Direct proof of use
The L118 Light Gun is directly tied to the 2003 Iraq War by Leonardo's account of LINAPS service. Leonardo says LINAPS, fitted to the British Army L118 light gun, was successfully deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Imperial War Museums metadata also places 105 mm light guns of G Battery, 7 Para, Royal Horse Artillery in the Kuwaiti desert on February 21, 2003, during preparations for operations in Iraq. Airborne Assault Museum's Operation Telic account records 7 PARA RHA firing its first regimental fire missions since Suez during the early Iraq campaign.
Sources: Leonardo LINAPS Iraq Deployment, IWM 7 Para RHA Kuwait Light Guns, Airborne Assault Museum Operation Telic
Timeline
On February 21, 2003, IWM records G Battery, 7 Para RHA conducting a live-firing exercise with 105 mm light guns in Kuwait while British forces prepared for operations in Iraq. Operation Telic began in March 2003; the Airborne Assault Museum dates its 16 Air Assault Brigade account from March 19 to July 11, 2003.
During the opening campaign, 16 Air Assault Brigade occupied the Rumaylah oilfields, moved north toward Basra, and crossed the Euphrates toward El Qurna. In that same account, 7 PARA RHA is recorded as having fired regimental fire missions during the operation.
Sources: IWM 7 Para RHA Kuwait Light Guns, Airborne Assault Museum Operation Telic
Operational role
In this conflict record, the documented user is the British Army on the United States and coalition side. The public sources support light-artillery fielding and fire-support use by British airborne artillery; they do not support transfer to Iraqi forces or use by Iraqi units.
The L118's Iraq War role was coalition 105 mm light-artillery fire support. The British Army describes the L118 as a 105 mm light gun used by parachute and commando field artillery regiments, while Leonardo's LINAPS account identifies the Iraq deployment as a proving case for the pointing system fitted to British Army L118 guns.
The cited sources support deployment, preparation, and regimental fire missions. They do not provide a public fire-mission log, round count, target list, or battle-damage assessment for L118 guns in Iraq.
Sources: British Army L118 Light Gun, Leonardo LINAPS Iraq Deployment, IWM 7 Para RHA Kuwait Light Guns, Airborne Assault Museum Operation Telic
