was a judicial inquiry commissioned in 1992 after reports of arms sales in the 1980s to Iraq by British companies surfaced. The report was conducted by Sir Richard Scott, then a Lord Justice of Appeal. It was published in 1996...

in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

investigated arms sales to Iraq in the 1980s by Matrix Churchill in what became known as the Arms-to-Iraq

Arms-to-Iraq

The Arms-to-Iraq affair concerned the uncovering of the government-endorsed sale of arms by British companies to Iraq, then under the rule of Saddam Hussein...

scandal.

Table of major conventional arms sales to Iraq by country

Country	Weapon designation	Weapon description	Year(s) delivered	Quantity delivered
Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...	GHN-45 155mm GC-45 howitzer The GC-45 is a 155 mm howitzer designed by Gerald Bull's Space Research Corporation in the 1970s. Versions were produced by a number of companies during the 1980s, notably in Austria and South Africa...	Towed Gun	1983	200
Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...	EMB-312 Tucano	Trainer aircraft	1985-1988	80
Brazil	Astros II MLRS Astros II MLRS ASTROS II is a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher produced in Brazil by the Avibrás company. It features modular design and employs rockets with calibers ranging from 127 mm to 300 mm...	Multiple rocket launcher	1984-1988	67
Brazil	EE-11 Urutu EE-11 Urutu The EE-11 Urutu is a 6x6 armored personnel carrier developed in the seventies by Engesa of Brazil. It used as many commercially available parts as possible. It also shares many components with the EE-9 Cascavel Armoured fighting vehicle. The suspension includes Engesa's Boomerang double-axle rear...	APC	1983-1984	350
Brazil	EE-3 Jararaca EE-3 Jararaca The EE-3 Jararaca is a 4 wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed and manufactured by Brazilian company Engesa and in use by the Brazilian and other armies...	Recon vehicle	1984-1985	280
Brazil	EE-9 Cascavel EE-9 Cascavel The EE-9 Cascavel is a 6 x 6 armoured car developed in the 1970s by Engesa of Brazil. It used as many commercially available parts as possible. It also shares many components with the EE-11 Urutu APC...	Armoured car	1980-1989	1026
Brazil	Astros AV-UCF	Fire control radar	1984-1988	13
Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...	PT-6 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...	Turboprop	1980-1990	152
China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...	Xian H-6 Xian H-6 The Xian H-6 is a license-built version of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 twin-engine jet bomber, built for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force....	Bomber aircraft	1988	4
China	F-6 Shenyang J-6 The Shenyang J-6 was the Chinese-built version of the Soviet MiG-19 'Farmer' fighter aircraft.-Design and development:...	Fighter aircraft	1982-1983	40
China	F-7A Chengdu J-7 The Chengdu Jian-7 is a People's Republic of China-built version of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. Though production ceased in 2008 it continues to serve, mostly as an interceptor, in several air forces, including China's.-Design and development:...	Fighter aircraft	1983-1987	80
China	Type-63 107mm Type 63 multiple rocket launcher The Type 63 multiple rocket launcher is a towed, 12-tube, 107mm rocket launcher produced by the People's Republic of China in the early 1960s, based on the Soviet BM-12 MRS and using similar rockets...	Multiple rocket launcher	1984-1988	100
China	Type-83 152mm	Towed gun	1988-1989	50
China	W-653/Type-653	ARV	1986-1987	25
China	WZ-120/Type-59 Type 59 The Type 59 main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an improvement over the ubiquitous T-54/55. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963...	Tank	1982-1987	1000
China	WZ-121/Type 69	Tank	1983-1987	1500
China	YW-531/Type-63 Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier) The Type 63 is a Chinese armoured personnel carrier that entered service in the late 1960s. It was the first armoured vehicle designed in China without Soviet assistance. The design is simple and is comparable to other APCs of its time such as the M113.Approximately 3,000 were produced by Norinco,...	APC	1982-1988	650
China	CEIEC-408C	Air surv radar	1986-1988	5
China	HN-5A HN-5 The HN-5 , is a family of first generation Chinese man-portable air-defense systems based on Soviet technology. The literal translation of Hong Ying is Red Tassel, but HN abbreviation is used to avoid confusion with HY series anti-ship missiles of Silkworm missile family...	Portable SAM	1986-1987	1000
China	HY-2/SY1A/CSS-N-2 Silkworm missile The Shang Yo or SY-series , and the Hai Ying or HY-series were early Chinese anti-ship missiles. They were derived from the Soviet P-15 Termit missile.The HY-1 and HY-2 received the NATO reporting name Silkworm...	Anti-ship missile	1987-1988	200
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...	L-39Z Albatross Aero L-39 The Aero L-39 Albatros is a high-performance jet trainer aircraft developed in Czechoslovakia to meet requirements for a "C-39" during the 1960s to replace the L-29 Delfín...	Trainer/combat aircraft	1976-1985	59
Czechoslovakia	BMP-1 BMP-1 The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty 1 , meaning "infantry fighting vehicle". The BMP-1 was the world's first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle...	Infantry fighting vehicle	1981-1987	750
Czechoslovakia	BMP-2 BMP-2 The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following the BMP-1 of the 1960s....	Infantry fighting vehicle	1987-1989	250
Czechoslovakia	OT-64C OT-64 SKOT The OT-64 SKOT is an amphibious armored personnel carrier , developed jointly by Poland and Czechoslovakia well into the 1960s.-History:OT-64 was intended to replace the halftrack OT-810, which was nearly...	APC	1981	200
Czechoslovakia	T-55 T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...	Tank	1982-1985	400
Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...	Al Zahraa	Landing ship	1983	3
East Germany	T-55 T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...	Tank	1981	50
Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...	D-30 122mm 2A18 The D-30, or 122-mm howitzer D-30 , is a Soviet howitzer that first entered service in the 1960s. It is a robust piece that focuses on the essential features of a towed field gun suitable for all conditions...	Towed gun	1985-1989	210
Egypt	M-46 130mm 130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46) The 130 mm towed field gun M-46 M1954 is a manually loaded, towed 130 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1954...	Towed gun	1981-1983	96
Egypt	RL-21 122mm	Multiple rocket launcher	1987-1989	300
Egypt	T-55 T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...	Tank	1981-1983	300
Egypt	Walid	APC	1980	100
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...	Mirage F-1C Dassault Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...	Fighter aircraft	1982-1990	72
France	Mirage F-1E Dassault Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...	FGA aircraft	1980-1982	36
France	SA-312H Super Frelon Aérospatiale Super Frelon The Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by Aérospatiale of France. The helicopter is still in use in China where the locally produced version is known as the Z-8. "Frelon" is French for hornet....	Helicopter	1981	6
France	SA-330 Puma Aérospatiale Puma The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...	Helicopter	1980-1981	20
France	SA-342K/L Gazelle Aérospatiale Gazelle The Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...	Light helicopter	1980-1988	38
France	Super Etendard	FGA aircraft	1983	5
France	AMX-GCT/AU-F1	Self-propelled gun	1983-1985	85
France	AMX-10P AMX-10P The AMX-10P is a French infantry fighting vehicle. It was developed after 1965 to replace the AMX-VCI in French service, and the first prototypes were completed in 1968. It has NBC protection and amphibious capabilities, with hydro jets to swim in water...	Infantry fighting vehicle	1981-1982	100
France	AMX-30D	ARV	1981	5
France	ERC-90	Armoured car	1980-1984	200
France	M-3 VTT	APC	1983-1984	115
France	VCR-TH Panhard VCR The Panhard VCR is a light armored personnel carrier designed by Panhard for the export market and later used by several countries...	Tank destroyer	1979-1981	100
France	Rasit RASIT RASIT is a ground-surveillance pulse doppler radar developed by Thomson-CSF , and fielded by several militaries. The original version of RASIT had a range of 30 kilometers and could distinguish between personnel, vehicles, and aircraft. RASIT operates in the I band and has a peak power of two...	Ground surv radar	1985	2
France	Roland Roland (air defence) The Roland is a Franco-German mobile short-range surface-to-air missile system. The Roland was also purchased by the U.S. Army as one of very few foreign SAM systems....	Mobile SAM system	1982-1985	113
France	TRS-2100 Tiger	Air surv radar	1988	1
France	TRS-2105/6 Tiger-G	Air surv radar	1986-1989	5
France	TRS-2230/15 Tiger	Air surv radar	1984-1985	6
France	Volex	Air surv radar	1981-1983	5
France	AM-39 Exocet	Anti-ship missile	1979-1988	352
France	ARMAT	Anti-radar missile	1986-1990	450
France	AS-30L AS-30L The AS-30L is a French short-to-medium range air-to-ground missile which employees laser homing guidance. The AS-30L was a development of the earlier 1970s AS-30 missile, which uses MCLOS guidance via a radio command link between the aircraft to the missile. The only difference between the AS-30...	ASM	1986-1990	240
France	HOT Euromissile HOT The HOT is a second-generation long-range anti-tank missile system developed originally as an effort to meet a joint German-French Army requirement, by the then German firm Bolkow and the French firm Nord, to replace the older SS.11 wire guided...	Anti-tank missile	1981-1982	1000
France	R-550 Magic-1	SRAAM	1981-1985	534
France	Roland-2	SAM	1981-1990	2260
France	Super 530F	BVRAAM	1981-1985	300
West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....	BK-117	Helicopter	1984-1989	22
West Germany	Bo-105C	Light Helicopter	1979-1982	20
West Germany	Bo-105L	Light Helicopter	1988	6
Hungary Hungary Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...	PSZH-D-994	APC	1981	300
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...	A-109 Hirundo Agusta A109 The AgustaWestland AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter built by the Anglo-Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland...	Light Helicopter	1982	2
Italy	S-61 Sikorsky S-61 The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...	Helicopter	1982	6
Italy	Stromboli class	Support ship	1981	1
Jordan Jordan Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...	S-76 Spirit Sikorsky S-76 The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter. The S-76 is powered by two turboshaft engines, which drive both the main and tail rotors, each with four blades...	Helicopter	1985	2
Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...	Mi-2/Hoplite Mil Mi-2 The Mil Mi-2 is a small, lightly armored transport helicopter that could also provide close air support when armed with 57 mm rockets and a 23 mm cannon.-Design and development:...	Helicopter	1984-1985	15
Poland	MT-LB MT-LB The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured vehicle which was first introduced in the late 1960s...	APC	1983-1990	750
Poland	T-55 T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...	Tank	1981-1982	400
Poland	T-72 T-72 The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A... M1	Tank	1982-1990	500
Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...	T-55 T-55 The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...	Tank	1982-1984	150
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....	M-87 Orkan 262mm	Multiple rocket launcher	1988	2
South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	G-5 155mm G5 howitzer The G5 is a South African towed howitzer of 155 mm calibre designed with the help of the Canadian scientist Gerald Bull and his company, Space Research Corporation and manufactured by Denel Land Systems.-Production history:...	Towed gun	1985-1988	200
Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....	PC-7 Turbo trainer	Trainer aircraft	1980-1983	52
Switzerland	PC-9	Trainer aircraft	1987-1990	20
Switzerland	Roland Roland Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...	APC/IFV	1981	100
United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...	Chieftain/ARV	ARV	1982	29
United Kingdom	Cymbeline Cymbeline Cymbeline , also known as Cymbeline, King of Britain or The Tragedy of Cymbeline, is a play by William Shakespeare, based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobelinus. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance...	Arty locating radar	1986-1988	10
United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	MD-500MD Defender MD 500 Defender \|-See also:-External links:* *...	Light Helicopter	1983	30
United States	Hughes-300/TH-55	Light Helicopter	1983	30
United States	MD-530F MD Helicopters MD 500 The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach...	Light Helicopter	1986	26
United States	Bell 214ST Bell 214ST \|-See also:-External links:*...	Helicopter	1988	31
Soviet Union Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....	Il-76M/Candid-B Ilyushin Il-76 The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...	Strategic airlifter	1978-1984	33
Soviet Union	Mi-24D/Mi-25/Hind-D Mil Mi-24 The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...	Attack helicopter	1978-1984	12
Soviet Union	Mi-8/Mi-17/Hip-H Mil Mi-8 The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....	Transport helicopter	1986-1987	37
Soviet Union	Mi-8TV/Hip-F Mil Mi-8 The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....	Transport helicopter	1984	30
Soviet Union	Mig-21bis/Fishbed-N Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...	Fighter aircraft	1983-1984	61
Soviet Union	Mig-23BN/Flogger-H Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...	FGA aircraft	1984-1985	50
Soviet Union	Mig-25P/Foxbat-A Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau the first prototype flew in 1964 with entry into service in 1970...	Interceptor aircraft	1980-1985	55
Soviet Union	Mig-25RB/Foxbat-B Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau the first prototype flew in 1964 with entry into service in 1970...	Recon aircraft	1982	8
Soviet Union	Mig-29/Fulcrum-A Mikoyan MiG-29 The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a fourth-generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983, and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other...	Fighter aircraft	1986-1989	41
Soviet Union	Su-22/Fitter-H/J/K	FGA aircraft	1986-1987	61
Soviet Union	Su-25/Frogfoot-A Sukhoi Su-25 The Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975...	Ground attack aircraft	1986-1987	84
Soviet Union	2A36 152mm 152 mm gun 2A36 The 2A36 Giatsint-B is a Soviet/Russian towed 152 mm gun which entered service in 1976. The 2A36 is designed to suppress and destroy enemy manpower and equipment. It is also suitable for counter-battery fire. The gun can be used in various weather conditions and has been tested in temperatures...	Towed gun	1986-1988	180
Soviet Union	2S1 122mm 2S1 The 2S1 Gvozdika, ; is a Soviet 122-mm self-propelled howitzer that resembles the PT-76 but is essentially a version of the MT-LB APC, mounting the 2A18 howitzer. "2S1" is its GRAU designation. An alternative Russian designation is SAU-122 but in the Russian Army it is commonly known as Gvozdika...	Self-Propelled Howitzer	1980-1989	150
Soviet Union	2S3 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya SO-152 is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled artillery developed in 1968. It was a response to the American 155 mm M109. The development started in 1967 according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of USSR from July 4, 1967. In 1968 the SO-152 was completed and in 1971 entered...	Self-propelled gun	1980-1989	150
Soviet Union	2S4 240mm 2S4 Tyulpan The 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet self-propelled mortar. "2S4" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SM-240...	Self-propelled mortar	1983	10
Soviet Union	9P117/SS-1 Scud TEL Scud Scud is a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and exported widely to other countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name SS-1 Scud which was attached to the missile by Western intelligence agencies...	SSM launcher	1983-1984	10
Soviet Union	BM-21 Grad 122mm BM-21 The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...	Multiple rocket launcher	1983-1988	560
Soviet Union	D-30 122mm 2A18 The D-30, or 122-mm howitzer D-30 , is a Soviet howitzer that first entered service in the 1960s. It is a robust piece that focuses on the essential features of a towed field gun suitable for all conditions...	Towed gun	1982-1988	576
Soviet Union	M-240 240mm 2S4 Tyulpan The 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet self-propelled mortar. "2S4" is its GRAU designation.It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO , whereas its official designation is SM-240...	Mortar	1981	25
Soviet Union	M-46 130mm	Towed Gun	1982-1987	576
Soviet Union	9K35 Strela-10/SA-13	AAV(M)	1985	30
Soviet Union	BMD-1 BMD-1 The BMD-1 is a Soviet airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle, which was introduced in 1969 and first seen by the West in 1970. BMD stands for Boyevaya Mashina Desanta . It can be dropped by parachute and although it resembles the BMP-1 it is in fact much smaller...	IFV	1981	10
Soviet Union	PT-76 PT-76 The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...	Light tank	1984	200
Soviet Union	SA-9/9P31	AAV(M)	1982-1985	160
Soviet Union	Long Track Long track The Long track is a very similar to speedway but it takes place on 1000 metre tracks and consequently speeds are much higher. There are also subtle differences between the machinery in that a longtrack bike is slightly larger and has a two-speed gearbox...	Air surv radar	1980-1984	10
Soviet Union	SA-8b/9K33M Osa AK 9K33 Osa The 9K33 OSA is a highly mobile, low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile system. "9K33" is its GRAU designation. Its NATO reporting name is SA-8 Gecko.-Description:...	Mobile SAM system	1982-1985	50
Soviet Union	Thin Skin	Air surv radar	1980-1984	5
Soviet Union	9M111/AT-4 Spigot	Anti-tank missile	1986-1989	3000
Soviet Union	9M37/SA-13 Gopher	SAM	1985-1986	960
Soviet Union	KSR-5/AS-6 Kingfish Raduga KSR-5 The Raduga KSR-5 was a long-range, air launched cruise missile and anti ship missile developed by the Soviet Union....	Anti-ship missile	1984	36
Soviet Union	Kh-28/AS-9 Kyle Kh-28 The Kh-28 was the first Soviet anti-radiation missile for tactical aircraft. It entered production in 1973 and is still carried on some Sukhoi Su-22s in developing countries but is no longer in Russian service...	Anti-radar missile	1983-1988	250
Soviet Union	R-13S/AA2S Atoll Vympel K-13 The K-13 is an short-range, infrared homing air-to-air missile developed by the Soviet Union. It is similar in appearance and function to the American AIM-9 Sidewinder from which it was reverse-engineered...	SRAAM	1984-1987	1080
Soviet Union	R-17/SS-1c Scud-B	SSM	1982-1988	840
Soviet Union	R-27/AA-10 Alamo	BVRAAM	1986-1989	246
Soviet Union	R-40R/AA-6 Acrid Bisnovat R-40 The Bisnovat R-40 was a long-range air-to-air missile developed in the 1960s by the Soviet Union specifically for the MiG-25 interceptor, but can also be carried by the later MiG-31...	BVRAAM	1980-1985	660
Soviet Union	R-60/AA-8 Aphid Molniya R-60 The Molniya R-60 is a lightweight air-to-air missile designed for use by Soviet fighter aircraft. It has been widely exported, and remains in service with the CIS and many other nations....	SRAAM	1986-1989	582
Soviet Union	SA-8b Gecko/9M33M	SAM	1982-1985	1290
Soviet Union	SA-9 Gaskin/9M31	SAM	1982-1985	1920
Soviet Union	Strela-3/SA-14 Gremlin	Portable SAM	1987-1988	500

Political implications

The Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

and her satellites were the main suppliers of arms to Iraq following the 1972 signing of the Soviet-Iraqi Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. France was another important supplier of weapons to Iraq during the 1970s. The United States, the world's leading arms exporter, did not have normal relations with Iraq from 1967 (due to the Six-Day War

Six-Day War

The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...

) until 1984.

Soviet-Iraqi relations suffered strains in the late 1970s. When Iraq invaded Iran in 1980, the Soviet Union cut off weapons sales to Iraq and did not resume them until 1982. During the war, the People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

became a major new source of weapons for Iraq, with increasing sales from France, the U.K. and Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

External links

SIPRI Arms Transfers Database
- Arms transfers to Iraq, 1970-2004 (via archive.org)

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Imports of conventional arms by Iraq 1973-1990, by source

Arms suppliers to Iraq

Table of major conventional arms sales to Iraq by country

Political implications

See also

External links