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Posted on 10/25/2007 4:59:58 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2007 – Vast improvements to Iraq’s national army are leading to a force that will eventually stand on its own, a coalition commander said today.
“They’re increasing their capabilities to be able to do that every day,” Army Brig. Gen. Robin Swan told online journalists and bloggers during a conference call from Baghdad. Swan heads up the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team with Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq.
“From my foxhole, from a training, from an equipment standpoint, from an operational standpoint, the way that they’re fighting today, the way that they’re standing firm in their ground, really conducting some sophisticated operations throughout the country, most notably, certainly out in al Anbar province, but also up in Ninevah and here in Baghdad as well, so a lot of great improvement on that line,” he said.
Although the army’s logistics system is in its infancy, the general explained, parts of the system are improving.
“From the standpoint of unit-level logistics, they’re getting better,” Swan said.
Setting up bases where Iraqi soldiers can pick up supplies or even overhaul vehicles, as they can only at Taji national depot now, will take as long as 18 months to accomplish, the general said. That is why coalition experts are embedded with Iraqi soldiers to help determine solutions that make sense to Iraqis, he said.
“We have really very robust logistics-expert teams that are in every support unit … trying to assist in establishing what the right logistics policies and procedures are,” Swan explained. “That effort is beginning to pay some very good dividends.”
For example, cumbersome and strict procedures had been in place to circumvent corruption and to keep dangerous items out of the wrong hands, the general explained. “Every ammunition requisition up till now has had to come all the way back from Baghdad, get 29 or 30 signatures, and then get issued back out,” Swan said.
Now, new procedures are in place to allow trusted Iraqi commanders on the ground to directly authorize the release of ammunition, even via telephone, without compromising security, the general said.
Another significant development, the general explained, is the wide distribution of M-16 rifles to Iraqi soldiers, replacing antiquated AK-47s.
“They believe that it is a new, improved weapons system. They see coalition forces using it to great effect, and they take it as a mark of moving forward,” Swan said. “It is, in my view, a badge of national pride for them to get the M-16.”
New recruits to the Iraqi army continue to volunteer every day, the general said. Each is fully vetted, and those chosen are prepared to deploy with one of 13 divisions of the army that will patrol throughout the country by next year, Swan explained. Getting recently commissioned and noncommissioned officers into Iraqi formations as they are ready and continuing to mentor them is helping move the national army toward self-sufficiency, the general explained.
“Increasing capabilities of the tactical competence of soldiers, leaders and units, partnering, certainly with our formations and being able to continue that and to have access to coalition enablers is an important part of what they’re doing,” Swan said.
(David Mays works in new media at American Forces Information Service.)
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We are clearly preparing the Iraqi military for an eventual conflict with the Iranian military. We want them to be able to kick seven bells out of the Iranians.
They are already far beyond the Iranians in command and control, maneuver, and land operations. The Iraqi army is well-practiced in actual combat as well, compared to the green Iranian military. Tracked vehicles would be pretty useless because of the superior anti-tank weapon capabilities that exist today and the enormous number of anti-tank weapons already in the region. What armored vehicles there are would strongly favor defensive operations.
This leaves air power and artillery. We are currently training their non-combat air force, an oddity in the region, and most likely training their combat air force in the US. This will result in having and trained and operational “instant” air force on fully functional airbases. As far as defending their skies, we can quickly provide the Iraqis with enough Stinger SAMs to keep their skies clear of Iranian aircraft.
So why haven’t we created an Iraqi artillery force? This is the one thing that the Iraq military would need to make any attempt at invasion a massacre. Though we are giving them some training along those lines, they don’t have the tubes they need.
That is something that you don't hear much talk about.
Does his answer satisfy you?
What do you know about Iraqi Pilots? I hear tell we have been training them here and when the time comes, we will slip them into place and Iran and others in the region will be looking at some of the best trained pilots.
So they’re going to fly US planes then?
The Artillery answer fits with what is in pipeline. His answer was for the Divisional Artlillery Regiments. They have been building the indirect fires capability from the bottom up.
- They finished the 60mm mortar sections for companies in the spring.
- 81mm/90mm mortar batteries for the battalions is in-progress.
- Considering the FY07sup included howitzers, was finally passed in May, and factoring in delivery time after approved; the first field artillery/heavy mortar battalions for the brigades will be next year.
- His answer about the FA Rgts (for Div/Corps) in 2009 fits with that schedule...
Pilot Training in Iraq only stood up at the beginning of this month. Kirkuk has the Flight Training School with Jet Rangers, Cessna Caravans and Cessna 172s for basic flight. They are planning on 160 pilots a year (80 helo/80 fixed) thruput. Taji has the Technical Schools and only stood up this summer.
The IZAF is looking for a light attack bird to buy (and a jet trainer). Pending that purchase/delivery they are getting their King Air 350 ISR birds fitted with Maverics (like a manned Preditor) and are getting 57mm rocket pods for their Mi17s. They realy want to get into the fight.
I bug Tony (Major Sidoti) when I am after more details. He is one of the 350 CAFTT personnel building the IZAF and sometimes he can answer...
http://www.tmmkkt22.blogspot.com/
Most of the Iraqi arms purchases are from coalition members. Chech, Poland and Korea have some good jet trainer/light attack aircraft. The heavy focus for short term is recon, training and helo/transport for COIN.
Keep in mind that he is talking about an 13 Division IA with four bdes per div (not including ISOF).
That means that they need 52x FA/mort bns just for Bde support and then the 13+ FA Regiments (39+ Bns) for the Divisions.
52x24= 1296 120mm mortars/105mm Howitzers just for the brigades (2008). (not incl additions or tranning tubes)
13(+)x72= over 1000 155mm Howitzers for the Divs/corps’ FA Rgts (2009).
And they have to train those personnel after they get them. The delivery delay and the training delay is why they are talking 2009 for the Rgts.
Also factor in 2 year delivery time for new jet aircraft...
Looks good though. All these things have to be in place before we can leave. This is called an exit strategy for all those simple minded people.
They did not have any AF schools in Iraq until the Taji Technical Schools stood up in May 2007 and the Flight School stood up in Kirkuk 1 Oct 2007.
Nothing to do with security. No infrastructure. Even their Army schools did not start forming until Aug 2005 and the IA has the priority. The IA has doubled its training elements over the last year.
The navy/marine school stood up in March 2007.
INP only started own training seperate from IP this summer...
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