As you know, Iraq has a very limited access to the Persian Gulf, between the borders of Iran and Kuwait. As a result, the development of the fleet has never received much attention - even with small forces operating from the Persian Gulf, the entire Iraqi fleet is easily blocked at its bases. The Iraqi Navy was created in 1937 and until 1958 was a river flotilla, which remained until 1958, when a revolution took place in Iraq that overthrew King Faisal. The military came to power, led by General Abdel Kerim Qasem, who politically became close to the Communists and began to focus on the USSR, which immediately began to supply Iraq with weapons, including warships.
The first warships of the Iraqi fleet were 12 large torpedo boats of project 183, transferred to the country from 1959 to 1961 (2 units in 1959, 4 units in November 1960, 6 units in January 1961). The boats were named Al Adrisi, Al Bahi, Al Shaab, Al Tami, Alef, Ibn Said, Lamaki, Ramadan, Shulab, Tamur, Tarek Ben Zayed and tail numbers №№217-222. The hull of the boats was made of arktilite. Displacement: 61, 5/67, 0 tons. Propulsion system: 4 diesel engines M-50F, speed - 43-44 knots. Armament: 2x2 AU 2M-3M with 2000 rounds of ammunition; 2x1 533 mm TTKA-53M.
Large torpedo boat of project 183. General view
The torpedo boats served until the Iran-Iraq war. By 1990, about six were withdrawn from the Iraqi Navy, the rest were sunk in January 1991.
In 1963, another military coup took place in Iraq. The Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (BAAS) comes to power, which in December 1963 was again overthrown by the military led by Abdel Salam Aref. A number of leaders of the Baath party were executed, Saddam Hussein was arrested and tortured in prison.
However, the political confusion in Iraq did not prevent further supplies of Soviet military equipment. So, in 1967, 4 project 255K raid minesweepers were allegedly delivered to Iraq. Displacement - 140/160 tons. Length - 38 m, width - 5.8 m, draft - 1.6 m. Power plant - 2 diesel engines 3D-12, 900 hp. Speed - 12, 5 knots. Cruising range - 2,400 miles (7, 1 knots). Crew - 35 people. Armament: trawls MT-3, OPT, PEMT-4, BAT-2, 2x2 12, 7-mm heavy machine gun DShK.
Project 255K harbor minesweeper. General form
And in March 1969, 2 naval minesweepers of project 254K were delivered to Iraq (presumably the former T-89, transferred to the Navy on 1968-25-06, T-822 transferred on 1967-20-04), named in honor of the victories of the Arab conquerors over the Persians: "Al Yarmouk" (w / n 465, then 412), sunk in January 1991 by NATO aircraft, "Al Qadisia" (w / n 467, then 417), damaged by the British helicopter "Lynx" anti-ship missile system "Sea Skew" 30.01. 1991, washed ashore about. Failaka in the Persian Gulf and burned out. Displacement - 535/569 tons. With enhanced artillery armament and modernized sweeping equipment (MT-2, GAS "Tamir-11", radars "Lin" and "Rym-K"); Armament: 2x2 37 mm AU V-11M; 2x2 25 mm AU 2M-3M.
Project 254K sea minesweeper. General form
On July 17, 1968, the Baath party came to power again. On April 9, 1972, an agreement was signed between Iraq and the USSR on friendship and cooperation, and supplies of Soviet military equipment were resumed. Soviet warships continued to enter the ports of Iraq.
In 1972, the USSR delivered 3 small missile boats of project 183R, built on the basis of the TKA of project 183, which became the first missile boats in the Iraqi Navy. Displacement - 66, 5/77, 5 tons. Length - 25, 5 m, width - 6, 2 m, draft - 1.5 m. Power plant - 4 M50F diesel engines, 4800 hp. Speed - 39 knots. The cruising range is 1000 km at a speed of 12 knots and 500 km at 26 knots. Rangout radar, Klen control system. Armament: 2x1 anti-ship missile launchers P-15, 2x2 25 mm AU 2M-3M. Crew - 27 people.
Small missile boat of project 183R. General form
The RSA of project 183P did not serve in the Iraqi Navy for long compared to other ships, at least by the time of the invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, they were no longer in the Navy.
In the same 1972, the first 3 units of project 205 RCA were delivered from the USSR. Length - 38.6 m, width - 7.6 m, draft - 1.8 m. Power plant - three-shaft, 3 M503A2 diesel engines, 12000 hp … Speed - 42 knots. Cruising range - 1800 miles at a speed of 14 knots. Crew - 26 people. Radar "Rangout", MR-104 "Lynx". Armament: 2x2 AU AK-230, 4x1 launcher P-15 anti-ship missiles. The delivered RCA received the names "Kanun Atkh-Thani" (w / n 6), Nisan (w / n 7), "Khazirani" (w / n 15). Another similar boat of the Tamuz project (w / n 17) was delivered in February 1983, already during the Iran-Iraq war.
Large missile boat of project 205. General view
In 1974-1975 Iraq received 5 units of Project 1400 Grif border patrol boats (1 unit in July 1974, 2 units in January 1975, 1 unit in September 1975, 1 unit in November 1975) with an aluminum hull, which received tail numbers No. No. 123-127. Length - 23, 8 m, width - 5, 15 m, draft - 1 m. Power plant - 2 M-401 diesel engines, 2 propellers, 2200 hp. with. Speed - 29 knots. Cruising range - 400 miles at a speed of 12 knots. Crew - 9 people. (1 officer, 2 midshipmen). Armament 2x1 14, 5-mm ZPU 2M-7. By March 20, 2003, that is, by the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Iraqi Navy still had 2 units of the Project 1400M Grif PSK (out of order).
Project 1400ME border patrol boat. General form
The supplies of the project 205ER RCA also continued. A total of 9 units were delivered (2 units in April 1974, 2 units in November 1974, 2 units in January 1975, 1 unit in January 1976, 1 unit in February 1977): "Garden" (w / n 18), "Khalid Ibn" (w / n 19), "Al Walid" (w / n 21), No. 22, 23. Thus, the number of RCA of this project in the Iraqi Navy has grown to 13 units.
In 1975, 3 road minesweepers of project 1258 were delivered to Iraq: w / n No. 421, 423, 425 (former production No. 20-22). EU - 2 diesel engines 3D12, 600 hp Speed - 12 knots. The cruising range is 300 km at a speed of 10 knots. Crew - 10 people. (1 office) + 2-3 sapper diver. Navigation radar "Mius", subtle GAS MG-7. The fuel supply is 2, 7 tons. Subsequently, the minesweepers were converted into hydrographic vessels. Armament: 1x2 25 mm 2M-3M.
Raid minesweeper project 1258. General view
Saddam Hussein soon came to power, who, like any self-respecting dictator, wanted a strong fleet.
First of all, it was decided to buy landing ships. To this end, in 1976-1979. In Poland, in Gdynia, at the shipyard "Stokni marinarki voyena", 4 Project 773K medium landing ships were built. Displacement: 1192/1305 tons. Length - 81.3 m, width - 9.7 m, draft - 2.4 m. Power plant - two-shaft, 2 diesels, 4400 hp. Speed - 15 knots. Cruising range - 2600 miles at a speed of 12 knots. Crew - 45 people. (6 office). Armament: 2x18 140-mm MLRS WM-18 - 180 rounds M-14-OF, 2x2 30-mm AU AK-230 - MR-104 "Lynx" fire control system, "Donets-2" radar, state recognition equipment - "Nichrome", direction finder ARP-50R. Airborne capacity: 350 t, 6 PT-76, 180 people. KFOR received the names: "Attica" (w / n 72) - 1976-03-05 /? / 1976, sunk in January 1991 by American aircraft; "Janada" (w / n 74) - 1976-16-10 /? / 1977, sunk in November 1980 by an Iranian plane; "Ganda" (w / n 76) 1978-05-01 /? / 1978; "Knowh" (w / n 78) - 1979-05-02 /? / 1979, sunk in January 1991 by American aircraft.
Project 773 medium landing ship. General view
However, Iraq did not confine itself to military-technical cooperation only with the USSR. Since he declared himself a "non-aligned country", he had developed ties with Yugoslavia, whose leader Marshal Tito considered himself "the leader of the Third World." Yugoslavia had a fairly developed shipbuilding industry, so Iraq began to order warships there.
So, in 1977 in Split, at the shipyard "Brodogradilište specijalnih objekata", the largest Iraqi ship was laid - the frigate Ibn Marjid (original name - Ibn Khaldoum), which was launched in 1978, and transferred to the Iraqi Navy in 1980, entered in the Iraqi Navy on March 21, 1980. Displacement - 1850 t. Length - 96.7 m, width - 11.2 m, draft - 4.5 m. Power plant - twin-shaft, 1 Rolls-Royce TM3B GTU (22300 hp), 2 MTU 16V956 TB91 diesel engines (7100 hp). Speed - 26 knots. Cruising range - 4000 miles at a speed of 20 knots. Crew - 92 + 100 people. Armament: 1 57 mm Bofors gun, 1 40 mm Bofors gun, 4x2 20 mm Oerlikon gun, 2x1 533 mm TA. The frigate received w / n 507 and was used as a training ship. On February 8, 1991, it was damaged by the American A-6 "Intruder" carrier-based attack aircraft in Umm Qasr, it was not restored, in 2003 it was captured by the United States and at the end of 2003 it was cut into metal in Basra.
Frigate Ibn Marjid Iraqi Navy
General view of the Yugoslav-built Indonesian training frigate KI HAJAR DEVANTARA, similar to the Iraqi frigate Ibn Marjid
In the same place, in Yugoslavia, in 1978 a rescue vessel of the "Spasilac" type was purchased, which could be used as a supply ship laid down by Brodogradilište "Tito" in Belgrade for the Yugoslavian Navy, launched in 1977. Displacement - 1590 tons. Length - 55.5 m, width - 12 m, draft - 4.3 m. Power plant - two-shaft, 2 diesels, 4340 hp. Speed - 13 knots. Crew - 53 people. + 19. Carrying capacity: 250 tons of cargo + 490 tons of fuel. The vessel received the name "Aka" and hull number No. A 51. Subsequently, it was damaged by American aircraft in 1991, in March 2003 it was sunk at the pier.
Rescue vessel of the type "Spasilac" of the Croatian Navy
In the same 1978, 6 river patrol boats of the "PCh 15" type were purchased in Yugoslavia. Displacement: standard - 17.5 tons, full - 19.5 tons. Length: 16.87 m, width - 3.9 m, draft - 0.65 m. Full speed: 16 knots. Cruising range: 160 miles at a speed of 12 knots. Power plant: 2x165 hp, diesel. Armament: 1x1 20 mm AU M 71, 2x1 machine gun 7, 62 mm. Crew: 6 people.
River patrol boats of the "PCh 15" type of the Yugoslav Navy
However, it was decided to buy larger ships, so 4 Lupo-type URO frigates with a displacement of 2213/2525 tons were ordered in Italy, with the main armament 8x1 PU anti-ship missiles Otomat / Teseo Mk1 / 2, 1x8 PU Mk29 Mod. 2 SAM Albatros (SAM 8 Aspide) and 6 Assad-type URO corvettes with a displacement of 685 tons and the main armament: 2x2 Otomat anti-ship missile launchers, 1x8 Albatros anti-aircraft missile system launchers, a Stromboli-type supply tanker and a floating dock.
Corvette URO type Assad
The construction of all these ships was completed in 1983-1986, but they never arrived in Iraq - due to the fact that the Iraqi side, in the conditions of the Iran-Iraqi war, was able to pay only $ 441 million of the cost of their construction. All ships remained in Italy until the end of the Iran-Iraq war. In 1986, the first tanker A 102 Agnadeen (of the Stromboli type) and the floating dock transferred to Iraq were transferred from Italy to Alexandria (Egypt), but their further transfer to Iraq did not take place due to the hostilities.
The frigates were subsequently incorporated into the Italian Navy, where they received the names:
- F582 Artigliere (ex-F14 Hittin) - laid down by Fincantieri S.p. A. (Ancona) 1982-31-03, launched on 1983-27-07, transferred to the fleet on 1992-01-01, entered the fleet on 1994-29-10;
- F583 Aviere (ex-F15 Thi Qar) - laid down by Fincantieri S.p. A. (Ancona) 3.09.1982, launched on 18.12.1984, transferred to the fleet in 1992, entered the fleet on 4.01.1995;
- F584 Bersagliere (ex-F16 Al Yarmouk) - laid down at the Fincantieri S.p. A. shipyard (Ancona) 1982-07-04, launched on 1985-20-06, transferred to the fleet in 1992, entered the fleet on 1995-28-11;
- F585 Granatiere (ex-F17 Al Qadisiya) - laid down at the Fincantieri S.p. A. shipyard (Ancona) 1983-01-12, launched on 1985-14-11, transferred to the fleet in 1992, entered the fleet on 1996-20-03.
Frigate F584 Bersagliere (ex-F16 Al Yarmouk) Italian Navy
A similar fate befell the Assad-class corvettes, built in 1987-88, 4 were sold to Malaysia on 1995-27-10 (the first two, sent in January 1996) and 1997-20-02 (the other two, were sent on 1999-30-07), where got the names:
-134 Laksamana Hang Nadim (ex-F216 Kalid ibn al Walid) - laid down at CNR shipyard (Breda, Mestre) on 1982-03-06, launched on 1983-05-07, entered the fleet on 1997-28-07;
-135 Laksamana Tun Abdul Gamil (ex-F218 Saad ibn abi Wakkad) - laid down at the CNR shipyard (Breda, Marghera) on 1982-17-08, launched on 1983-30-12, entered the fleet on 1997-28-07;
-136 Laksamana Muhammad Amin (ex-F214 Abdullah ibn abi Sern) - laid down at CNR shipyard (Breda, Mestre) on 1982-22-03, launched on 1983-05-07, entered the fleet in July 1999;
-137 Laksamana Tun Pusman (ex-F215 Salah Abdin Ayoobi) - laid down at CNR shipyard (Breda, Marghera) on September 17, 1982, launched on March 30, 1984, entered the fleet in July 1999.
Corvette 136 Laksamana Muhammad Amin (ex-F214 Abdullah ibn abi Sern) Malaysian Navy
2 ships: F210 Mussa Ben Nissair (laid down on 1982-15-01, launched on 1982-22-10) and F211 Tariq Ibn Ziad (laid down on 1982-20-05, launched on 1983-08-07), which formally joined the Iraqi Navy (1986-17-09 and 10/9/1986), remained in La Spezia (Italy), and their fate will be discussed further.
