Iraqi army's new T-72's may be impounded in Kuwait

Considering the recent history of Iraqi invasion (of Kuwait), this is just ironic.



T-72 Tanks Headed for Iraqi Army... or Impoundment
Posted 10-Nov-2005 02:39
Related stories: Legal, Middle East - Other, Policy - Procurement, Support Functions - Other, Tanks & Mechanized
Also on this day: 10-Nov-2005 »

On May 20, DID reported a contract to refurbish and deliver 77 Hungarian T-72 tanks to the Iraqi Army, as the centerpiece of a new armored division. The good news is that those tanks are ready for delivery to the Iraqi 9th Army Division. The bad news is that the sustained failure of the Iraqi government to pay the contractor may result in those tanks being impounded in Kuwait or returned to Europe, as a result of reluctant legal action by Defense Solutions LLC.

According to Defense Solutions Chief Executive Officer, Colonel Timothy Ringgold, Ph.D, US Army (Ret), "In spite of numerous promises, the Iraqi Government has not abided by the terms of our agreement.... I regret having to take this step. The US Army officials with whom I've been dealing have been my friends and colleagues for 30 years. They have done a terrific job training the new Iraqi Army and trying to get Defense Solutions paid. It is the Iraqi Government that has not honored its commitments."

Defense Solutions is seeking final payment from the Iraqi Ministry of Defense totaling just over $1 million.

The firm has been under pressure from both the Iraqi Government and the US Army to deliver the tanks ahead of schedule, so they could be fielded and operational in time for Iraq's December 2005 general election. When eventually delivered, the refurbished T-72s would represent the toughest and most modern combat vehicles in the Iraqi Army.

After completing the refurbishment on the accelerated schedule, Defense Solutions notified the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, NATO and the US Army in Iraq that the final shipment of vehicles would not be released to NATO until payment was received from Iraq. Nevertheless, NATO Forces shipped the tanks and other vehicles over Defense Solutions' written objections.

With its legal action, Defense Solutions counters that move. There are few options if Kuwait rules for and enforces Defense Solutions' legal action for impoundment. The Greek NATO Transport ship used to ship the tanks cannot deliver its cargo directly to Iraq because of the Greek Government's opposition to the war. The choice of any other seaport in the Persian Gulf, even if permitted by the host country, would presents huge logistical challenges to the US Army in moving the cargo overland to Iraq.

Ringgold added that he is well aware that as a result of their lawsuit filed in Kuwait, the Government of Kuwait may not allow the Greek ship to unload, forcing the ship to return its much needed cargo to Europe. He has also made it clear that this is not the outcome he seeks - compliance with the terms of the contract is.

This outcome would probably be best for all parties. A country that finds itself under severe and ongoing military threat might want to avoid a reputation for stiffing its defense contractors.

DID will continue to cover this situation as it develops.

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Here's an earlier article on Defense Solutions LCC's delivery of MBT's:




Defense Solutions, LLC Delivers First Rebuilt T-72 Tanks to the Army of the New Republic of Iraq

Defense Solutions announced today that it will deliver the first five rebuilt T-72 Main Battle Tanks to the Iraqi Army.

Budapest, Hungary (PRWEB) July 28, 2005 -- Defense Solutions announced today that it will deliver the first five rebuilt T-72 Main Battle Tanks to the Iraqi Army. Iraqi Staff Major General Mahmood Ayoub Bashar will accept these tanks on behalf of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense during his attendance at program review meetings being held at the HM Currus Combat Vehicle Technique Company (Currus), Gödöllő, Hungary. Currus is participating in the refurbishment project under a subcontract to Defense Solutions. These tanks are part of a total of 77 T-72s that are being rebuilt under a contract between Defense Solutions and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. The T-72 tanks were originally donated to Iraq by the Government of Hungary. Defense Solutions is performing this work under a US State Department license.

The T-72s will be the main combat power of a new Iraqi Armor Division being created with the assistance of the US Army.

The Soviet-designed T-72 remains one of the world’s best main battle tanks and is comparable to the original M-1 Abrams tank fielded to US forces beginning in 1980. The T-72s being provided to the Iraqi Army are the original model, have not been upgraded and are no match for the highly advanced Abrams M1A2 and the M1A2 SEP (System Enhancement Program) version used by the US Army.

The T-72s were deactivated by the Hungarian Army at the end of the Cold War and placed in long-term storage. Hungary, which became part of NATO in 1999, donated the tanks to Iraq with NATO approval.

About Defense Solutions, LLC

Defense Solutions, LLC is an international project management and consulting firm with offices in Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, PA, USA; Tel-Aviv, Israel; and Budapest, Hungary. Defense Solutions provides program management and strategic studies and analyses for its clients. It also provides business development and program advocacy for companies in the Defense, Homeland Security, Information Technology and Telecommunications markets. Defense Solutions utilizes a network of experts who have a wide range of specialties in industry, government, the armed forces, law enforcement, maritime security and national politics.

For more information, please visit: .

Those 77 T-72S and 36 BMP-1 have been turned over to the 9th armoured Div and are now being used for combat operations. More than 60 more BMP-1 will be delivered in the next few months. The 9th also uses T-55 and MTLB and is becoming a very effective combat unit that compares with the Ministry of the interior commando battalions.

Major General Salih Sirhan said the tanks and troop carriers, as well as four rescue trucks, had been delivered to Taji base south of Baghdad. All were previously used by the Hungarian army and have been refitted, he said. "The Iraqi defence ministry paid more than $3 million to update and develop these tanks and that's a small price compared to what the total cost of the tanks would have been," Sirhan said

What happened to those T72s and T55s of the Saddam regime ??? There were more than a thousand of them !!!

what happened to those T-72??? WELL some happy M-1A1 tankers got some trigger time Yep, most of those tanks were used as target practice however some are being used by the new Iraq army that were not destroyed.

ArjunMk1 said:

What happened to those T72s and T55s of the Saddam regime ??? There were more than a thousand of them !!!

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every last one was destroyed. saddam started out with 4000 tanks in 1991, and ended with less than 100 a few months later. besides, why would a new army want to operate old stuff like the t-55?

MIGleader said:

every last one was destroyed. saddam started out with 4000 tanks in 1991, and ended with less than 100 a few months later. besides, why would a new army want to operate old stuff like the t-55?

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maybe they got nothing else??? The iraqi army really need some armour protection and of course the only available armour that were present were those tank that could fufil their need.


anyone knows when wil iraq get new tanks?? and why would american use t-72 as target practice, why not leave all of them to the new iraqi army??

I think the old Iraqi T-72 was the T-72m model its armour cant even stop rpg! also there isent much left after two major wars those that are left probely isent fit for active service

Well, Saddam prefered quantity over quality.
His T-72s were objectively nothing more than an oversized T-55, the T-55 basically APCs with a gun turret instead of troops.
Most of them were destroyed either in the war, and the troops were kinda trigger-happy, so there went the last of them. (well, most of them. Some of the T-55s are being used again.)
But there aren't really much reasons to use the old tanks anyway, not after when most of them are gone. They aren't be able to stop anything. There's no reason to use them.

These T-72s from Romania would be enough for a time, however. But I am rather iffy about the BMP-1s though.

But isn't the USA funding this?

Yes, the U.S if funding much of this. there are two reasons what they are getting the T-72 and BMP
1. most Iraqi military men now how to use them. need very little NEW training.
2. If a unit turns into rebels then The U.S would face Bad equipment that could be destroyed with little problem.

SUMDUD

are you sure I saw at lest two pic of a T-55/59 used as armoured box / IFV on election day by the new IRAQI army aparently they stoped a car bomb with machine gun fire .