Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Iran-supplied T-72 and U.S.-supplied M1 tanks, fighting alongside at Battle of Tikrit

Fifty video stills in near order from a compilation video depicting an improvised, small unit armored force during last week's action in the Salaheddin Campaign. (Complete video at end of post.)

Iran-supplied T-72S tank alongside U.S.-supplied M1A1M tank, in combat action together during the Salaheddin Campaign

Iran-supplied T-72S main battle tank, thought to be operated by elements of the Iraqi Army

U.S.-supplied M1A1M main battle tank operated by elements of the Iraqi Army

U.S.-supplied M113A2 armored personnel carrier alongside Iran-supplied T-72S main battle tank. M113A2 shows markings of the 4-34 Mechanized Battalion, 9th Armored Division.

Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) Eurocopter EC-635T-2 multi-purpose light helicopter

Caterpillar wheel loader operated as a combat engineering vehicle

Detail of M113A2 hull-side markings of the 4-34 Mechanized Battalion, 9th Armored Division

HMMWV alongside mixed elements of improvised mechanized infantry

Camouflage detail of improvised small unit force HMMWV

Caterpillar wheel loader operated as combat engineer vehicle

PKM machine gunner alongside paused HMMWV. At right, paused M113A2 armored personnel carriers.

Assaulting Iran-supplied T-72S and U.S.-supplied M1A1M tanks, firing main and secondary armaments

Shoulder-fired PKM general-purpose machine gun

M1A1M main battle tank advancing into a scene of ascending smoke

Improvised, small unit armored force advancing at the pace of infantry

Passing a potential hostile position, armor at the near flank, HMMWVs at the far flank, MRAP command vehicle at the rear.

Well-outfitted, embedded narrator of the improvised, armored small unit's advance

Iran-supplied T-72S main battle tank advancing past cleared structures

The only helmeted member of the force at this point, equipped with technical vest adorned with SWAT patch

Elements of the improvised force, seen outfitted in a variety of uniforms and unit patches

Variety of equipment, including member outfitted with grenades

M1117 Guardian armored security vehicle, joins up with the improvised, small unit armored force

RPG gunner, moments before firing; huge burn seen in the distance

Advancing column of the improvised, small unit armored force

Detail of Iran-supplied T-72S main battle tank. Note fitments for Kontakt-1 ERA tiles (removed)

Improvised elements of mechanized infantry aboard  M113A2 armored personnel carrier

Road signage marking 50 kilometers distance from Fatha, Iraq in Salaheddin Governate

Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) Mil Mi-35M attack helicopter

Capture of ISIL flags at location 6 kilometers from Tikrit

Road signage marking location 6 kilometers from Tikrit

Short rest for march-wear infantryman. Note discarded meal container; suggesting level of logistical sophistication for the operation.

Seen at left: Iran-supplied Safir tactical vehicle armed with M40 recoilless rifle

Improvised technical equipped with 23 mm cannon

Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) Bell IA-407

Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IqAAC) Mil Mi-35M attack helicopter

Improvised Iraqi technical equipped with what may be a PKM type machine gun

South Africa supplied REVA 4x4 MKII armored personnel carrier

ISF pickup truck pressed into service as improvised troop transport

Improvised, armored small unit assembled into larger force that now includes light pickup trucks and Iran-supplied Safir tactical vehicles.

Wheel loader improvised into armored combat engineer vehicle (ACEV)

Elements of ISF improvised into elements of mechanized infantry

U.S.-supplied M1117 Guardian armored security vehicle, seen alongside Iran-supplied T-72S main battle tank

Improvised ACEV leads advancing infantry, Iran-supplied T-72S and U.S.-supplied M1A1M

Advancing column of improvised, armored small unit force

Infantry advancing in the open, towards a small settlement

MOI National Police Command member seen coordinating among the improvised, armored small unit force

Iraqi Special Operations Forces emblem seen on member now among the improvised, armored small unit force.


VIDEO:

5 comments:

Mark Pyruz said...

Last weekend I wrote of the Iran-supplied T-72S that meaningful tactical rendering had yet to be observed. Above video provides such.

Anonymous said...

Why no ERAs on the tanks?

Anonymous said...

T-72's are very hard to disable with RPG's. Iranians learnt it hard way. That may be the reason otherwise shows lack of equipment.

interested party said...

ERA's? You mean explosive reactive armour? I was wondering the same thing. Whats that about Mark? I thought ISIS was in possession of plenty of weapons that would warrant such protection. These tanks look skin bare.

Anonymous said...

They were taken off and put on other Iranian tanks. Simple as that. Plenty of Iranian tanks in need of improved protection.