Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah) March 20, 2003
Arsenal comparison
Estimates of Iraqi and coalition military forces, according to government officials and independent military think tanks.
SOLDIERS:
IRAQ:
389,000 regulars (includes 80,000 Republican Guards)
44,000-60,000 paramilitary
COALITION:
225,000 U.S. troops
45,000 British troops
ARMOR:
IRAQ:
1,800 to 2,000 tanks (includes 500-600 Soviet T-72 tanks)
3,000 armored vehicles.
COALITION:
800 M1 Abrams tanks.
600 M2/M3 Bradley fighting vehicles.
120 Challenger tanks.
150 British Warrior armored vehicles.
MISSILES:
IRAQ:
50 Al-Samoud 2s
Ababil rockets (unknown number)
Scud missiles (several dozen)
COALITION:
1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles
Patriot missiles (hundreds)
AIRPLANES:
IRAQ:
300 combat planes (includes various MiGs, fighters. Mirage fighters and ground attack jets
COALITION:
British planes (includes Tornados, Harriers and Jaguar fighters; 500 U.S. fighters, 35 heavy bombers and 60 Marine Harriers.
HELICOPTERS:
IRAQ:
100 Soviet attack helicopters
275 utility helicopters.
COALITION:
400 utility helicopters (includes Blackhawk, Chinook and Sea Stallion helicopters)
100 Apache helicopters.
200 attack helicopters.
NAVY:
IRAQ:
9 obsolete naval vessels
COALITION:
6 U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups
1 British aircraft carrier group
Sources: Center for Strategic and International Studies; GlobalSecurity.org; British Defense Ministry
Copyright © 2003, The Deseret News Publishing Co.
