Draft:Iraqi Air Defence Command

At the beginning of the establishment of the Iraqi army, the anti-Aircraft weapons had little importance, as there was no air threat. The rifles and machine guns of the infantry regiments and other units could fire on enemy aircraft. After the establishment of the Iraqi army, a reflection on the potential purchase of anti-Aircraft weapons began.

The Iraqi air defences were redesigned after the Israeli raid on the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center in 1981. A network of radars, surface-to-air missiles and anti-Aircraft artillery was installed, centered around the strategic and industrial facilities in the city of Baghdad. The National Air Defence Operations Center (ADOC) is located in central Baghdad. It is its responsibility to preserve the skies of Iraq from any external aggression.^[2]

Even after losses during the first Gulf War in 1991, the Iraqi army still possessed a wide range of advanced weapons. These weapons included Soviet-made equipment, French-made combat aircraft carrying air-to-air missiles, and Soviet surface-to-air missile systems. Partially built integrated air defence system and early warning radars.

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the dissolution of the Iraqi army, the Iraqi Air Defence Command became more dependent on western sources than eastern. It received American systems such as the Hawk and Avenger, and advanced radars from the United States.^[3] Soviet doctrine was discarded in favour of Western radars, communications and technologies.^[4]

Anti-Aircraft Weapons

Monarchy Era to 1958

There was no importance for the anti-Aircraft weapons when the Iraqi army was established, because there was no perceived air threat. The ground forces at that time depended on rifles and machine guns to confront the enemy aircraft. After years, it began to think about buying anti-Aircraft weapons. The first anti-Aircraft unit, the Light anti-Aircraft battalion, was formed on January 3, 1939. It was assigned to the first division. It participated in the suppression of the Barzani rebellion. The battery was composed of wheeled carriages, which were expected to be towed by motorised vehicles.

On March 20, 1946, the second battalion was formed in the name of the second light anti-Aircraft battalion in Kirkuk, and was assigned to the second division, the battalion was armed with German-made 20 mm cannons and 20 mm Breda cannons.

On July 2, 1947, the heavy anti-Aircraft battalion was formed, and it was armed with British-made QF 3.7-inch AA guns. It was based at Al-Washash camp and Al-Waziriyah District in Baghdad. When the Iraqi Army participated in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War,^[5] more advanced, anti-Aircraft weapons with a greater range were needed. As a result, anti-Aircraft platoons were created and added to the staff of the support company of each regiment.

From 1950 to 1958, a number of anti-Aircraft units were formed and the first ِanti-Aircraft was formed on May 11, 1950, and it was armed with Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns. The first anti-Aircraft battalion was formed in January 1952, and it was called Light anti-Aircraft. The first is to make use of 40mm anti-Aircraft batteries. The anti-Aircraft 20 mm changed to the first battalion and the second battalion. The name of the following battalions was changed to:

• The 1st Light anti-Aircraft Battalion (20 mm) was changed to the first anti-Aircraft Battalion and attached to the First Division.
• The 20 mm fixed light anti-Aircraft battalion was changed to the second anti-Aircraft battalion and attached to the Second Division.^[6]

On March 15, 1955, the anti-Aircraft ward and Scout Lights Wing was formed in the Field Artillery School, to be responsible for opening specialized courses for air resistance artillery, after all courses were organized in the Field Artillery School under the supervision of field artillery officers. The Commander of the anti- Aircraft ward, Lieutenant Colonel Jassim Muhammad Jalil, and here began a new chapter in the life of the anti-Aircraft artillery, as a specialized body responsible for training appeared for the first time. On December 31, 1955, the Second Light anti-Aircraft battalion was formed, according to its cadres, and it included a battalion headquarters and three battalions. Each battalion consisted of three platoons, and the platoon contained 6 guns and was armed with 40 mm cannons Bovers. This battalion was attached to the 2nd Infantry Division, which was Equipped before the formation of the battalion with one anti-Aircraft battalion armed with 2mm guns.

On October 2, 1956, the Air Target Detachment, controlled by radio, was formed to train anti-Aircraft units to shoot. The detachment included several small, unmanned, radio-controlled aircraft in Al-Washash camp, and were associated with the Field Artillery School, due to the difficulty of maintaining these aircraft and their frequent malfunctions. It was abolished after the fall of the Monarchy in 1958.

On January 20, 1957, the designations of the anti-Aircraft battalions were changed as follows:

• The first Light anti-Aircraft Battalion to the 23rd Light anti-Aircraft Battalion, attached to the first Division Command and housed in Basra.
• The second Light anti-Aircraft Battalion to the 27th Light ant-Aircraft Battalion and attached to the second Division Command in Kirkuk and its armament was replaced after the fall of the monarchy with eastern 37 mm cannons.

On October 15, 1957, the Army equipped with 18 American-made 90mm heavy guns. It formed the Heavy anti-Aircraft Battalion/31 Radar-Guided, and was linked to the artillery of the General Headquarters. Colonel Abdel Rahman Fattah was appointed as its commander in Al-Wash camp, and it was not used because the training was not completed.

The Republican Era (1958 to 1968)

After the fall of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Iraqi Republic, Iraq's policy changed. The country started to import weapons from eastern bloc countries, especially from the Soviet Union. The share of anti-Aircraft weapons in Iraq's imports was limited, but a limited number of units were formed, and the armament of the previously formed battalions was replaced with eastern weapons. The standard weapon became the 37 mm automatic air defence gun M1939 (61-K).

On July 17, 1958, the anti-Aircraft Battalion 29 was formed in the Saad camp, in Baqubah, consisting of a battalion headquarters and three battalions armed with 37 mm single-barrel cannons.

After the declaration of the Iraqi Republic, Iraq received radar-guided KS-19 anti-Aircraft guns. Iraqi soldiers started to train on the new guns on November 1, 1958, under the supervision of Soviet experts. After the training was completed, the battalion was reorganized on January 12, 1960, and its name was changed to the Medium anti-Aircraft Battalion 31. Its first commander was Lieutenant-Colonel Daoud Salman al-Ghalay. This battalion was the first to use radar-guided anti-Aircraft guns in the Iraqi army. The organization of the battalion included a headquarters, a control company, and three firing companies. The battalion took Abu Ghraib camp as its headquarters.

Since their formation, anti-Aircraft artillery units have been associated with divisional field artillery and general headquarters field artillery commands, originally linked to the Field Artillery Directorate. After the formation of the anti-Aircraft Artillery Directorate and its separation from the Field Artillery Directorate, anti-Aircraft units passed under the control of the newly created directorate.

On August 16, 1959, the Light anti-Aircraft Battalion was formed from a battalion headquarters, three companies, and armed with 37 mm M1939 cannons. In October 1959, the 24th Light anti-Aircraft Battalion was formed in the Jisr al-Khar barracks of the battalion headquarters and three batteries were armed with M1939 cannons. On March 1, 1961, the 17th anti-Aircraft Battalion was formed from battalion headquarters and three companies armed with M1939s, and the battalion was reorganized on January 2, 1963, as the Medium anti-Aircraft Battalion 17, which consisted of battalion headquarters and six gun companies, equipped with radar-guided KS-19 guns. In 1963, Iraq purchased a battalion of S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missiles. Upon their arrival, the 34th Missile Battalion (the Dulab Battalion) was formed on March 2, 1963. Its first commander was Colonel Daoud Salman al-Ghalay, and it was based in Abu Ghraib camp. Training courses on the new equipment were organized, but these were canceled on July 13, 1963, due to the lack of completion of the equipment supply from the Soviet Union. The equipment was handed over to Egypt as a gift. Iraq thus missed the opportunity of becoming the first Arab country to operate surface-to-air missiles.

On August 16, 1965, the anti-Aircraft artillery was established, and it included the headquarters and the light anti-Aircraft artillery ward, the medium anti-Aircraft artillery ward, and the administrative ward. The first commander of the light anti-Aircraft artillery ward was Colonel Namik Abdullah, and the first commander of the medium anti-artillery ward Colonel Jalal Saaed. The responsibility of preparing the officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks was assigned to the anti-Aircraft school, (before it was the responsibility of the Field Artillery School).

On June 6, 1967, the 21st Light anti-Aircraft Battalion was formed from a battalion headquarters, and three gun companies armed with M1939 cannons.

1968-1980

After the Baath Party seized power in 1968, its leadership paid great attention to modernizing the Iraqi armed forces' equipment, and the anti-Aircraft weapons were one of the main focuses. In 1970, a committee was formed, headed by Major General Daoud Salman al-Ghalai, and a number of officers concerned with anti-Aircraft weapons and air defence, under the supervision of Saddam Hussein, then deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council. This committee developed proposals that served as a basis for developing anti-Aircraft weapons and air defence, especially in the organizational aspect of air defence and the development of training institutions, methods of development, armament and details. This resulted in the formation of large numbers of anti-Aircraft units and formation headquarters for command and control purposes, and the introduction of modern weapons, which resulted in the establishment of an advanced air defence system.

On September 8, 1968, the anti-Aircraft and Anti-Missile Command was formed, and its first commander was Major General Dawud Salman al-Ghalai. Its responsibility was to command and control all anti-Aircraft weapons to protect vital sites. The commander presented the command with the commander of the Air Force and Air defence. The command was attached to the Army Chief of Staff, and reorganized in October 1974 as the anti-Aircraft Artillery Department. In November 1976, it was reorganized as the anti-Aircraft Artillery Command. At the same time, the Missile Command formed, and the two commands were linked to the Air Force and Air defence Command. In July 1979, the Air Force and Air defence Artillery Command was merged with the Missile Command. Air Force and Air defence.

After the delivery of surface-to-air missiles, the 125th missile battalion was formed on January 31, 1972. It was the first missile battalion, and it consisted of four missile companies (the 31st, 33rd, 35th and 37th), a technical company (the 93rd), and a maintenance company (the 80th). On April 7, 1972, this battalion was commissioned to protect the Baghdad area, and on June 11, 1974, the battalion’s cadre was reorganized into the 145th Missile Brigade. This resulted in the addition of four missile companies operating S-75-2 Volga-2s (the 50th, 52nd, 54th, and 56th companies), a technical company (the 76th) and the battalion staff.

A directorate was formed to assume technical responsibility, after the Iraqi government decided to expand the formation of anti-Aircraft units, missiles and artillery. This process was undertaken according to the following stages:

First: In November 1971, the Missile Directorate was formed. It was subordinated to the headquarters of the air force, and had control over the 125th Battalion and missile units. Brigadier General Burhan al-Din Tawfiq was appointed as its first director.

Second: In April 1973, the anti-Aircraft artillery Directorate was formed. On May 10, 1973, Brigadier General Muhammad Salim Ahmed took the position of its director, and the directorate was linked to the Training Department.

Third: In January 1980, the Directorate of anti-Aircraft Artillery and the Directorate of anti-Aircraft Missiles were merged into the anti-Aircraft Directorate. It was subordinated to the Department of Organization and Mobilization.

Fourth: On February 20, 1980, the Directorate moved from its headquarters in the Ministry of defence to the Mobilization and Statistics Building (the Military Complex) in Kasra.

Fifth: In 1985, the anti-Aircraft Directorate passed under the control of the Training Department, instead of being subordinated to the Organization and Mobilization Department.

Sixth: On January 18, 1987, the anti-Aircraft Directorate moved from the Al-Kasra complex to a new building in the Al-Saadoun area. On February 25, 1988, the Directorate was transferred to the Al-Kasra complex again.

Seventh: The anti-Aircraft Directorate was reorganized in 1989, as follows:

• Delinking of the anti-Aircraft Directorate from the Training Department, and it is linked with the Air Force and Air Defence Command, and its disengagement was published in the Air Defence Assistant Command’s book 16 on January 7, 1990, as of January 1, 1990.
• The Air Defence Institute was delinked from the anti-Aircraft Directorate’s battle system, and it was linked to the Air Defence Command’s assistant commander, the Air Force and Air Defence Command.

Eighth: On December 27, 1989, delinke the repair factory 841 of the anti-Aircraft Command of the abolished Air Force and Air Defence Command, and it was linked to the anti-Aircraft Directorate in all respects. The technical delinked of the artillery commands of anti-Aircraft cutters is linked to the Directorate according to its new link.

Ninth: In January 1990, the anti-Aircraft Directorate moved from its building in the Kasra compound to the Air Force compound.

Tenth: The Directorate of anti-Aircraft moved from the Air Force and Air Defence Command Complex to Al-Mustansiriya Complex, after the delinked from the Air Force and Air Defence Command, and was linked to the Training Department. Then the Directorate moved to the Al-Kasra Military Complex, after it formed the Air Defence Command, and it became part of the Commander's Assistant for Technical Affairs on February 1, 1993. The Directorate moved again to the Command Complex, after its buildings were completed, and it became within the Air Defence Command Complex, in the Karada district, in Baghdad, on January 27, 1995.

Eleven: A number of anti-Aircraft artillery units were formed, as they formed 13 guided anti-Aircraft battalions 57 mm and 10 unguided anti-Aircraft battalions (37 mm)-(30 mm)-(23 mm), due to the lack of the previous number to secure the protection of headquarters and vital projects.

Twelve: three hybrid missiles brigades formed from the S-75 ("Volga") and S-125 Neva/Pechora batteries, and were intended to protect headquarters and vital projects:

Thirteenth: Six self-propelled Kavadrat missile battalions were formed to work within the field Air Defence (armored and mechanized divisions) and entered this type of missiles in 1974, as follows:

Fourteenth: On April 14, 1975, the 288 (57) mm Autonomous Aircraft Resistance Battalion was formed into the 3rd Corps Air Defence. 16 anti-Aircraft forces of 23 mm were formed for the first surface-to-air missiles to provide protection from hostile air attacks.

Fifteenth: Form 15 mixed batteries consisting of Shilka and Strela 1 M for armored and mechanized field formations to confront the very low air threat from the ground forces.

Sixteenth: A number of air defence commands for the corps, armored divisions, mechanized and infantry were formed to secure command and control of the field air defence units operating within the corps and divisions, as follows:

The former integrated air defence consisted of the National Air Defence Operations Center in Baghdad and the following four air defence sectors:

• The First Air Defence Operations Command, also called the Central Region Air Defence Sector, has an operations center sector in Taji and operations centers in Taji, Taqaddam, Salman Pak, Kut, Najaf and Nukhib.
• The Second Air Defence Operations Command, also known as the Western Air Defence Command, has bases located at the South Oil Company, H-3 airfield with H-1 airfield, and Rutba.
• The Third Air Defence Operations Command, also known as the Southern Air Defence Operations Command, has bases located in the South Oil Company, Tallil Airport, and the international oil companies in Tallil, Al-Amarah, Salman, and Zubair.
• The 4th Air Defence Operations Command, also known as the Northern Air Defence Operations Command, is headquartered at the North Oil Company in Kirkuk, with the international oil companies in Kirkuk and Mosul.

Each Air Defence Operations Command was assigned early warning battalions, which were responsible for operating optical observation points and air surveillance radars.

Air Defence coverage is concentrated throughout Baghdad and the main military and strategic objectives. Many of the Iraqi Air Defence weapons were destroyed in the Gulf War and during the American strikes, which resulted in the imposition of a spokesperson over the north and south of Iraq. Iraq still retains a good number of systems Weapons for Air Defence Despite these losses, Iraq possesses SAM 2, SAM 3, SAM 6, SAM 7, SAM 8, SAM 9, SAM 13, SAM 16 Hawk.

Republic of Iraq (1979-1993)

Republic of Iraq (1993-2003)

• 1993-1999, Lieutenant General of Air Defense Shaheen Yassin Muhammad^[7]
• 1999–2003, Lieutentant General of Air Defense Muzahim Sa'b Hassan al-Tikriti

Republic of Iraq (2011-)

• 1993-1999, Lieutenant General of Air Defense Jabbar Obaidi Kadhimi^[8]
• 1999–2003, Lieutentant General of Air Defense Maan Zaid Al Saadi^[9]

By 1990, Iraq possessed 16,000 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) with radar and thermal trackers, including the Soviet SA-2, SA-3, SA-6, SA-7, SA-8, SA-9, SA-13, SA-14, SA-16, and French Roland (SHORAD). The Air Force also possessed anti-air defence missiles, including the SA-7/14, SA-8, SA-9/13, SA-16 missile systems, and the ZSU-23/4 AAA self-propelled system. A boost to this, the Iraqi Air Defence had more than 7,500 AAA items all valuable targets, some of which were scattered on the roofs of Baghdad's many buildings. These weapons - 57 mm and 37 mm AAA parts, ZSU-23/4 and ZSU-57/2 AAA self-propelled systems, and hundreds of 14.5 mm and 23 mm anti-Aircraft weapons - formed the backbone and integrated air defence network in major relevant and valuable areas. High (such as Baghdad, airports, residential complexes, chemical production plants, and nuclear facilities) Combined air defence may be a lethal weapon for aircraft operating below 10,000 feet.^[10]

After 2003

As a result of the military operations in 2003 and the subsequent events, the Iraqi Air Defence Command lost most of the radars and interceptors, as well as the planes under its command, The Iraqi army began to pay attention to the Air Defence Command and to arm it again with radars and anti-Aircraft missiles.

Current Equipment of the Iraqi Air Defence Command

Radars

Radar	Image	Origin	Type
AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel		United States	3D radar system used to alert and cue Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD)
An-117		United States	Phased array Long-Range Radar System
AN/TPQ-37		United States	mobile radar system
MSTAR		United States	mobile radar system
Ground Master 400[11]		United States	mobile radar system

Air Defence System

System	Image	Type	Origine	Quantity
AZP-60		Autocannon	Soviet Union	~250
Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun		anti-Aircraft Autocannon (including British variants)	Sweden  United Kingdom	~100
AN/TWQ-1 Avenger		short-range air defence	United States	~100
MIM-23 Hawk		Medium-range SAM missile	United States	~50
Pantsir S-1[12](with GM-352 chassis)		Medium-range SAM missile Anti-Aircraft artillery systems	Russia	24
S-400 missile system[9]		Mobile SAM missile launcher	Russia	~10

• Pollack, Kenneth M. (2002). Arabs at War: Military Effectiveness 1948-91. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-3733-2. OCLC 49225708.
• Al-Marashi, I., Salama, S. (2008). Iraq's Armed Forces: An Analytical History. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781134145645.
• Eisel, B., Schreiner, J. '. (2009). Magnum! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm: The Elimination of Iraq's Air Defence. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 9781848846999. ‌
• Hooton, E.R., Cooper, T. and Farzin Nadimi (2018). The Iran-Iraq War. Volume 3, Iraq’s triumph. Solihull, West Midlands, England: Helion & Company Limited. ISBN 9781913336943. ‌