Conflict catalog

2013 War in Iraq: Weapons and Equipment

The Iraqi state, Kurdish forces, Popular Mobilization Forces, tribal forces, and international coalition partners fought the Islamic State after the group's territorial offensive in Iraq, ending with Baghdad's December 2017 victory declaration while insurgent activity continued.

The 2013 War in Iraq covers the campaign by Iraqi government forces, Kurdish Peshmerga units, Popular Mobilization Forces, tribal forces, and international partners against the Islamic State's territorial control in Iraq. The conflict began with the Anbar crisis around Ramadi and Fallujah, expanded after the Islamic State's June 2014 seizure of Mosul and other northern and western cities, and ended as a territorial war when Iraq declared victory in December 2017.

This catalog covers weapon systems directly documented in the 2013-2017 war in Iraq against the Islamic State.

Entries focus on source-backed Iraqi, Kurdish, coalition, and Islamic State battlefield equipment use or transfers, with the two catalog sides grouping Iraq-aligned forces against the Islamic State.

59 weapon systems

Conflict Actors

Iraqi government and coalition forces / Islamic State

Context

Status
Published catalog
Location
Iraq, with major fighting in Anbar, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Diyala, and the Euphrates River valley
Countries
Iraq
Regions
Anbar, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Diyala, Baghdad belts, Euphrates River valley
Domains
land, air, UAV, artillery, anti-tank, urban warfare, insurgency, counter-ISIS operations

The catalog is shaped by urban ground combat, anti-armor weapons, captured and supplied armored vehicles, artillery and rocket fires, attack and close-air-support aircraft, UAV reconnaissance and strike adaptation, improvised explosive threats, and coalition airpower. Islamic State forces used captured conventional equipment, technicals, anti-tank guided missiles, rockets, mortars, vehicle-borne explosive devices, and small UAVs, while Iraq-aligned forces combined legacy Iraqi inventories with coalition training, air support, weapons transfers, and battlefield recovery.

Map

Iraq, with major fighting in Anbar, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Diyala, and the Euphrates River valley

Open map

Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Timeline

Key Events

  1. Anbar fighting escalates around Ramadi and Fallujah

    ISIL sought control in Ramadi, Fallujah, and the corridor between them after the Anbar crisis escalated, marking the opening phase of the 2013-2017 war.

    Sources: CTC ISIL Ramadi-Fallujah Corridor

  2. Mosul and Tikrit fall to Islamic State control

    CJTF-OIR's history describes the Iraqi security situation deteriorating by June 2014 as Mosul and Tikrit fell, setting the conditions for a large Iraqi and international counteroffensive.

    Sources: CJTF-OIR History PDF, CFR Instability in Iraq

  3. Combined Joint Task Force-2014 Operation Inherent Resolve is established

    The U.S. Department of Defense formally established CJTF-OIR to command the defeat-ISIS fight after coalition air operations began blunting Islamic State expansion.

    Sources: CJTF-OIR History PDF, CJTF-OIR History

  4. Iraqi-aligned forces retake Tikrit

    The Tikrit recapture was one of the first major Iraqi counteroffensive milestones after the 2014 collapse, followed by additional operations in Ramadi and Fallujah.

    Sources: CFR Instability in Iraq

  5. Ground battle for Mosul begins

    Iraqi Security Forces, supported by coalition fires, opened the ground battle for East Mosul after coalition and Iraqi operations positioned forces near the city.

    Sources: CJTF-OIR History PDF, U.S. Army OIR Campaign

  6. Iraq announces victory in Mosul

    Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced victory in Mosul; UN Security Council members and CJTF-OIR recognized the liberation as a major milestone while warning that remaining Islamic State pockets still had to be cleared.

    Sources: UN Mosul Liberation Statement, Defense Department Mosul Liberation

  7. Rawa district is recaptured

    The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq reported that Iraqi Security Forces fully recaptured Rawa district, described as the last remaining densely settled area under Daesh control in Iraq.

    Sources: UNAMI Security Council Briefing November 2017

  8. Iraq declares victory over Islamic State territorial control

    Iraq declared victory over ISIS in the country on December 9, 2017, ending the territorial phase of the war while the group shifted toward insurgent activity.

    Sources: CJTF-OIR History PDF, CFR Instability in Iraq

Phases

Dec 30, 2013 - Jun 9, 2014

Anbar escalation and Islamic State expansion

Fighting in Ramadi, Fallujah, and the Euphrates corridor escalated from insurgency and protest-camp crisis into open territorial contest between Iraqi forces and ISIL-aligned fighters.

Jun 10, 2014 - Oct 16, 2014

Mosul collapse and emergency defense

Islamic State forces seized Mosul, Tikrit, and other areas, forcing Iraqi, Kurdish, tribal, and international actors into emergency defensive operations around Baghdad, Kirkuk, Sinjar, dams, and key lines of communication.

Oct 17, 2014 - Oct 16, 2016

Coalition-supported counterattack

CJTF-OIR air operations, advising, training, and equipment support paired with Iraqi, Kurdish, Popular Mobilization, and tribal ground operations to retake terrain including Tikrit, Ramadi, and Fallujah.

Oct 17, 2016 - Dec 9, 2017

Mosul and final territorial defeat in Iraq

Iraqi forces and partners fought the major urban battle for Mosul, then cleared remaining Islamic State-held towns and districts such as Hawijah, al-Qaim, Anah, and Rawa before Iraq's victory declaration.

External Support

External support was central to the Iraq-aligned side. CJTF-OIR describes a U.S.-led global coalition operating in Iraq at the Iraqi government's request, with strikes, fires, advising, training, equipping, and partner-force support. UNAMI credited Iraqi Security Forces, Popular Mobilization Forces, Peshmerga, tribal forces, regional neighbors, and the Global Coalition in the territorial victory over Daesh. CFR also notes regional forces joining Iraqi units and Kurdish Peshmerga in operations to retake Islamic State-held territory. Individual weapon entries still need direct system-specific conflict-use sourcing before a transfer, supplier, or battlefield-use claim is attached to this conflict.

Images

Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service convoy moving toward Mosul in February 2017
An Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service convoy moves toward Mosul during the coalition-supported campaign against the Islamic State in 2017.U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Alex Manne | Public domainSource: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Alex Manne
Iraqi Army soldiers firing a heavy machine gun near Mosul in March 2017
Members of Iraq's 9th Army Division fire at Islamic State positions near Mosul during the 2017 battle.U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Hull | Public domainSource: U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Hull
Map of areas of control during the Battle of Mosul
Map of areas of control during the Battle of Mosul, showing Iraqi Security Forces, Peshmerga, and Islamic State positions.Kami888 / Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0Source: Kami888 / Wikimedia Commons

Weapons

2013 War in Iraq Weapon Systems

Category

Aircraft & UAVs

Crewed aircraft, drones, and loitering munitions.

8/11
AC-208 Combat Caravan, Armed ISR and light attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAC-208 Combat CaravanArmed ISR and light attack aircraftSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Armed ISR and close air supportBuilt: Orbital ATK; Cessna / Textron Aviation airframe / United StatesThe AC-208 Combat Caravan is an armed Cessna Caravan conversion that combines a rugged single-engine turboprop airframe with electro-optical surveillance, mission-system operator controls, datalinks, and precision strike. Iraq fielded Hellfire-armed AC-208s during the 2013-2017 war against ISIS, while Afghan Air Force AC-208 Eliminators later provided ISR, strike, and laser-designation support during the final phase of the 2001 War in Afghanistan.
Mi-28, Attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsMi-28Attack helicopterSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Attack helicopter support in anti-ISIS operationsBuilt: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Rostvertol / RussiaThe Mi-28 Havoc is a Russian two-seat attack helicopter developed for anti-armor, close air support, and armed reconnaissance missions. Modern Mi-28N/NM-family aircraft combine armored tandem cockpits, a 30 mm chin cannon, guided missiles, rockets, and day/night sensors; Russian and Iraqi operators have used the family in Ukraine, Syria, and anti-ISIS operations, where low-altitude helicopter tactics have faced dense air-defense and drone threats.
Mi-24/Mi-35, Attack helicopter and armed assault transport, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsMi-24/Mi-35Attack helicopter and armed assault transportSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Counter-ISIS attack helicopter strikesBuilt: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant / Rostvertol / Soviet Union / RussiaThe Mi-24/Mi-35 Hind family combines an armored attack helicopter with a small troop compartment, letting operators use one airframe for close air support, anti-armor fires, armed escort, and limited assault transport. The Mi-35M branch is a Rostvertol-built modern combat-transport line, while older and upgraded Mi-24/Mi-35 aircraft remain documented in Ukraine, Syria, Mali, Iraq, Myanmar, and other conflicts.
Su-25, Ground-attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsSu-25Ground-attack aircraftSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Strike sorties against Islamic StateBuilt: Sukhoi / Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant / United Aircraft Corporation / Soviet Union / Russia / GeorgiaThe Su-25 is a Soviet-designed armored close air support aircraft built for low-level battlefield strike, rough-field operation, and heavy stores carriage. Developed by Sukhoi and produced in Soviet, Russian, and Georgian factories, the twin-engine subsonic jet combines a protected cockpit, internal 30 mm cannon, and multiple pylons for rockets, bombs, missiles, and adapted guided weapons, with documented use from Afghanistan and Iraq to Darfur, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine.
CH-4B UAV, Medium-altitude long-endurance armed reconnaissance UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsCH-4B UAVMedium-altitude long-endurance armed reconnaissance UAVSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Armed reconnaissance and strike UAVBuilt: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation / ChinaThe CH-4B UAV is CASC's armed CH-4 Rainbow export drone, a Chinese MALE system with six hardpoints and a roughly 345 kg payload. Iraqi forces fielded it against the Islamic State, and Saudi-led coalition operators flew the type in Yemen; export pricing has been reported around US$2 million to US$4 million.
F-16 Fighting Falcon, Multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF-16 Fighting FalconMultirole fighter aircraftSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Precision close air support fighterBuilt: General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin / United StatesThe F-16 Fighting Falcon is a U.S.-designed single-engine multirole fighter family used for air defense, air-to-air combat, suppression support, and precision strike missions. This entry covers the F-16C/D production branch requested by the F-16C designation alongside F-16AM/BM MLU aircraft documented from Kosovo and Libya to Ukrainian service.
RQ-11 Raven UAV, Small unmanned aircraft system, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsRQ-11 Raven UAVSmall unmanned aircraft systemSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: UnknownBuilt: AeroVironment / United StatesThe RQ-11 Raven is a hand-launched AeroVironment small unmanned aircraft system for tactical ISR, derived from earlier Pointer-related work into a smaller backpackable design. The RQ-11A designation covered the early Raven air vehicle, while the RQ-11B/Raven B became the Army-selected upgraded SUAV with improved control-system, sensor, endurance, targeting, and interoperability features. Current AeroVironment material describes Raven B as a lightweight Group 1 system with a stabilized EO/IR payload, 10 km range, and more than 75 minutes of endurance, while 2023 U.S. Army reporting still described upgraded Ravens in training for reconnaissance and call-for-fire support.
3 remaining

Category

Armored Vehicles

Troop carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and protected mobility.

6/6
Dzik, 4x4 armored patrol and infantry mobility vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesDzik4x4 armored patrol and infantry mobility vehicleSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesIslamic StateRole: Captured and destroyed Iraqi Dzik-3 vehiclesBuilt: AMZ-Kutno / PolandThe Dzik is a Polish 4x4 armored patrol and infantry mobility vehicle family built by AMZ-Kutno for police, military-police, and light APC duties. Iraqi Dzik-3 vehicles, locally known as Ain Jaria-1, entered Iraqi security-force service during the 2003 Iraq War and were later documented among Islamic State-captured or destroyed Iraqi equipment in the 2013 War in Iraq. Polish Dzik-2 vehicles were supplied to Ukraine during the 2022 full-scale phase of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, where open-source loss trackers later documented destroyed and captured examples.
M113, Armored personnel carrier, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesM113Armored personnel carrierSide: Islamic StateRole: Captured armored mobility and battlefield spoilBuilt: FMC / BAE Systems / United StatesA lightweight tracked armored personnel carrier that became a long-lived family of troop, command, mortar, medical, missile, and field-conversion vehicles. Its use spans Vietnam-era ACAV combat adaptations, Desert Storm coalition service, U.S. and partner-supplied Ukrainian evacuation and mobility vehicles, Israeli remote explosive conversions in Gaza, Egyptian M113s under IED threat in Sinai, Yemen service, and captured Iraqi Army vehicles used by Islamic State.
HMMWV, Light tactical wheeled vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesHMMWVLight tactical wheeled vehicleSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Iraqi troop transport and patrol mobilityBuilt: AM General / United StatesThe High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, better known as the HMMWV or Humvee, is an AM General 4x4 light tactical vehicle family used for troop movement, command, ambulance, cargo, air-defense, and weapons-carrier roles. Its conflict record spans coalition service in Afghanistan and Iraq, Yemeni M1097A2 stocks, and large-scale U.S. assistance to Ukraine, including up-armored HMMWV-UA/UAH designations.
REVA armored vehicle, Mine-resistant ambush-protected armored personnel carrier, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesREVA armored vehicleMine-resistant ambush-protected armored personnel carrierSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Ex-police MRAPs in Iraq-aligned militia serviceBuilt: Integrated Convoy Protection / South AfricaThe REVA is a South African mine-resistant armored vehicle family from Integrated Convoy Protection, built around a V-shaped armored hull for troop transport, protected mobility, and utility roles. The family spans the earlier REVA III 4x4 APC, newer REVA V and VI designs, and the UAE-linked Kasser II derivative, while conflict reporting documents REVA vehicles in Iraq, Nigerian counter-insurgency operations, and UAE-backed local-force operations in Yemen.
International MaxxPro, Mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle family, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesInternational MaxxProMine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle familySide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Protected mobility and route-clearance supportBuilt: Navistar Defense / United StatesNavistar's MaxxPro is a U.S.-built MRAP family that began with the M1224 and expanded into Dash, LWB, MRV-P, and ambulance variants. Its V-shaped armored capsule has been fielded for protected mobility, route clearance, recovery, and medevac tasks in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, Haiti, and Yemen.
ATF Dingo, Protected mobility vehicle, Armored VehiclesArmored VehiclesATF DingoProtected mobility vehicleSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: UnknownBuilt: Krauss-Maffei Wegmann / GermanyThe ATF Dingo is a German all-protected wheeled mobility vehicle built around patrol, convoy, command, reconnaissance, ambulance, and specialist support missions. Its Dingo 2 family combines a militarized Unimog-based chassis, a protected safety cell, remote-weapon-station options, and mine, IED, ballistic, and NBC protection; German and allied forces used it in Afghanistan, Belgian MINUSMA troops operated Dingo 2 vehicles in Mali, and Germany supplied Dingos to Kurdish forces in Iraq and later to Ukraine.

Category

Artillery

Tube artillery, rocket artillery, and long-range ground fires.

7/7
BM-21 Grad, 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, ArtilleryArtilleryBM-21 Grad122 mm multiple rocket launcherSide: Islamic StateRole: Captured rocket artilleryBuilt: Motovilikha Plants / Soviet defense industry / Soviet Union / RussiaThe BM-21 Grad is a Soviet 122 mm multiple rocket launcher built around a 40-tube launcher on a wheeled truck chassis. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War it remains a common area-fire system on both sides, valued for rapid salvos and mobility but dependent on shoot-and-scoot tactics because the launcher is carried on an unarmored truck.
D-30 122 mm howitzer, 122 mm towed howitzer, ArtilleryArtilleryD-30 122 mm howitzer122 mm towed howitzerSide: Islamic StateRole: Improvised anti-aircraft artilleryBuilt: Artillery Plant No. 9 / Soviet Union / RussiaThe D-30, also known as the 2A18, M1963, or Frog, is a Soviet 122 mm towed howitzer designed by OKB-9 under F. F. Petrov and built at Plant No. 9 in Yekaterinburg. Its three-trail carriage gives 360-degree traverse, and official U.S. Army support material describes the gun as still manufactured internationally and fielded by more than 60 countries' armed forces.
D-20, 152 mm towed gun-howitzer, ArtilleryArtilleryD-20152 mm towed gun-howitzerSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Towed artillery with PMU militiasBuilt: No. 9 Uralmash Plant / Soviet Union / China / RomaniaThe D-20 is a Soviet 152 mm towed gun-howitzer developed under F. F. Petrov's Plant No. 9 design bureau for divisional and army-level fire support. Its split-trail carriage, 34-caliber ordnance, double-baffle muzzle brake, and 17.4 km standard range kept it useful across Soviet, Warsaw Pact, Chinese Type 66, Romanian, and export inventories, with documented modern use in Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Yemen, and Iraq.
M198 155 mm howitzer, 155 mm towed howitzer, ArtilleryArtilleryM198 155 mm howitzer155 mm towed howitzerSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesIslamic StateRole: Captured and Iraq-aligned heavy indirect fireBuilt: Rock Island Arsenal / United StatesThe M198 is a U.S.-designed 155 mm towed howitzer developed at Rock Island Arsenal to replace older M114-series guns. Its split-trail carriage, nine-person crew, air-transportable layout, and 22-30 km range made it a standard U.S. Army and Marine Corps fire-support weapon before the lighter M777 replaced it in U.S. service. Direct conflict sourcing now traces M198 fielding from Desert Storm through U.S. use in Afghanistan and Iraq, Islamic State capture and cross-border use in Iraq and Syria, Iraq-aligned militia firing, and coalition-backed Iraqi Army live-fire training.
M109A6 Paladin, 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer, ArtilleryArtilleryM109A6 Paladin155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Coalition artillery fire supportBuilt: United Defense / BAE Systems / United StatesThe M109A6 Paladin is a U.S. 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer that modernized the M109 family with onboard navigation, automatic fire-control, digital communications, and improved crew protection. The variant is documented in U.S. artillery missions in Iraq and later as a U.S.-supplied NATO-standard system in Ukrainian service, where it was paired with ammunition support vehicles for sustained mobile gun-line operations.
M109, 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer family, ArtilleryArtilleryM109155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer familySide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Coalition artillery fire supportBuilt: BAE Systems / United StatesThe M109 is a U.S.-origin 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer family built for mobile indirect fire with armored and mechanized forces. The family spans the original short-tube vehicle, M109A1 to M109A4 rebuild and export lines, the M109A5 M284-cannon upgrade, the digitally modernized M109A6 Paladin, current M109A7 production, and the longer-barrel M109-52 concept; catalog evidence here centers on direct conflict use by U.S., Ukrainian, U.S.-led coalition, and Israeli forces.
TOS-1A Solntsepyok, 220 mm thermobaric multiple rocket launcher, ArtilleryArtilleryTOS-1A Solntsepyok220 mm thermobaric multiple rocket launcherSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Urban assault thermobaric firesBuilt: Omsktransmash / Uralvagonzavod / RussiaThe TOS-1A Solntsepyok is a Russian tracked heavy flamethrower system that functions as a short-range thermobaric multiple rocket launcher. Built around a BM-1 launcher on a tank chassis with transporter-loaders, it fires unguided 220 mm rockets to support infantry and armor against fortified positions, vehicles, and troops in cover. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War it has been documented in Russian service near the front line, where its short range creates both destructive local effects and high vulnerability to Ukrainian targeting.

Category

Infantry Weapons

Portable weapons used by soldiers and small units.

8/26
AK-74M, 5.45 mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-74M5.45 mm assault rifleSide: Islamic StateRole: Insurgent infantry rifleBuilt: Kalashnikov Concern / RussiaThe AK-74M is the modernized Russian production model of the AK-74 family, chambered for 5.45x39 mm ammunition with black polymer furniture and a left-folding stock. It is documented as a baseline rifle for Russian regular units in Ukraine, while Amnesty International and Conflict Armament Research also recorded AK-74M examples in Islamic State weapons holdings in Iraq and Syria.
Heckler & Koch G36, 5.56 mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsHeckler & Koch G365.56 mm assault rifleSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Partner-force rifle supplyBuilt: Heckler & Koch / Saudi Military Industries Corporation / Germany; Saudi Arabia under licenseThe Heckler & Koch G36 is a German 5.56 mm assault rifle built around a reinforced-polymer receiver, indirect gas operation, a rotating bolt head, folding stock, and modular rifle, carbine, compact, and export configurations. Its cataloged conflict record spans Mexican police firing during the 2014 Iguala operation, German support to Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting Islamic State in Iraq, and Saudi-licensed rifles diverted from Hadi-aligned forces into militant hands in Yemen.
PKM/PK, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsPKM/PK7.62 mm general-purpose machine gunSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Urban infantry fire support in MosulBuilt: Kovrov Mechanical Plant / Various manufacturers / Soviet Union, Russia, and licensed-production countriesThe PK and lighter PKM are Soviet-designed, belt-fed 7.62x54R general-purpose machine guns used from bipods, tripods, vehicles, remote weapon stations, and improvised mounts. Their low weight for the class, non-disintegrating belt feed, quick-change barrel concept, and wide licensed-production base make the family a recurring infantry fire-support weapon in recent conflicts, with documented rows here covering Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Mali, Lake Chad, Gaza, Afghanistan, and Turkey's conflict with the PKK.
HS-9 pistol, 9x19 mm semi-automatic pistol, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsHS-9 pistol9x19 mm semi-automatic pistolSide: Islamic StateRole: Captured sidearm documented in Islamic State small-arms stocksBuilt: HS Produkt / CroatiaThe HS-9 is HS Produkt's Croatian 9x19 mm polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol lineage, descended from the HS2000 and closely tied to Springfield Armory's XD branding. Conflict Armament Research documented one HS Produkt HS-9 among small arms captured from Islamic State forces in north-western Iraq during the 2014 anti-ISIS campaign.
DShK, 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsDShK12.7 mm heavy machine gunSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesIslamic StateRole: Static heavy machine-gun fire supportBuilt: Tula Ordnance Factory / Soviet state arsenals / Soviet UnionThe DShK is a Soviet 12.7 mm heavy machine gun designed by Vasily Degtyaryov and refined with Georgy Shpagin's belt-feed system. Built for anti-aircraft, anti-vehicle, and infantry support roles, the DShK/DShKM family spans Vietnam War helicopter defense, Soviet-Afghan War ambushes, modern technicals, and Ukrainian mobile counter-UAV teams using vintage heavy machine guns against slow Russian drones.
DShKM heavy machine gun, 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsDShKM heavy machine gun12.7 mm heavy machine gunSide: Islamic StateRole: Islamic State heavy machine gunBuilt: Tula Ordnance Factory / Soviet state arsenals / Soviet UnionThe DShKM is the Soviet postwar Model 38/46 modernization of the DShK 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, retaining the DShK family's anti-aircraft, infantry-support, and vehicle-mount roles while replacing the earlier feed system. Sources document the DShK-1938/46 in Vietnam War anti-aircraft use, DShK-M capture and employment in the Soviet-Afghan War, DShK-M use by Ukrainian defenders, and DShK/DShKM variants in Islamic State's Iraq-and-Syria arsenal.
W85 heavy machine gun, 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsW85 heavy machine gun12.7 mm heavy machine gunSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Militia heavy machine-gun fire supportBuilt: Norinco / ChinaThe W85 is a Chinese 12.7x108 mm heavy machine gun associated with Norinco export channels and the QJC-88 vehicle-mounted variant. It is lighter than many older DShK-pattern heavy machine guns and can be used from tripod, pintle, vehicle, or improvised pickup mounts. Conflict reporting documents W85-family guns with ISWAP-linked forces in Nigeria, Ukrainian mobile anti-drone teams, YPG/SDF improvised armor in Syria, Iraqi PMU militias, and Wagner-linked imagery from Mali, while sources caution that export paths and quantities are often unclear.
QLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher, 35 mm automatic grenade launcher, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsQLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher35 mm automatic grenade launcherSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Kurdish light fire-support weaponBuilt: Norinco / ChinaThe QLZ-87 is a Chinese 35x32 mm automatic grenade launcher built for portable infantry fire support, with light bipod and heavier tripod configurations fed by drum magazines. Its cataloged conflict record is strongest where photographs or arms-monitoring reports identify specific examples: AMISOM weapons in Somalia, SPLM-N captures in Sudan, opposition and Islamic State appearances in Syria, Séléka stocks in CAR, Kurdish weapons in Iraq, a Boko Haram capture in Niger, and a Taliban capture in Afghanistan.
18 remaining

Category

Munitions

Standalone missiles, bombs, rockets, torpedoes, and guided or unguided explosive payloads.

8/8
M888 60 mm high explosive cartridge, 60 mm high-explosive mortar cartridge, MunitionsMunitionsM888 60 mm high explosive cartridge60 mm high-explosive mortar cartridgeSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Train-and-equip mortar ammunition supplyBuilt: American Ordnance / Iowa Army Ammunition Plant / United StatesThe M888 is a U.S. 60 mm high-explosive mortar cartridge for the M224/M224A1 Lightweight Company Mortar System. Army and environmental ordnance references identify it as DODIC B643 with an M935 point-detonating fuze, Composition B fill, 67- to 3,490-meter range, and fragmentation/blast effects against personnel and light materiel. Public conflict-specific evidence for this cartridge currently comes from Afghan National Army and Iraq Train and Equip Fund supply records, so the conflict rows document transfer and delivery context rather than confirmed battlefield firing.
M721 60 mm visible light illumination cartridge, 60 mm visible-light illuminating mortar cartridge, MunitionsMunitionsM721 60 mm visible light illumination cartridge60 mm visible-light illuminating mortar cartridgeSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Train-and-equip mortar illumination ammunitionBuilt: Pine Bluff Arsenal / United StatesThe M721 is a U.S. 60 mm visible-light illuminating mortar cartridge for the M224/M224A1 lightweight company mortar system. Army ammunition materials describe a parachute-and-candle payload, an M776 mechanical time fuze, and roughly 300,000 candlepower for observation, fire adjustment, and signaling, while transfer and budget records place the round in Afghan and Iraqi partner-force ammunition channels.
M722A1 60 mm white phosphorous smoke cartridge, 60 mm white phosphorous smoke mortar cartridge, MunitionsMunitionsM722A1 60 mm white phosphorous smoke cartridge60 mm white phosphorous smoke mortar cartridgeSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: Train-and-equip mortar smoke ammunitionBuilt: Pine Bluff Arsenal / United StatesThe M722A1 is a U.S. 60 mm white phosphorous smoke cartridge for the M224/M224A1 Lightweight Company Mortar System. Army ammunition documents describe it as a spotting and marking round with a bulk-loaded white phosphorous projectile and an electronic M783 PD/DLY fuze, while transfer and budget records place the round in Afghan and Iraqi partner-force ammunition channels.
Mortar bombs, 82 mm, 82 mm high-explosive mortar bomb, MunitionsMunitionsMortar bombs, 82 mm82 mm high-explosive mortar bombSide: Islamic StateRole: Islamic State indirect-fire ammunitionBuilt: Various manufacturers / Multiple countriesThis entry covers the 82 mm mortar-bomb caliber class rather than a single factory model. Sources document the class in insurgent and paramilitary materiel from Boko Haram-linked forces in the Lake Chad Basin, Islamic State stocks in Syria and Iraq, and RSF-associated PP87 mortar ammunition in Sudan, while manufacturer and ordnance references show that model-specific weight, filling, fuze, and range figures vary across O-832, PP87, HE, smoke, illumination, and extended-range families.
Improvised explosive device, Improvised explosive device, MunitionsMunitionsImprovised explosive deviceImprovised explosive deviceSide: Islamic StateRole: IED fields and suicide vehicle-borne IED attacksBuilt: Local fabrication by armed groups / VariousImprovised explosive devices are field-built bombs assembled from commercial, homemade, or military components and triggers. The documented family spans roadside and pressure-plate bombs, vehicle-borne suicide devices, radio-controlled charges, water-borne attack craft, booby traps, and repurposed ordnance across insurgent, terrorist, and state use cases.
AR-1 laser-guided air-to-surface missile, Laser-guided air-to-surface missile, MunitionsMunitionsAR-1 laser-guided air-to-surface missileLaser-guided air-to-surface missileSide: Iraqi government and coalition forcesRole: UnknownBuilt: China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics / ChinaThe AR-1 is a Chinese laser-guided air-to-surface missile developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics for CH-series UAV carriage. Open reporting describes a semi-active laser and inertial-guided weapon with a 2 to 8 km range, blast or shaped-charge warheads, Iraqi CH-4B combat use against ISIS, and Nigerian CH-3A carriage in the Boko Haram insurgency.
PG-7VM rocket-propelled grenade, RPG-7 HEAT rocket-propelled grenade round, MunitionsMunitionsPG-7VM rocket-propelled grenadeRPG-7 HEAT rocket-propelled grenade roundSide: Islamic StateRole: Recovered Islamic State RPG ammunitionBuilt: VMZ Sopot / STV Group / Soviet Union / Russia / Bulgaria / Czech Republic / Romania and other RPG-7 ammunition producersThe PG-7VM is an RPG-7-compatible high-explosive anti-tank round built around the smaller PG-7M-class shaped-charge grenade. VMZ Sopot and STV Group publish closely aligned data for a roughly 1.97 kg round with a 300 m direct-fire range, 500 m sighting range, and about 300 mm armor penetration; conflict evidence documents the round in PKK, Islamic State, and Iraqi insurgent stocks, usually as seized or photographed ammunition rather than a named firing incident.
Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), Vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, MunitionsMunitionsVehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED)Vehicle-borne improvised explosive deviceSide: Islamic StateRole: Islamic State VBIED attacks and productionBuilt: Operator-built / Improvised / VariesA vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, or VBIED, is a car, truck, SUV, trailer, or other ground vehicle adapted to carry and deliver an explosive charge. The record covers car bombs, truck bombs, SVBIEDs, and up-armored assault vehicles documented across insurgent and jihadist conflicts from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, and the Second Intifada.

Category

Tanks

Heavy armor built around direct fire, protection, and battlefield shock.

1/1

Conflict Sources

The two-side structure groups Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, Popular Mobilization Forces, tribal forces, and international coalition partners under the Iraq-aligned catalog side. This is an archive simplification for a coalition campaign; individual weapon entries must still cite direct system-specific evidence before adding a conflict-use claim, transfer, or supplier context.

  • CTC ISIL Ramadi-Fallujah CorridorPublisher: Combating Terrorism Center at West Point | Note: Supports the December 30, 2013 Anbar escalation around Ramadi, Fallujah, and the Euphrates corridor. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • CFR Instability in IraqPublisher: Council on Foreign Relations | Note: Supports broad campaign context, Islamic State's 2014 advance, major Iraqi recapture milestones, external actors, and the December 2017 victory declaration. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • CJTF-OIR HistoryPublisher: Combined Joint Task Force - 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve | Note: Supports the rise of ISIS, coalition framework, and operation background. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • CJTF-OIR History PDFPublisher: Combined Joint Task Force - 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve | Note: Supports Mosul and Tikrit falling in June 2014, CJTF-OIR establishment, campaign phases, Mosul operations, Rawa and other 2017 clearing operations, and Iraq's December 9, 2017 victory declaration. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • U.S. Army OIR CampaignPublisher: U.S. Army Center of Military History | Note: Supports the U.S.-led coalition campaign, airstrikes, rebuilding of Iraqi Security Forces, and Mosul as the culminating Iraqi operation. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • UN Mosul Liberation StatementPublisher: United Nations Iraq | Note: Supports the July 2017 liberation of Mosul and the UN Security Council's description of it as a major anti-ISIL milestone. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Defense Department Mosul LiberationPublisher: U.S. Department of War | Note: Supports CJTF-OIR's July 2017 statement on Iraqi victory in Mosul, coalition support, and continued clearing operations. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • UNAMI Security Council Briefing November 2017Publisher: United Nations Iraq | Note: Supports the recapture of al-Qaim and Rawa, the role of Iraqi, PMF, Peshmerga, tribal, regional, and coalition actors, and the warning that Daesh remained an insurgent threat. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Wikimedia CTS Convoy MosulPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance, caption, credit, and public-domain status for the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service convoy image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Wikimedia Iraqi Army Mosul Heavy Machine GunPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance, caption, credit, and public-domain status for the Iraqi Army Mosul image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Wikimedia Battle of Mosul MapPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 license for the Battle of Mosul map. | Accessed: 2026-06-21