Non-US Forces in Iraq - 21 September 2004
The size and capabilities of the Coalition forces involved in operations in Iraq has been a subject of much debate, confusion, and at times exageration. As of August 5, 2004, there were 30 non-U.S. military forces contributing to the ongoing stability operations throughout Iraq. These countries were Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Rep, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Ukraine. The MNF-I website incorrectly included Honduras in the list; that country's troops returned in late May. The MNF-I website also includes New Zealand, although the New Zealand government has claimed that it had not joined the US-led force but that the deployment had been at the request of the United Nations.
The Kingdom of Tonga did, however, deploy 45 Royal Marines in early July to Iraq. New Zealand redeployed its contingent of 61 troops in late-September 2004. As a result, there are 30 countries participating in the coalition.
On September 6, Armenia announced that it would deploy 50 troops to Iraq, though it was unclear when the troops would be deployed to Iraq; until such time, it is not being included in the count of countries taking part in the coalition.
Countries which had troops in Iraq at one point but have pulled out since: Nicaragua (Feb. 2004); Spain (late-Apr. 2004); Dominican Republic (early-May 2004); Honduras (late-May 2004); Philippines (~Jul. 19, 2004); and New Zealand (late Sep. 04).
Recent developments
- According to the Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Poland's contribution to the Coalition would be reduced by more than 1,000 soldiers wouldbe composed mainly of units from the 11th Armoured Division during its fourth deployment of troops to Iraq.
- New Zealand's contingent of 61 engineers arrived back home on Sept. 25. They are not being replaced.
- The Washington Post reported on Sept. 24, that Georgia was planning to deploy an additional 800 troops to Iraq by the end of the year. The deployment, not yet announced, would increase the size of Georgia's contingent in Iraq to 980 troops. The article also reported that Romania was planning to increase the size of its contingent as well, and suggested the possibility of a contigent from Fiji being sent as well.
- The International Herald Tribune reported on September 23, that South Korea had completed the deployment of 2,800 troops to Iraq. The brigade had absorbed other S. Korean unit already deployed in-country. An additional 800 troops would deploy to Iraq once expansion work on the Brigade's facility in Erbil is completed. The deployment took 50 days as a result of logistical difficulties encountered.
- The Korea Herald, reported on Sep. 23, that approximately 1,300 soldiers from the Korea Zaytun (Olive in Arabic) unit had flown into Irbil from Kuwait using 23 US C-130 aircraft. An additional 1,200 troops from that unit deployed to Irbil via road using 394 tanks and other military vehicles, all the while under escort from US Apache helicopters and fighter jet aircraft. They joined the 300 who already dispatched to Irbil as an advance unit.
- Acording to a Sept. 23, 2004 IRNA story, Pakistan had ruled out deploying troops to Iraq "under present circumstances".
- Interfax reported on Sept. 22, that the Ukrainian 7th Detached Mechanized Brigade would deploy to Iraq in late-October by Il-76 aircraft. Equipment, which comprises 43 vehicles, including 31 BTR-80 APCs, and an additional 50 containers had already been shipped via sea.
- AAP NEWSFEED reported on September 22, that Australia would pull out the hostage rescue team it had dispatched to Iraq on the basis of reports suggesting an Australian citizen had been kidnapped. No further details were available on their return date.
- The Observer (UK) reported on Sept. 19, 2004, that Britain's military contribution in Iraq would be reduced by a third by the end of October during the next rotation of units, when the First Mechanised Infantry Brigade is to be replaced by the Germany-based Fourth Armoured Division which will be equipped with Warrior APCs instead of the Challenger tanks it normally uses. The First Mechanised Infantry Brigade is composed of six battle groups of around 800 men each, while the Fourth Armoured Division will only have four or five. The number of Royal Navy ships in the Persian Gulf will remain unchanged at four.
- According to an article by the The Times (London) published on Sept. 18, the UK was ready to dispatch additional troops to Iraq to deal with the violence there. A 680-strong battalion was reported to be on 24-hour standby.
- The Australian Newspaper reported on Sept. 16, that Australia has dispatched an advance team of of 12-30 Special Air Service (SAS) reconnaissance specialists aboard a C-130 on Sept. 14, at night to verify claims that two Australians had been taken hostage in Iraq.
- AAP Newsfeed reported on September 16, 2004 that New Zealand's contingent of 61 military engineers deployed in the southern city of Basra would return home that month, following the conclusion of the unit's 12 month deployment, originally scheduled for 6 months. According to that report, the unit was deployed in response to a request from the United Nations as New-Zealand had refused to join the US-led force in Iraq.
- The Korea Times reported on September 10, that S. Korea's deployment of 3,000 troops was well on track, given some progress in the Iraqi security situation, though no other information on dates was provided in the article.
- The Ukrainian President announced on September 7, 2004, that the Ukrainian contingent in Iraq would be reduced by roughly 200 soldiers during the scheduled troop rotation currently taking place. The brigade set to be rotating into Iraq in September was to originally number 1,722 troops and replace about 1,576 troops. A reported by Deutsche Presse-Agentur stated that the Ukraine brigade in Iraq currently stationed numbered 1,650 officers and men and that with the troops cut, the contingent would be reduced to to 1,450 following the completion of the troop rotations ending in early October. The announcement reversed the government's previous position that the rotation involved would increase Ukraine's contribution as an additional helicopter squadron with 150 troops was to also deploy to Iraq.
- Armenia announced that it would send 50 troops to Iraq. The troops concerned would fall under the Polish Multi-National Force. The force was expected to deploy by the end of the year, with a small team of deploying in September to pave the way for that deployment. Armenia's commitment would bring the number of countries involved in the Coalition to 32.
- Agence France Presse reported on September 6, 2004 that Georgia would double its military contingent in Iraq during its next troop rotation in October to a size of 300 from 159, though the number is still less than the 550 Georgia pledged earlier this year.
- 155 soldiers from El Salvador's Cuscatlan Battalion arrived home on August 30 as part of a regularly scheduled rotation. The remaining 219 soldiers were expected to return home on September 2.
- In an article in the Western Daily Mail from August 26, 2004, an MoD spokesman was reported as saying that there were 8,361 UK service personnel in Iraq.
Countries Supporting Ops in Iraq
|
Country
|
In Iraq |
In Theater |
Total |
Future |
| United Kingdom |
8,361 |
3,500 |
~12,000 |
15,000 ~10,500 (?) |
| South Korea |
2,800 |
|
2,800 |
~ 3,600 |
| Italy |
2,700 |
|
2,700 |
|
| Poland |
2,400 |
|
2,400 |
1,000-1,500 |
| Ukraine |
1,576 |
|
1,576 |
~1,450 |
| Netherlands |
~1,400 |
|
~1,400 |
|
| Romania |
700 |
|
700 |
|
| Japan |
~550 |
~200 |
~750 |
|
| Denmark |
496 |
|
496 |
|
| Bulgaria |
~485 |
|
~485 |
|
| Thailand |
451 |
|
451 |
0 |
| El Salvador |
380 |
|
380 |
|
| Hungary |
300 |
|
300 |
|
| Australia |
~ 250 |
~ 600 |
850 |
+ 50 |
| Mongolia |
180 |
|
180 |
|
| Georgia |
159 |
|
159 |
~300 or 980(?) |
| Azerbaijan |
151 |
|
151 |
|
| Portugal |
128 |
|
128 |
|
| Latvia |
122 |
|
122 |
|
| Czech Republic |
~110 |
|
~110 |
10 |
| Lithuania |
105 |
|
105 |
|
| Slovakia |
105 |
|
105 |
|
| Albania |
70 |
|
70 |
200 |
| Estonia |
55 |
|
55 |
|
| Tonga |
~45 |
|
~45 |
|
| Singapore |
33 |
|
33 |
|
| Kazakhstan |
29 |
|
29 |
|
| Macedonia |
28 |
|
28 |
|
| Moldova |
12 |
|
12 |
|
| Norway |
10 |
|
10 |
0 |
| Spain |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
| Honduras |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
| Dominican Republic |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
| Nicaragua |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
| Philippines |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
| New Zealand |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
| Armenia |
0 |
|
|
50 |
| TOTAL |
|
|
~28,600 |
|
US CENTCOM - Coalition Ground Forces
|
| Division |
Brigade |
Battalion |
Personnel |
Equipment |
| TOTAL |
|
|
~ 26,300 |
|
|
|
|
|
Royal Marines [Tonga] |
~45 |
|
|
|
|
Cuzcatlan Battalion [El Savadoran] |
360 |
|
|
|
|
Peacekeeping Operations BN [Mongolia] |
~ 180 |
|
|
|
|
1100th Const. & Eng. Spt. Group [ROK] |
~ ??? |
|
|
|
|
U/I Military Police Unit [Czech] |
~ 80 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Chemical Warfare Co [Slovakia] |
~ 105 |
|
|
|
|
U/I SOF Unit [Macedonia] |
~ 28 |
|
|
|
|
U/I SOF Unit (w/ 101 ABN) [Albania] |
~ 70 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Unit [Latvia] |
~ 121 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Brigade [South Korea] |
~ 2,800 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Unit [Thailand] |
~ 460 |
|
|
|
Joint Task Force [Australia] |
|
|
|
|
elements, Japanese Self Defense Force |
~ 75 |
|
|
|
elements, Danish [DANCON/IRAK] |
~ 496 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Support Unit |
~ 61 |
|
|
|
|
Danish BN [w/Lithuanian soldiers] |
446 |
|
| Multi-National Division (South-East) |
|
|
|
1st Battalion of the Black Watch Regiment |
600 |
|
|
|
|
Royal Engineers |
170 |
|
| 3 UK Armoured Division |
~ 11,000 |
|
|
|
|
elements, 14 Signal RGT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
elements, 16 Signal RGT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
elements, 30 Signal RGT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
U/I Engineers |
|
|
|
|
|
20 Armoured BDE |
|
|
|
|
|
Queen's Royal Hussars |
|
Challenger 2 |
|
|
|
1st BN, The Light Infantry |
|
? - Warrior |
|
|
|
1st BN, The Royal REGT of Wales |
|
? - Warrior |
|
|
|
2nd BN, The Parachute REGT |
|
|
|
|
|
1st BN, The Royal Scots |
|
|
|
|
|
1st BN, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 REGT Royal Artillery |
|
|
|
|
|
|
35 Engineer REGT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
elements, 9th/12th Royal Lancers |
|
|
CVR(T) |
|
|
|
Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TF Rake (w/ 35 ENG) [New Zealand] |
|
|
|
|
4 General Support REGT, RLC |
|
|
|
|
|
22 Field Hospital |
|
|
|
|
|
|
elements, 33 Engineer REGT (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
17 Port & Maritime REGT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 Transport REGT, RLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Element, 11 EOD RGT RLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 REGT, Royal Military Police |
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 Pioneer REGT, RLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 REGT, RLC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 General Support Medical REGT, RAMC |
|
|
|
|
|
Sassari BDE [Italy] |
~ 3,000 |
|
|
|
|
U/I NBC Co, 7th NBC BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
U/I Co, 1st Lagunari Amphib Infantry BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
Elements, 9th "Col Moschin" Special Forces BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
265th Military Police Bn [Romania] |
100 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Military Police Co [Portugal] |
|
|
|
|
|
U/I Co, 7th Signal BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
18th Mech Infantry BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
U/I Sq, 19th Armored Cavalry BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
21st Combat Engineer BN [Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
6th Transport BN[Italy] |
|
|
|
|
|
812th Infantry Bn Carpathian Hawks [Romania] |
|
|
|
|
|
U/I BN, 2nd Carabinieri BDE [Italy] |
~ 400 |
|
|
|
Netherlands SFIR-3 Contingent |
~ 1,500 |
|
|
|
|
42nd Mechanised Battalion(Composite) |
|
Patria XA-180 APCs |
|
|
|
Det. 298 Sqn (RNLAF) |
|
3-4 CH-47D |
|
|
|
Det.300/301 Sqn (RNLAF) |
|
6 NAH-64D |
|
|
|
Det. 11/14 FA Bty |
|
3 AN/TPQ-32 |
|
|
|
Logistics (POD) Det. |
|
|
|
|
|
Royal Constabulary Dets. |
|
|
| Multi-National Division (Central South) |
|
|
12 Mechanized BDE [Poland] |
~ 2,400 |
|
|
|
|
10 Mechanized BN [10 ACD Poland] |
|
|
|
|
|
3rd Infantry Bn, 61st Stryam Mech Bde[Bulgaria] |
~ 485 |
|
|
|
|
U/I Hungarian Elements |
|
|
|
|
|
elements, Grand Duchess Birute Motorised Infantry BN [Lithuania] |
~ 45 |
|
|
|
|
|
CIMIC BN [Philippines] |
|
|
|
|
|
U/I Bn [El Salvador] |
380 |
|
|
|
6th Separate Mechanized BDE [Ukraine] |
~ 1,700 |
60 - BTR-80
11 - BRDM-2 |
|
|
|
61st Separate Mechanized BN |
|
BTR-80 |
|
|
|
62nd Separate Mechanized BN |
|
BTR-80 |
|
|
|
63rd Separate Mechanized BN |
|
BRDMs |
SOURCE: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_orbat_coalition.htm