Iraq Army

The Iraqi Ground Forces, administered by the Ministry of Defense and led by the Ground Forces Command headquartered in Baghdad, constitute the land warfare component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. Operational command is organized through regional Operations Commands covering sectors such as Baghdad, Anbar, Nineveh, Basra, Diyala, and Salah ad-Din. Primary formations include infantry, motorized, and mechanized divisions, along with the 9th Armored Division stationed primarily at Camp Taji. Independent of the Ministry of Defense, the Counter-Terrorism Service commands three Iraqi Special Operations Forces brigades headquartered in Baghdad with regional detachments across governorates. Ground forces also operate alongside the Popular Mobilization Forces, which are undergoing structural integration into the military chain of command under authority of the Commander-in-Chief.

Armored units field M1A1 Abrams, T-90S, T-72, and T-55 main battle tanks. Mechanized and motorized infantry forces are equipped with BMP-1, BMP-2, and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as BTR-4, BTR-80, M113, M1117, and VN22 armored personnel carriers. Artillery formations operate M109 and 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, D-30 and M198 towed howitzers, BM-21 Grad rocket launchers, and TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems. Tactical air defense relies on Pantsir-S1 point-defense systems, AN/TWQ-1 Avenger mobile platforms, and Igla-S man-portable air defense missiles. Army Aviation provides tactical lift and close air support operating Mi-28NE and Mi-35M attack helicopters alongside Mi-17 transport and Bell 407 utility helicopters.

Primary operational missions focus on border security along the western border with Syria, counter-insurgency operations targeting Islamic State insurgent remnants in the desert regions of Anbar and the Hamrin Mountains, and protection of oil infrastructure. Regular army formations operate from garrisons including Camp Taji, Besmaya, and Al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province. Under state security directives, urban internal security responsibilities are transferred to the Ministry of Interior, allowing army units to redeploy from city centers to border sectors and rural garrisons. Combat experience includes urban and desert warfare during counter-insurgency campaigns in Mosul, Ramadi, Fallujah, and Tikrit.

Procurement strategy focuses on diversifying foreign arms suppliers and expanding domestic maintenance infrastructure. Modernization programs include deliveries of Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters for Army Aviation, French Ground Master long-range surveillance radars, and Spanish anti-drone systems. Bilateral defense agreements include South Korean surface-to-air missile platforms. Domestic industrial initiatives focus on expanding military assembly and overhaul facilities at the Taji industrial complex to support armored vehicle and small arms repair.