The Indianapolis Star March 19, 2003
MILITARY MIGHT
These are among the most prominent pieces of hardware the United States and Iraq have in their military arsenals:
UNITED STATES POWER
AIRCRAFT
F-15E Strike Eagle
Primary function: Air-to-ground attack aircraft
Length: 63.8 feet
Height: 18.5 feet
Wingspan: 42.8 feet
Speed: Mach 2.5+
Ceiling: 50,000 feet
Range: 2,400 miles
Overview: The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. The Eagle's air superiority is achieved through a mixture of maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. The F-15 has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace. Its weapons and flight control systems are designed so one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight current or projected enemy aircraft.
B-2 Spirit
Primary function: Multirole, heavy stealth bomber
Length: 69 feet
Height:17 feet
Wingspan: 172 feet
Speed: High subsonic
Ceiling: 50,000 feet
Intercontinental, unrefueled
B-1B Lancer
Primary function: Long-range, multirole, heavy bomber
Length: 146 feet
Height: 34 feet
Wingspan: 137 feet extended forward; 79 feet swept
Speed: Mach 1.2
Ceiling: Over 30,000 feet
Range: Intercontinental, unrefueled
F-117A Nighthawk
Primary function: Stealth fighter/attack
Length: 63 feet 9 inches
Height: 12 feet 9.5 inches
Wingspan: 43 feet 4 inches
Speed: High subsonic
NA
Unlimited with air refueling
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Primary function: Multirole fighter
Length: 49 feet 5 inches
Height: 16 feet
Wingspan: 32 feet 8 inches
Speed: Mach 2
Ceiling: 50,000+ feet
Range: 2,000 miles
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
Primary function: Multirole attack and fighter aircraft
Length: 60.3 feet
Height: 16 feet
Wingspan: 44.9 feet
Speed: Mach 1.8+
Ceiling: 50,000 feet
Range: 1,467 miles
HELICOPTERS
CH-53E Super Stallion
Primary function: Heavy transport helicopter
Length: 99 feet 5 inches
Height: 8 feet 8 inches
Speed: 172.5 mph
Ceiling: 18,500 feet
Range: 621 miles
CH-46E Sea Knight
Primary function: Medium-lift assault helicopter
Length: 84 feet 4 inches
Height: 16 feet 8 inches
Speed: 166.75 mph
Ceiling: 10,000+ feet
Range: 152 miles
AH-64 Apache
Primary function: Attack helicopter
Length: 58 feet 3 inches
Height: 15 feet 3 inches
Speed: 227 mph
Ceiling: 21,000 feet
Range: 300 miles
Overview: The AH-64A Apache is the Army's primary attack helicopter. It is a quick-reacting, airborne weapon system that can fight close and deep to destroy, disrupt, or delay enemy forces. The Apache is designed to fight and survive during the day, night and in adverse weather throughout the world. The principal mission of the Apache is the destruction of high-value targets with the HELLFIRE missile.
GROUND EQUIPMENT
M-1 Abrams
Primary function: Main battle tank
Main armament: 105 mm rifled M-68; later models use 120 mm smoothbore M256
Crew: 4
Length: 32 feet
Max speed: 45 mph
Range: 310 miles
Overview: The M-1 Abrams Main Battle Tank is the backbone of the armored forces of the U.S. military, as well as several allies. The purpose of this vehicle is to provide mobile firepower for armored formations of sufficient capability to successfully close with and destroy any opposing armored fighting vehicle in the world, while providing protection for its crew in any conceivable combat environment. It is capable of engaging the enemy in any weather, day or night on the multidimensional, nonlinear battlefield using its firepower, maneuvering and shock effect.
M-2A3 Bradley
Primary function: Infantry/cavalry vehicle
Main armament: 25mm M242 cannon
Crew: 3 crew and up to 7 soldiers
Length: 21 feet 2 inches
Max speed: 38 mph
Range: 248 miles
NAVAL FORCES
Attack submarine Los Angeles class
Primary function: Search for and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships and fire missiles in support of other forces
Length: 360 feet
Speed: 20+ knots (23+ mph)
Aircraft: None
Crew: 13 officers, 121 enlisted
Armament: Tomahawk missiles, VLS tubes, MK-48 torpedoes, four torpedo tubes
Cruiser (CG) Ticonderoga class
Primary function: Multimission surface combatants capable of supporting carrier battle groups, amphibious forces
Length: 567 feet
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ mph)
Aircraft: Two SH-2 Seasprite in CG 47-48; Two SH-60 Seahawk
Crew: 24 officers, 340 enlisted
Armament: Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) missiles; Tomahawk missiles; six MK-46 torpedoes; two MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight guns; two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems
Aircraft carrier (CVN) Nimitz class
Primary function: Support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea
Length: 1,092 feet
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ mph)
Aircraft: 85
Crew: Ship's company: 3,200; air wing: 2,480
Armament: Two or three NATO Sea Sparrow launchers; three or four 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts
AIR DEFENSE
PAC-1 Patriot missile and M-901 launcher
Primary function: Medium/high altitude air defense missile
Length: 17 feet
Launch Weight: 1,540 pounds
Diameter: 1.35 feet
Wingspan: 3.04 feet
Range: 99.2 miles
Max altitude: Almost 80,000 feet (15 miles)
Speed: Mach 5
Guidance: Command with TVM semi-active homing
Warhead: High-explosive blast/ fragmentation
IRAQ POWER
AIRCRAFT
Mirage F-1
Primary function: Close air support attack fighter
Length: 49 feet
Height: 14 feet 9 inches
Wingspan: 27 feet 7 inches
Speed: Mach 2.2
Ceiling: 52,000 feet
Range: 1,160 nautical miles
Overview: The Mirage F-1 is a defense and air superiority single-seater plane. Commissioned by the French air force in 1973, more than 700 Mirage F-1s have been sold to 11 countries.Iraq operates 50 of the F-1s. At Mach 2.2, it is faster than most American aircraft and can be fitted with Matra Magic missiles, bombs or Exocet antishipping missiles.
OTHER AIRCRAFT
MiG-23/25: Iraq operates about 45 MiG-23s and a handful of MiG-25s, known for their speed (Mach 2.6) and high rate of climb.
MiG-29: Similar to the U.S.'s F-15Cs, the Soviet-designed aircraft has better weapons sighting and maneuverability. Iraq is believed to have 10 or fewer in its fleet.
Su-25 Fencer: A vintage Soviet ground-attack aircraft, it is armed with a 30 mm gun and 8 pylons under the wings for air-to-ground weapons.
Su-24 Frogfoot: The aircraft is designed for destroying radars and air bases.
GROUND EQUIPMENT
T-72 tank
Primary function: Main battle tank
Main armament: 125 mm smoothbore gun
Crew: 3
Length: 22 feet 8 inches
Max speed: 37 mph
Range: 310 miles or 560 with external fuel tanks
Overview: The T-72, which entered production in 1971, was first seen in public in 1977. The T-72 was deployed within the USSR and exported to non-Soviet Warsaw Pact armies and several other countries. In addition to production in the USSR, it has been built under license in Czechoslovakia, India, Poland and the former Yugoslavia. Iraq has about 700 of these tanks, mostly within its Republican Guard units. During the Gulf War, Iraq lost about 300 of the tanks, mostly to U.S. aircraft.
OTHER GROUND EQUIPMENT
T-62 tank: The main battle tank for the Soviets in the 1960s. Iraq operates about 500 of these after losing the same number during the Gulf War.
Other armor: Soviet T-54/55 tanks, French, Chinese and Brazilian light tanks and armored scout vehicles also exist in Iraq's arsenal.
ATTACK MISSILES
Al-Hussein
Primary function: Medium to long range attack missile
Length: 37 feet
Payload: 772 pounds
Diameter: 3 feet
Range: 370-400 miles
Speed: NA
Guidance: NA
Warhead: Chemical, biological, nuclear or conventional unitary blast
Overview: The SCUD B variants are transported on the MAZ-543 (8x8) truck, which serves also as an erector and launcher for the missiles. Iraq acquired about three dozen SCUD-B missiles from the Soviet Union in 1974. Since then, Iraq has used the SCUD-B as a base model for its own missile program such as the al-Hussein and al-Abbas. The original SCUD-Bs had effective ranges of only 240 miles. Iraq made modifications to give its missiles a range of 300-600 miles.
AIR DEFENSE MISSILES
SA-6 anti-aircraft missile
Primary function: Low altitude surface-to-air missile
Length: 18 feet 8 inches
Weight: 1,321 pounds
Diameter: 1 foot
Range: 2-15 miles
Speed: NA
Guidance: STRAIGHT FLUSH and LONG TRACK fire control radar
Warhead: 123 pound HE-fragmentation
Overview: According to intelligence, Baghdad has been able to upgrade elements of its air defense systems. The installation of fiber optics allows for radar systems to emit fewer tell-tale electronic signals. Unable to acquire the best Russian-designed systems, Iraq still relies on the Soviet-era SA-2, SA-3 or SA-6 missiles systems.
Sources: U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, Jane's Information Group, GlobalSecurity.org, Federation of American Scientists, Knight Ridder / Tribune and Associated Press
Copyright © 2003, The Indianapolis Star
