The Daily Iraq errors report

[DRG]

Originally Posted by Marcello

OK maybe no big deal, but it also helps while going throught the OOB checking what is right and what isn't.

Let me know if there was actually anything at all "right" about this OOB when we're done

Originally Posted by Marcello

However if you are hard pressed for time leave them alone, they are not a big deal.

Already fixed

Don

[Marcello]

Originally Posted by DRG

Let me know if there was actually anything at all "right" about this OOB when we're done
Don

It looks OK for a 1995-1996 research job on a shoestring budget.
Even now decent data on the iraqi army is very hard to come by. I have been collecting the available pieces of info since 2002, my pet project basically.

[Marcello]

Some notes on SP ATGMs

Formation 297: 3 SP ATGM

Suggested changes:
1)Final date should be restricted to 4/2003 (there are others SP ATGM formations available after that anyway, such as n. 185 and n. 186)
2)Initial availability date to be set to 1/1973, which SIPRI lists as the year of delivery for the first ATGM BRDM variant
Based upon what I read about Sagger proliferation 1/1973 seems about right.
3)Another unit to be added, so that this formation has four ATGM BRDMs. According to the "The Iraqi Army: Organization and Tactics" several formations employed antitank variants of BRDMs in groups of four.

Unit 260 and 226: BRDM-2 Malutka
Availability dates should be changed to 1/1973-4/2003 from current 1/1970-12/2004

Unit 261: BRDM-2 Konkurs
Final availability date should be restricted to 4/2003

Unit 228: VCR/TT HOT
According to SIPRI and others sources it was delivered starting around 1979-1981 while currently it is only available since 1985.
Also current final date is 1989, which is somewhat early. It could be extended to 4/2003 or maybe even 12/2010 by using it
as a gap filler in the formations.

Unit 604: M901 ITV
In light of the above its initial availability date could be pushed forward to 1/2011. As noted no such units are currently in service

Unit 288 and 293: BRDM-2
Current inital availability date is 1/1975
Based on several sources its initial availability date should be pushed back somewhat, I suggest 1/1970.

[Marcello]

Some notes on SP mortars

According to SIPRI the first self propelled mortars were delivered in 1983, these were 240mm 2S4 and modified MT-LB.

Formation 170: SP Mortar Bty
Formation 171: SP Mortar Pl
Initial availability date to be changed to 1/1983 from current 1/1975

Unit 220: MT-LB/82
Availability dates should be changed to 1/1983-4/2003 from current 1/1975-4/2020

Unit 221: MT-LB/120
Availability dates should be changed to 1/1983-4/2003 from current 1/1975-12/2020

Unit 223: 2S1-240
Initial availability date should be changed to 1/1983

Unit 222: T-54/160
Initial availability date should be changed to 1/1983 or later

Unit 218: Mortar Truck
Final availability date should be pushed forward to 12/2020, so that it can be used as gap filler in the formations.
I also suggest an icon change to icon n. 2962

Eventually, if you have the time to spare, some M113 based mortar carrier could be added with an availability date of 1/2011or similar. Unit 33 of obat 12 USA could be a good candidate.

[Marcello]

In regards to artillery.
As remarked several times in this thread there has been no artillery in service in the iraqi army since the fall of Saddam in 2003 and probably there won’t be any till some point in 2011. An handful of still usable guns were captured and stored in 2003
but that’s it.
I I believe that the most elegant solution and the one requiring the least work is to make some US artillery organic to the iraqi OOB.
US artillery would and has been used to support iraqi army anyway.

1) Importing from the US OOB unit 90: 155mm Howitzer
Its weapon is already available in the iraqi OOB: weapon 168 155mm M198 FH.
Availability dates would be 5/2003-12/2020.
Chances are some will be left to the iraqi army anyway.

2)Unit 87: 105mm M102 FG
Final availability date to be restricted to 4/2003.

3)Unit 843: 155mm M198 Pl
Initial availability date to be changed to 5/2003 from current 1/2005.

4) Units 840-841-842 to be deleted/renationalized

5) Formation 251: Med Howitzer Bn
Formation 256: Medium Battery
Final availability date to be restricted to 4/2003

[Marcello]

Formation 292 : Inf Bn Sup't Co
I suggest it to be modified by replacing the existing components with the following ones, to represent the nominal allotment of support weapons for an infantry battalion.

1) a rifle section or an AT team
2) formation 225 Mortar Battery
3) formation 156 AA-Gun Platoon
4) formation 205 Inf-AT Section (x 2)
5) formation 320 AGL Platoon

Sources
Iraq Country Handbook
http://www.specialoperations.com/For...q/Mountain.htm

[Marcello]

Formation 33: D/M RGuards Co
According to the "The Iraqi Army: Organization and Tactics" it had a support weapons platoon composed by four MGs and three 60mm mortars, like the regular infantry company.
I suggest deleting the support formations in slots 5 thought 8 and replacing them with one weapons platoon in slot 5. That could be made up by a couple of machine guns sections, picked from units 100-104 and three 60mm mortars , picked from units 425-426.


Formation 42 : Mech Sapper Co
Should be replaced by a mechanized platoon along the lines of formation 118 RG Sapper Pl/M. As it is there is a (poorly organized) mechanized sapper company but not a mechanized sapper platoon for the regular army forces.

Unit 426: 60mm Mortar
It should have its weapon n.2 SKS replaced with weapon n.8 AK47 Rifle
Its final availability date should be extended to 12/2020.

Some notes on the mountain units

Formation 100: Mountain Co
Should have formations in slots 7 (mortar squad) and 8 (Inf-SAM Platoon) deleted

Formation 105: Mountain Pl
Should have one of its two scout sections replaced by a 60mm mortar picked from units 425-426
Source: http://www.specialoperations.com/For...q/Mountain.htm

Some notes on the reserve units

Formation 26: Reserve Company
Final availability date should be restricted to 4/2003
There are no reserve formations in the new iraqi army. All units are active for the time being. Something along the lines of reserves might be organized later on but there is nothing for the moment.

Unit 502 : Reserve Section
Final availability date should be restricted to 4/2003

Formation 46: Reserve Platoon
Final availability date should be restricted to 4/2003
Source: www.longwarjournal.org