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USMC LAV-25
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July 30/08: The US DSCA announced [PDF] Iraq’s formal request for LAV the same kind of amphibious wheeled armored personnel carriers used by the US Marines, as well as associated services and some replacement equipment. When coupled with the recent M1117 armored car, helicopter, and infrastructure requests, the DSCA has announced over $7 billion in contract requests from Iraq’s military over the past week. The volume of these announcements, and their content, strongly suggests an Iraqi military that is making significant strides in organization and responsibilities, and is beginning to order the equipment to match. Time will tell.

The estimated cost, if contracts are concluded for all items, is up to $3 billion. The principal contractors will include General Dynamics in Warren, MI; Armatec in London, Ontario, Canada; BAE Systems in London, United Kingdom; Force Protection in Ladson, SC; Oshkosh Trucks in Oshkosh, WI; and Raytheon in Waltham, MA. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 24 contractor representatives to Iraq for a period of 2 years.

The exact request involves:

• 352 LAV-25s. This is the standard wheeled LAV APC used by the US Marines, which includes a 25mm cannon in the top turret. LAVs and associated equipment are manufactured by General Dynamics and Armatec. Although Iraq does have T-72 tanks and tacked BMP-1 APCs, its recent APC order pattern is strongly stressing wheeled vehicles (BTR-3, M1117, LAVs), which are easier to use in cities and along roads one wishes to protect. It is not yet clear if this order supersedes Iraq’s earlier request for wheeled BTR-3 APCs from the Ukraine and United Arab Emirates, which are more heavily armed than the LAVs.

• 24 LAV-CC command variant. Sacrifices the cannon in exchange for a raised rof and communication gear.

• 16 LAV-A Ambulance variant. Also more lightly armed. Ambulance specialist.

“The following are considered replacements to vehicles/weapons requested in the Military Table of Equipment (MTOE):”

• 5 LAV-R Recovery vehicles. No turret, but it does have a crane arm used for towing or winching other vehicles out if they get stuck or damaged.

• 4 LAV-L Logistics vehicles, with no turret and a raised roof. Designed to provide ammunition, rations and POL (petroleum, oil and lubricant) supplies for the LAV units they accompany.

• 2 MRAP Vehicles. These would be Badger ILAVs, a Cougar variant offered by Force Protection and BAE Systems.

• 41 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) medium trucks. Oshkosh makes the MTVR, which forms the backbone of the US Marines’ medium truck fleet.

• 2 MK19 40mm Grenade Machine Guns. General Dynamics ATP makes these.

• 773 9mm Pistols. Maker and model unspecified. If Iraq follows the USA’s lead, it would be the Beretta – but previous requests have been for Glock 17s.

• 93 M240G 7.62mm Machine Guns. The M240 family are made by FN Herstal, and its FN Manufacturing, LLC subsidiary handles orders in the USA. They are the USA’s standard coaxial machine guns for turrets, and are also used pintle-mounted on vehicles and helicopters. They can also be used by dismounted troops, if removed from their pintle mount. This is not Iraq’s first request for the M240.

• 10 AR-12 rifles. This one was frankly puzzling. Armalite does manufacture the AR-15 commercial replicas of the 5.56mm M16/M4 family, and the similar 7.62mm AR-10 set. There was reportedly an AR-12 design at one point, but Armalite confirms that it does not offer an AR-12 for sale.

• Plus unspecified ammunition, construction, site survey, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, and other support.

Additional Readings

• The Long War Journal (Aug 4/08) – Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle: August 2008 Update . Overall analysis of Iraq’s recent purchases, and their likely destinations.