Iraq Receives T-72 Tanks, Infantry Fighting Vehicles From Bulgaria

The Iraqi Ministry of Protection introduced on Monday that the nation has taken supply of T-72 tanks and BMP-1 infantry combating automobiles from the federal government of Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian armor is a part of a $245 million settlement the Iraqi authorities signed with Apollo Engineering in 2021.

A cargo ship carrying the {hardware} arrived within the port of Umm Qasr on the shores of the Persian Gulf. Cameras reportedly captured no less than 10 infantry automobiles and one essential battle tank aboard the vessel.

The Iraqi military will use the brand new army automobiles on numerous missions, particularly counter-terrorism. The nation’s armed forces are believed to have greater than 130 T-72 tanks.

“These fight wheels and armored tanks have numerous technical and fight traits, as that they had a distinguished function within the struggle towards the terrorist Daesh and also will [be] a fantastic addition to enhancing the fight functionality of the Iraqi military,” the protection ministry mentioned.

T-72 and BMP-1

Primarily based on the Russian T-72M1, the Bulgarian T-72 options new night time imaginative and prescient and thermal imaginative and prescient know-how, improved armor, anti-radiation cladding, and infrared suppression coating.

It makes use of a 125-millimeter smoothbore cannon as its essential gun and can also be armed with a 12.7-millimeter anti-aircraft machine gun.

The BMP-1 infantry combating automobile is powered by a 300 horsepower, V-shaped airless-injection diesel engine.

It’s outfitted with a 73-millimeter low-pressure smoothbore semi-automatic gun and a 7.62-millimeter coaxial machine gun. The automobile is able to carrying as much as eight military personnel.