The Firearm Blog

I got a really good laugh from these photos. The caption is:

Iraqi soldiers display confiscated weapons and ammunition at a Military base in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, Iraq, 08 September 2008, following a military operation in the outskirts of the city

Now look at the weapons:

If I had this kind of junk I would pay them to remove it. The officer pictured above, a Captain, seems impressed enough to take a photo. Maybe they are moonlighting as Garbage removal professionals

Interesting development. That was the last place in the world where I expected firearms to be banned.

From Stars and Stripes:

DIYALA PROVINCE, Iraq — The police chief of this restive province has ordered a ban on all firearms, including AK-47 rifles to which every Iraqi household is entitled.

Iraqi police Maj. Gen. Maj. Gen. Abdul al-Kareem Khaleef said he issued the firearms ban after a fatal shooting in Baqouba, the province’s capital, which killed one policeman and injured four civilians on Sunday.

“No civilians can have them or they will be detained,” warned Khaleef through a translator on Monday. He added that only Iraqi security forces and government security guards will be allowed to possess the weapons.

They have got the prerequisite Glocks, now they just need MP5s. Click to expand the photos.

Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team members storm a bus during a demonstration drill held during a handover ceremony in Diwaniyah, 181 kms south of Baghdad, on July 16, 2008. Iraq took control of security in the Shiite province of Diwaniyah today and said it hoped to regain control of the entire country from US-led forces by end of the year.

H/T: MP.net

Military.com reported a few days ago that the entire Iraqi army is moving to the M16A2 and M4. Some Iraqi units have been using M16s since May last year. The move was originally announced last April.

So far, the U.S. military has helped the Iraqi army purchase 43,000 rifles - a mix of full-stock M-16A2s and compact M-4 carbines. Another 50,000 rifles are currently on order, and the objective is to outfit the entire Iraqi army with 165,000 American rifles in a one-for-one replacement of the AK-47.

“Our goal is to give every Iraqi soldier an M-16A2 or an M-4,” Scott said. “And as the Iraqi army grows, we will adjust.” - Military.com

Reasons given are logistical and that the M16 is a superior and more reliable weapon. Many think it is superior but few would say more reliable. It is easier to see the logistical benefits. I imagine training will also be easier.

The big advantage is that the rifles can be easily traced. Mexico has gone down this route by using a weapon they themselves designed. If a FX-05 “Xiuhcoatl” ends up in the hands of a drug runner, the Mexican army will know where to find the culprit who supplied it.

Last year it was reported that then an Iraqi soldier gets issued an M16 he is finger printed, undergoes a digital retina scan, and is photographed with the rifle serial number. The information is then transfered into a central database.

The weapon exchange is just the first step in a five-day program of instruction for the Iraqis. However, new rifles are not handed out in a one-for-one swap. Coalition Forces assign each IA recruit a weapon using a high-tech, biometric issue system.

Verified against a master list and having tuned in his old rifle, the IA soldier and his new M-16 continue on to one of ten biometric stations, where he is finger printed, undergoes a digital retinal scan and is photographed with the M16’s serial number. Officials then transfer the information to a database in Baghdad, to ensure accountability and to prevent the weapon from ending up in the wrong hands. - Blackanthem Military News

The BAT (Biometrics Automated Toolset) in Iraq

The DOD Biometric Task Force

My thoughts on the move to the M16

The move of course also sends money to American factories. It makes sense as hundreds of millions have been spent on arms for the Iraqi army. At the end of last year Iraq’s defence Minister Abdul-Qadir al-Obaidi announced a US$230 million deal with Serbia for what is likely to be rifles, machine guns, explosives and ammo.

Serbia has signed a US$230m (£116m) deal with Iraq to sell weapons and military equipment, the defence ministry said yesterday.

It did not specify the weapons but Serbian military experts believe they include Serbian-made assault rifles, machine guns, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and explosives. - IRAQ UPDATES

Training with M16s in Iraq. May 2007. US Army photo.

Unfortunately for the rest of us who do not own shares in ammunition manufacturers the supply of 5.56mm to yet another army at war, and who will be at war for a long time, means the price is only going to go up and up.

What does not make sense is why they do not supply them with the gas piston AR variants. Politics would be my guess. I think they had enough media attention over the body armor, they don’t want to be accused of issuing the Iraqi superior rifles.

Iraqi Army soldier loading
5.56mm ammo.

From MP.net:

However, although the 13,000 Steyr rifles which have been in service for 20 years, would not be replaced, they would be a significant part of the upgrade programme.

The study would look at modifying about 3000 of the 13,000 5.56mm rifles so they could take more fittings on the top rail, instead of the factory-fitted 1.5 magnification sighting system

The Australians already use a mixture of the AUGs with 1.5x sights and the ‘railed’ AUGs. I have always thought that the 1.5x scope was a bad compromise on an assault rifle. The target acquisition speed is less than a non magnified red dot sight (I have no experience with magnified red dot sights) but lacks the benefits of a more powerful scope. It must be working for the New Zealanders because they are only thinking about converting 23% of their rifles.

Australian Solider in Iraq with ADI Austeyr A3 that
comes fitted with a rail.

Murdoc @ GunPundit found a photo of 3rd Infantry Division troops examining a pile of H&K MP5K briefcase guns presumably in Iraq.

I have always thought this type of gun would appeal to tin pot dictators like Saddam. Why not just conceal the MP5K under a coat and then have the advantage of sights, trigger control, quick magazine change etc.

More here.

British troops “desperately” need 400 of the jumbo 0.5in calibre heavy machine guns – the weapon most acutely missed.

The Army has also run out of the 7.62mm GPMG and Minimis.

Supply has collapsed partly because of a dispute with the manufacturers, Manroy – which also provides weapons to Saudi Arabia.

The leaked report – prepared for the Army’s command centre in Wilton, Wilts – reveals that generals have urged the Ministry of Defence “to prevent Manroy delivering Saudi weapons ahead of our requirement”.

Generals asked the US to help but were snubbed by the Pentagon – who have dubbed British colleagues “The Borrowers”.

More here

A round fires out of battery throwing the dust cover off and giving the security contractor a scare. A good example of why shooting glasses should always be worn!

A Soldier displays an M-1 rifle discovered in a suspected insurgent’s home

From MilitaryPhotos.net

A very detailed post showing evidence that the Iraq ‘Surge’ is working

Read it here.

According to the BBC in 1976 the UK supplied Saddam with army uniforms, arms and even training for six officers at thier elite military academy Sandhurst!

The documents show that, in 1976 and 1977, a variety of equipment was sold to Iraq, including 20 Cymbeline mortar-locating radar - at a cost of £11m - combat support boats, and £7.4m of weapons effects simulators.

Big contracts for Dennis fire fighting-vehicles and fuel tankers were also secured.

And incredibly, Iraq paid Britain £500,000 to train Iraqi pilots.

The papers also suggest that, in 1977, six Iraqi soldiers were trained at Sandhurst, where Princes William and Harry subsequently underwent their military training.

“Steady sales” of “a wide range of smaller items” were also recorded including billiard tables.

Even more bizarrely, the regime purchased army shirts to the value of £830,000, meaning that the Iraqi army were wearing uniforms made in the UK.

Of course, the UK government at the time was just like every other short sighted government supplying arms without thinking of the long term consequences.

More here

Hat Tip Danger Room

Everyone has seen Saddam Hussein’s gold plated AKs. I came across this photo on the Wired Danger Room blog (they took the post down)

I am fairly certain that this rifle is an Iraqi Al Kadesih rifle (a 7.62mm Nagant firing Dragunov SVD clone) but I could be wrong. Please correct me if you know what it is.

RAFAEL is planning on introducing an electro-optical gun shot locator that they claim is able to:

initiating threat warning, detection and localization within few seconds from a gunshot, rocket or a missile being launch, well before the threat reaches its target.

A few seconds seems quite a long time, I suppose it depends on its range but in an urban environment it seems useless when mounted on vehicles or buildings.

The RPG-7 used in Iraq is typically used at 50-100m. Its extreme range is about 300m. After 4.5 seconds of flights it self detonates. I cannot see how this optical locater device will help vehicles in Iraq against RPG fire.

Read more here.

Hat Tip: Danger Room

Federal prosecutors are investigating whether Blackwater employees have been supplying the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) with weapons. The PKK are labeled a terrorist group by the US government.

In July Turkey complained to the US that they had seized American made weapons from the PPK.

Two former Blackwater staff have already pleaded guilty to another incident of weapon smuggling.

Blackwater had this to say:

Allegations that Blackwater was in any way associated or complicit in unlawful arms activities are baseless. The company has no knowledge of any employee improperly exporting weapons… There is no indication that the weapons stolen… ever ended up in Iraq.

My Opinion: Thousands of US weapons have ended up on the Turkish blackmarket. It is not unfeasible that some of these were bought by the PPK. It would not surprise me if these accusations are yet another attempt by the Iraqi government to increase pressure on Washington in order to force Blackwater out of Iraq.

Sources:

BBC
CNN
Blackwater
International Herald Tribune