U.S. Army photos by Sergeant Jacob H. Smith, 27-29OCT2008:
U.S. Army video, by Specialist Neil A. Stanfield, of the 2008 gunnery:
More 2008 gunnery video by Specialist Neil A. Stanfield:
Vehicle I-D: 
Iraqi Armor, after the Invasion
Iraq 2003:
DoD photo.
Emerald Flag: 
RUSSIA INVADES FLORIDA?
U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo.
19MAY2021, Slovenian M84 fires a shot in the rain during NATO wargame Adriatic Strike-21.
U.S. Army photo by Paolo Bovo
18MAY2021, Slovenian M84 fires a shot during NATO wargame Adriatic Strike-21.
USA photo by Paolo Bovo, 18MAY2021.
USA photo by Joyce Costello, 01MAR2021.
The M84 was a Cold War Yugoslav upgrade of the Soviet T-72 using ‘western’ tech (Yugoslavia was not part of the Warsaw Pact). The visual give-away is the wind sensor on the center-front of the top of the turret, just above and behind the main gun.
USA photo by Joyce Costello, 01MAR2021.
USA photo by Joyce Costello.
These photos show Slovenian M84A4s during the U.S. Army’s (USA) Combined Resolve XV wargame, in Hohenfels, Germany, which took place from February through March 2021.
USA photo by Joyce Costello, 01MAR2021.
USA photo by Sergeant Julian Padua, 01MAR2021.
USA photo by Sergeant Julian Padua, 01MAR2021.
The A4 ‘Sniper’ upgrade improved the day/night gun sight and the fire control (ballistics) computer. There are unconfirmed reports that the ‘Sniper’ is powered by a German made motor.
USA photo by Sergeant Julian Padua, 01MAR2021.
USA photo by Specialist Savannah Miller, 26FEB2021.
USA happy-happy-joy-joy ‘interoperability’ video report, by Sergeant Joseph McDonald, about building a turret down defensive position for M84 on Hohenfels, Germany, February 2021:
USA photo by Specialist Savannah Miller, 26FEB2021.
USA photo by Specialist Savannah Miller, 26FEB2021.
In the early 2000s, former Yugoslav member Slovenia upgraded their M84s to M84A4s and called them Sniper. The ‘A4 Sniper’ upgrade was created by former Yugoslav member Croatia, which operates a factory that has built M84s since the days of Yugoslavia (former Yugoslav member Serbia also builds upgraded versions of the M84).
USA photo by Specialist Savannah Miller, 26FEB2021.
USA photo by Joyce Costello, 26FEB2021.
The Republic of Slovenia became a member of NATO in March 2004.
Soviet era tanks in use by NATO: SLOVENIAN M84A4, 2015-2020
NATO: 
TARCZA POLSKI PT-91
Just a few years before the official end to the unofficial Cold War, Poland’s military decided to modify its license built T-72M1s. The idea was to incorporate as many locally produced upgrades as possible. So many items were changed that the PT-91 Twardy (tough, strong) is almost a totally different tank from the T-72; engine, transmission, auto-loader, targeting system, etc.
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Andres Chandler, 13JUN2020.
Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 2020.
USA photo by Sergeant Andres Chandler, 13JUN2020.
USA photo by Sergeant Andres Chandler, 13JUN2020.
NATO video of PT-91 live-fire during wargame in Latvia, April 2020:
Canadian Forces photo.
Polish Hussars PT-91 during Assurance wargame in Latvia, 26JUL2018.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Captain Tyler Piper, 06JUN2018.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Specialist Alan Prince , 06JUN2018.
Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, June 2018.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Specialist Robert Douglas, 15JUN2018.
USA photo by Specialist Hubert D. Delany the Third, 06JUN2018.
USA photo by Specialist Hubert D. Delany the Third, 06JUN2018.
Polish PT-91 in Latvia, at Camp Ādaži, 11MAR2018. Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.
Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.
In Latvia, February 2018, NATO wargame Reassurance. A PT-91 arrives for ‘decontamination’.
Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.
A Slovenian soldier checks for ‘contamination’ of PT-91’s tracks/road wheels.
Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.
Polish PT-91 about to get ‘decontaminated’ during CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear) training in Latvia. Back in the Cold War, and through the 1990s, we called it NBC (nuclear Biological Chemical) training.
Camp Ādaži, Latvia. Canadian Forces photo by Master Corporal Gerald Cormier, 02OCT2017.
Canadian Forces video by Master Corporal Brandon O’Connell, Polish PT-91 during NATO wargame in Latvia, 2017:
Camp Ādaži, Latvia. Canadian Forces photo by Master Corporal Gerald Cormier, 02OCT2017.
U.S. Army photo by Charles Rosemond, 15JUN2017.
Adazi, Latvia, during NATO Saber Strike wargame, June 2017.
U.S. Army photo by Specialist Brandon Best, 04JUN2017.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by First Lieutenant Kristine Racicot.
Since the 1990s, many new versions of the PT-91 battle-tank have come out, with different designations and names. There’s even recovery vehicles, engineer vehicles, bridgelayers and self propelled artillery based on the PT-91. Besides Poland, Georgia, India and Malaysia use some type of PT-91 variant.
Soviet era Armor in use by NATO: 
POLAND
NATO: 
POLAND SUKHOI 22
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Specialist Alan Prince, 18JUN2019.
Self propelled artillery 2S1 Karamfil (Russian name Gvozdika, Гвоздика, carnation) Novo Selo Training Area, June 2019.
U.S. Army photo by Captain Erica Mitchell.
The 2S1 has a 122mm howitzer. It is based on a stretched MTLB hull.
Bulgar music video of 2S1s doing their thing, 12JUL2017:
USA photo by Specialist Samantha Hall.
Column of BTR-60PBs on the Novo Selo Training Area, 13JUN2019. Notice that the exhaust system on the Bulgarian BTR-60s is different from the original BTR-60 design.
USA photo by Specialist Samantha Hall.
Rear view of two BTR-60PBs (Brone-TransporteR, Броне-TранспортеP, Armored Transporter) on Novo Selo Training Area, 12JUN2019.
USA photo by Captain Erica Mitchell.
BTR-60PB, Novo Selo Training Area, 11JUN2019.
USA photo by Sergeant Ashley Gillons, 11JUN2019.
BTR-60 tags along with a Bradley.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Robert Douglas, 10JUN2019.
2K12 Kub (NATO reporting name SA-6 Gainful) Bulgarian National Air Defense Training Center, June 2019.
Ohio Army National Guard photo by Captain AAron Smith, 12JUN2019.
The 2K12 missiles are facing over the rear of the hull, June 2019.
Michigan Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Robert Douglas, 13JUN2019.
2K12 launching a medium range radar guided anti-aircraft missile.
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Thomas Mort, 12JUN2019.
Video by Laurens Vermeire, 2K12 live fire, 18JUL2017:
NATO video, 2K12 live fire, 18JUL2017:
Ohio Army National Guard photo by Captain AAron Smith, 12JUN2019.
Ohio National Guard Sergeant First Class, of the 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, walks past a 9K33 (NATO reporting name SA-8 Gecko), June 2019.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Brandon Ames.
MTLB during NATO Saber Guardian/Strike Back, 05JUN2019.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Brandon Ames.
USA photo by Sergeant Ashley Gillons.
USA photo by Sergeant Ashley Gillons.
Notice the use of rubber mats to protect the asphalt road.
USA photo by Sergeant Ashley Gillons.
U.S. Marine Corps video by Corporal Kelly L. Street, MTLB mortar carriers (incorrectly identified by the USMC as BMP-23!), 13JUL2016:
USMC photo by Corporal Kelly L. Street.
Launching a round from a MTLB mortar carrier, 13JUL2016.
USA photo by Specialist Jacqueline Dowland.
Bulgar MTLBu leads a MTLB, 25JUN2015.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew Keeler, 25APR2018.
Bulgar infantry dismount their BMP-1, Anevo Training Area, 25APR 2018.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew Keeler, 25APR2018.
“Mount up!”
USA photo by Specialist Thomas Scaggs.
BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty, Боевая Машина Пехоты, Combat Vehicle Infantry) during combined arms live fire exercise titled Peace Sentinel near the village of Koren, 19JUL2017.
USMC photo by Corporal Justin T. Updegraff.
Bulgar BMP-1s play follow the leader to a USMC M1A1, 28OCT2015.
USA photo by Sergeant Paul Sale, 25OCT2012.
Bulgar BMP-1s ‘invade’ Hohenfels, Germany, 25OCT2012.
Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Megan Zander, 02FEB2020.
Bulgarian 2S1 based BMP-23, Hohenfels, Germany, February 2020.
Army National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Gregory Stevens, 02FEB2020.
USA photo by Specialist Julian Padua, 02FEB2020.
South Dakota National Guard photo by Sergeant Fiona Berndt, January 2020.
Bulgar designed and built BMP-23s ‘invade’ Hohenfels, Germany, 25JAN2020.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant True Thao, July 2019.
BMP-23, live-fire exercise during Platinum Lion at Novo Selo Training Area, 17JUL2019. In the above photo try to locate the World War Two era T-34 based SU-85/SU-100, being used as a gunnery range target.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant True Thao, July 2019.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant True Thao.
It is armed with a 23-mm gun, 9K111 Fagot (Фагот, bassoon) anti-tank guided missile launchers (NATO reporting name AT-4 Spigot), and 9K32 Strela-2 shoulder launched anti-aircraft missiles (NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail).
USA photo by Sergeant First Class Osvaldo Sanchez.
Bulgarian BMP-23s, October 2009. The BMP-23 is not based on the BMP-1 or BMP-2, but on the 2S1 hull.
Video of BMP-23s during a public demonstration of force, 08OCT2009:
Soviet era Armor used by NATO: 
BULGARIAN T-72
Soviet era Armor used by NATO: 
Emerald Flag:
RUSSIA INVADES FLORIDA?
Vehicle I-D: 
Soviet era Tanks used by NATO: 
“Technology is advancing faster than ever before and Emerald Flag is at the cutting edge of connecting land, sea, air, space and cyber assets across all domains simultaneously.”-Lieutenant Colonel Michael Fritts
U.S. Air Force photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 30NOV2020. SA-6 (2K12 Kub) anti-aircraft radar unit known as SURN 1S91.
“The goal is to align DoD resources across the Florida panhandle and enable multi-domain test and experimentation to prepare the warfighter for a 21st-century fight.”-Major Alexander Hillman, 45th Test Squadron
U.S. Air Force photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez. 2K12 Kub (NATO reporting name SA 6 Gainful) anti-aircraft missile launcher.
During the first week of December 2020, Eglin Air Force Base conducted its first-ever ‘native multi-domain test exercise’, during a wargame called Emerald Flag.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez. SA-6 (2K12 Kub) anti-aircraft missile launcher.
At the end of November, Russian made (Cold War era Soviet) armored vehicles were staged around the Eglin Test and Training Range.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 30NOV2020. T-72 Main Battle Tank.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 30NOV2020. T-72 Main Battle Tank.
The goal of Emerald Flag is to incorporate ground, air, space, cyberspace and experimental platforms, involving 25 government agencies, to develop the concept of the ‘joint domain warfighter’.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 30NOV2020. T-72 Main Battle Tank.
The use of Russian/Soviet designed vehicles was only one part of the larger Emerald Flag operation: “We brought together fighter, command and control and electronic warfare aircraft with advanced weapons and integrated them into a strike package with cyber and land assets that used innovative experimental technology in a challenging environment.”-Colonel Doug Creviston, 96th Operations Group commander
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 30NOV2020. T-72 Main Battle Tank.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 30NOV2020. T-72 Main Battle Tank.
The positions of the Russian/Soviet designed vehicles were marked by GPS. Interestingly, the December 2020 Emerald Flag was the first wargame where classified information was collected and shared by many groups on the ‘cloud’.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Karissa Rodriguez, 01DEC2020.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joshua Hoskins. F-16C refuels over Gulf of Mexico for December’s Emerald Flag.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joshua Hoskins. F-16D refuels over Gulf of Mexico for December’s Emerald Flag.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joshua Hoskins. F-15E refuels over Gulf of Mexico for December’s Emerald Flag.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joshua Hoskins. KC-46 refuels over Gulf of Mexico for December’s Emerald Flag.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joshua Hoskins. EC-130H refuels over Gulf of Mexico for December’s Emerald Flag.
In March 2020, Emerald Flag was held on Hurlburt Field, Florida, and was concerned with the administrative and logistical problems of forward-area/combat deployments.
IDAHO’S 1:1 SCALE FAKE NEWS RUSSIAN 1S91 RADAR TANK
Near Peer Threats: CODE FOR RUSSIA & CHINA AND THE COMING 3RD WORLD WAR?
1939 Vs 2019; GERMANY INVADES POLAND AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH THE HELP OF NATO!
U.S. Army photo by Specialist Savannah Miller, 26JAN2021.
Fake-News Soviet 125mm antitank gun, Hohenfels, Germany, January 2021.
USA photo by Specialist Audrequez Evans, 26OCT2020.
October 2020, Hohenfels, Germany. M113 Fake-News T-72 used for crowd control training of Italian troops deploying to Kosovo.
USA photo by Joyce Costello, 26OCT2020.
USA photo by Specialist Audrequez Evans, 26OCT2020.
That’s correct, apparently the Kosovars are so unruly that you need tanks to suppress their protests!
USA photo by Corporal Tomarius Roberts, 04MAR2020.
Yep, another example of peace-keeping training using an M113 ‘T-72’ on ‘Kosovar’ demonstrators, Hohenfels, Germany, this time in March 2020.
USA photo by Corporal Tomarius Roberts, 04MAR2020.
Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Megan Zander, 01FEB2020.
Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, February 2020. This M113 is supposed to be a ZSU-23-4.
USA photo by Specialist Nathan Franco, 14FEB2020.
‘T-72’ drives through a Bradley unit, Fort Irwin, California, February 2020.
USA photo by Private First Class James Newsome, 10FEB2020.
M113 Fake News BMP-2, Fort Irwin-National Training Center (NTC), California.
USA photo by Private Second Class Sayvon Johnson, 10FEB2020.
HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) based ‘BRDM’, Fort Irwin-National Training Center (NTC).
USA photo by Private Second Class Sayvon Johnson, 10FEB2020.
USA photo by Private First Class Austin Anyzeski, 26JUN2017.
Which one is the BMP-2, and which one is the T-72? Apparently, the only visual differences between the M113-T-72 and M113-BMP is the size of the gun tube, the front slope, and the BMP version has had the rear ramp removed and a long hull extension with clam-shell doors added-on. The T-72 retains the M113 ramp.
USA photo by Private First Class Austin Anyzeski, 02JUN2017.
This is supposed to be a 2K22 Tunguska (except that it has a ‘BMP’ hull), Fort Irwin, June 2017.
USA photo by Private First Class Austin Anyzeski, 02JUN2017.
Anybody know what this M113 is dressed-up to be?
USA photo by Staff Sergeant David Edge, 08JUN2018.
I think it’s supposed to be an MTLB?
USA photo by Sergeant Josiah Pugh, 10APR2016.
In 2016, the U.S. Army OpFor at Hoehenfels, Germany, used real T-72s from Slovenia.
Video from 2016, by Austin Anyzeski, of Black Horse Fake News tanks at Fort Irwin:
USA photo by Private First Class Austin Anyzeski, 04JUN2017.
This is one of the ‘125mm Soviet anti-tank gun’ that took-out my M981 FiST-V during Idaho Army National Guard’s Fort Irwin rotation in Summer 1998 (see more This is Where Armor Fights). It was hidden on one of the hills in the middle of The Valley of Death.
Before the 2000s, most of the OpFor tanks at Fort Irwin, California, were based on the M551 Sheridan airborne tank.
A M551 BMP-1.
M551 T-72.
A line of M551s in various disguises. In the front is a BMP-1, followed by a ZSU-23-4 and three 2S1 self propelled artillery guns.
HMMWV BRDM nuclear, chemical, biological marker vehicle.
An early attempt to make a M113 look like a BMP.
A real (former Iraqi) MTLB-u.
Here’s a look at some real Soviet vehicles at Fort Irwin, photos I took in 1984 (with a crappy fixed-focus 110-film camera) while on one of my California Army National Guard drill weekends:
T-55
T-62
T-34-85
BTR-60
Plenty of MTLBs!
In the 1970s, U.S. Army in Germany began using ‘acquired’ Soviet armor in NATO wargames.
BMP-1, note the driver wearing the early style (Viet Nam era) CVC (Combat Vehicle Crewman) helmet.
BTR-60 in foreground, in the middle of the line is a BMP-1, in the background with a bunch of U.S. soldiers piled-in is a BTR-152.
BTR-152.
Cold War Vehicle I-D: 
FAKE NEWS ZSU-23-4 INTO THE J-A-W-S OF DEATH!
2020: IDAHO’S 1:1 SCALE FAKE NEWS RUSSIAN RADAR TANK
U.S. MARINES USE ‘FAKE NEWS’ MIG-23
HOW TO BUILD A 1:1 SCALE U.S. ARMY ‘FAKE NEWS’ BMP-2
Vehicle I-D, 2016: 
M113 disguised as BMP
Moldova is not a member of NATO, but has joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council making it an official NATO ‘partner’. NATO ‘partner’ countries are located all across the Earth, not just in the North Atlantic (the original justification for the creation of NATO was to form a joint defense system for countries in the North Atlantic).
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
BTRs during wargames, December 2020. The flag on the first vehicle is the national flag, the flag on the second vehicle is the flag of the Ministry of Defense.
Official Moldovan Ministry of Defense video showing training with BTRs, towed D-20 artillery, various types of MTLBs, culminating in live fire, December 2020:
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
Engineer vehicle based on T-72 hull, November 2020.
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
Video of engineer vehicles in action, November 2020:
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
BMP artillery radar vehicle followed by 2S9s and BMD-1s, November 2020.
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
An Antonov-2 flies over MTLBs, October 2020.
Photo via Moldovan Ministry of Defense.
T-72 engineer vehicle, July 2020.
Video of vehicle review, and some live fire, July 2020. Sadly, that’s about it for the Moldovan National Army. At the end of the video the Minister of Defense, Alexandru Pinzari, admits they are working with “obsolete” equipment:
North Carolina Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Robert Jordan, 12SEP2019.
Loading anti-tank missile (9M113 Konkurs, NATO codename AT-5 Spandrel) onto a BRDM-2-Anti-Tank armored car, Bulboaca Training Area, September 2019.
North Carolina Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Robert Jordan, 12SEP2019.
Moldova used to be a part of Romania, called Bessarabia. Under Soviet rule Bessarabia became the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moldova declared independence in August 1991.
North Carolina Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Robert Jordan, 14SEP2016.
BMD based 2S9 Nona self propelled airborne artillery gun, Bulboaca Training Area, September 2016.
Since 1996, the North Carolina Army National Guard has been training with the Moldovan army, through the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Guard State Partnership Program.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Ryan Young, 12DEC2014.
BRDM-2 over-watch as U.S. Marine launches a Javelin anti-tank missile in Balti, December 2014.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Ryan Young, 12DEC2014.
An old BTR gets taken out by a Javelin.
Video, BTR dies:
Video explainer report, USMC anti-armor training in Moldova, 2014:
Video of various anti-tank weapons being used, December 2014:
From what I’ve researched, Moldova has between zero and possibly a whopping three Main Battle Tanks (MBT), all T-64BV.
Photo by Neil Brennan.
The reason for little or no MBTs in Moldova is apparently because of a cease fire agreement between Moldova and a former territory called Transnistria (Transnistria actually declared independence one year before greater Moldova, yet the ‘NATO’ world refuses to recognize it because it is one of the last few Soviet Republics that still believes the Soviet Union is alive and well). The Sweden based OSCE has been overseeing arms control agreements including the destruction of heavy military vehicles like MBTs. Moldova has complied, but not Transnistria (meaning tiny Transnistria has more armored vehicles than much larger Moldova).
The majority of Moldova’s existing armor are Soviet era armored cars of various types, then tracked utility vehicles like MTLB, and tracked self propelled artillery guns/rocket launchers.
Moldovan news pic of a supposed T-54? (note the spokes on the road wheels) that had been hidden by a family in a disputed district.
At the beginning of 2017, a news report said that a family had been hiding a T-54(?) tank on their property in the divided district of Anenii Noi. It was confiscated.
August 2018: Moldovan, N.C. troops train at Fort Bliss
Vehicle I-D: SUOMALAISET (Finnish) LEOPARDIT JA SISU PASI JA CV9030 JA MTLB JA 2S1 JA BMP-2 JA AMOS
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Lauren Harrah, 19JUL2016.
Polish modified ZSU-23-4, known as ZSU-23-4MP Biała, July 2016.
Very quick video of Polish ZSU-23-4MP, a mine throwing TRI-Kroton (aka Opal, modified MTLB) and some 2S1 SP guns, in Romania for NATO wargames in 2017:
USA photo by Sergeant Justin Geiger, 18JUN2017.
Cold War era Warsaw Pact Czechoslovak designed/built 152mm Samohybná Kanónová Húfnica vzor 77 (ShKH vz. 77, or self-propelled cannon howitzer model 77), June 2017. It’s also known as DANA (Dělo Automobilní Nabíjené Automaticky, or gun vehicle loaded automatically).
Video, 2S1 Gvodzika Self Propelled artillery guns, March 2017:
Polish designed MTLB engineer vehicle known as Opal or TRI, June 2017.
Quick video of TRI:
A PT-91(improved T-72) based WZT-3M recovery vehicle on public display in 2016 (note the Christian priest wearing the tanker helmet).
WZT-3M, June 2017.
Video of WZT-3M towing BMP-1, followed by BMP-1s, June 2017:
BMP-1 (known as BWP-1 in Poland), June 2016, NATO Exercise Anakonda.
Video from 2014, BMP-1 used to defend beach against wargame invasion:
Video, Poland BMP-1s invade Romania for NATO’s Noble Jump 2017:
The PT-91 is Poland’s version of a modernized T-72, this pic was taken in June 2018 during NATO’s Puma 2 Exercise-Saber Strike.
Here’s some PT-91 videos from 2017:
Video from 2016, 2K12 Kub (NATO code-name SA-6 Gainful) SAM launching, the 2K12 Kub is mounted on a highly modified MTLB chassis:
Video from 2014, S125 Neva SAM (Surface to Air Missile) mounted on T-55 chassis, with launch at the end of the video:
Soviet era Tanks used by NATO: BULGARIAN T-72
Vehicle I-D: UKRAINIAN ARMOR
On 13JUN2019, the Iraqi army unveiled a new tank; the al-Kafeel-1. Note that it uses an M2 .50 caliber machine gun in a remote controlled mount. Russian news sources say the tank is based on Iraq’s experience fighting Islamic extremists, and Iraq’s use of the M1A1M. It is strange that most ‘western’ news sources didn’t report about the Iraqi developed tank until more than a year after its unveiling. Speculative reports say it was developed with help from China.
Inside of BTR-80. 9th Iraqi Army Division Warrant Officer explains to U.S. troops how it works.
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Mary S. Katzenberger, 27SEP2010.
Ukrainian made BTR-94, 2018.
Ukrainian made BTR-94 blocks 14th of July bridge in Baghdad, 15AUG2004. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Jacob N. Bailey.
Ukrainian made BTR-4, reports say Iraq was not happy with the BTR-4, claiming they were not ‘new builds’ and had corroded bodies (Ukrainian investigation links the defective BTR-4s to the now infamous corruption scandal plaguing the Office of the U.S. President).
BTR-4 variants, the BSEM-4K ambulance and BTR-4 armored personnel carriers with 30mm gun turrets.
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Kalie Jones Frantz, 06FEB2016.
A mystery modified M113 seen at Camp Taji, February 2016. It’s not a ACV or YPR765. A homegrown modification?
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Kalie Jones Frantz, 06FEB2016.
U.S. Army photo by Specialist William Lockwood, 11FEB2016.
Camp Taji, February 2016.
M113 ACAV, U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Kalie Jones Frantz, 07FEB2016.
M113, U.S. Army photo by Sergeant David Strayer, 28APR2011.
M113, Kirkush Military Training Base, April 2011.
Notice the use of wide ‘snow’ tracks. Texas Army National Guard photo by Specialist Maria Mengrone, 12MAY2005.
MTLB, May 2005.
Texas Army National Guard photo by Specialist Maria Mengrone, 06MAY2005.
This one has the standard width tracks. Texas Army National Guard photo by Specialist Maria Mengrone, 06MAY2005.
U.S. Army photo by Specialist Sean Hanson.
March 2007. This tank is a Chinese Type 69 (Iraqi designation for Chinese Type 69 is T-55B), as denoted by the headlights on both fenders and the camera/laser sighting system on the mantlet.
Texas Army National Guard photo by Specialist Maria Mengrone, 12MAY2005.
May 2005, Type 69/T-55B.
Notice the U.S. antenna. Texas Army National Guard photo by Specialist Maria Mengrone, 12MAY2005.
BMP-1, October 2005:
Rebuilt BMP-1s on Camp Taji, 07OCT2005.
BMP-1, January 2007:
BMP-1, Camp Taji. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Cupp, 17JAN2007.
Video Camp Taji boneyard, T-72 turret lift, 2009:
T-62, March 2010:
T-62s in the ‘Bone Yard’. Tennessee Army National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Desiree Pavlick, 17MAR2010.
Graveyard of T-62 and T-72, October 2005:
Camp Taji ‘boneyard’, 10JUL2005.
T-72, Camp Butler/Butler Gunnery Range, February 2006:
U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Brent Hunt, 16FEB2006.
Low quality video from February 2006, supposedly it was the first time Iraqis were able to fire their T-72s since the U.S. invasion:
T-72, Forward Operating Base Hammer, October 2008:
U.S. Army photo by Private First Class Evan Loyd, 31OCT2008.
U.S. Army photo by Private First Class Evan Loyd, 31OCT2008.
2008 Besmaya Range gunnery video (by U.S. Army Specialist Neil A. Stanfield):
T-72, Besmaya Range Complex, April 2010:
U.S. Army photo by Private First Class Jared Eastman, 14APR2010.
Checking out a ‘newer’ T-72, apparently donated by NATO-Czech Republic, April 2016:
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Paul Sale, 05APR2016.
Iraqis began training on U.S. M1A1 Abrams in 2008-09:
Besmaya Range Complex, 31MAR2009. U.S. Army photo by Captain Thomas Avilucea.
According to a U.S. Defense Department news release, between August 2010 and the end of 2011, 140 M1A1M Abrams tanks were delivered to Iraq as part of a 2008 military sales agreement.
According to the the U.S. Army, these were the last of the 140 Abrams delivered to Iraq:
U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Edward Daileg, 29AUG2011.
In 2016, BMP-1s were positioned for the Mosul Offensive against so-called Islamic State:
U.S. Army photo, 18OCT2016.
In February 2018, it was revealed that an Iraqi militia unit funded by Iran acquired nine of the M1A1Ms.
Blurry image showing Iranian funded Iraqi militia hauling an M1A1.
In June 2018, Iraq announced it was trading the M1A1M for the Russian T-90S.
The first T-90S and T-90SK were delivered by November 2019.
M109A1, Firebase Saham, December 2018.
U.S. Army photo by Captain Jason Welch, 03DEC2018.
For some strange reason the official U.S. Army information that accompanied the pic states this is a “M109 Paladin”, but it is clearly not an M109A6 Paladin (which is a radical upgrade of the M109 series), it is a M109A1.
In 2008, U.S. Army officials decided to allow Iraq to refurbish several M109A1s abandoned in the ‘boneyard’ of Camp Taji: “Last fall, our brigade commander was given guidance by the 9th IA commander to pull out of the Taji boneyard roughly a battalion’s worth of M109A1 howitzers.”-Major Matthew DeLoia, Military Transition Team-Pennsylvania National Guard’s 109th Field Artillery Regiment, July 2009
VEHICLE I-D: UKRAINIAN ARMOR
VEHICLE I-D: GEORGIAN T-72 & BMP
U.S. Army photo by Private First Class Joseph Cannon, 06AUG2017.
USA photo by Sergeant Kalie Jones, 06AUG2017.
USA photo by Sergeant Kalie Jones, 06AUG2017.
U.S. Army photo by First Lieutenant Ellen C. Brabo, 04AUG2018.
USA photo by First Lieutenant Ellen C. Brabo, 04AUG2018.
T-72 with explosive reactive armor (ERA), Vaziani Training Area, August 2018.
U.S. Army infographic by Josh Wick.
USA photo by First Lieutenant Ellen C. Brabo, 15AUG2018.
U.S. Apache gunship flying over T-72s, during the Cold War it would’ve been a sure sign of war.
U.S. Army photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
T-72, live fire Orpholo Training Area, August 2019.
USA photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
USA photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
Video, live fire T-72 and BMP-2, August 2019:
USA photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
BMP-2, live fire Orpholo Training Area, August 2019.
USA photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
USA photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
USA photo by Specialist Ethan Valetski, 09AUG2019.
USA photo by Sergeant Shiloh Capers, 12AUG2017.
BMP-2, Vaziani Training Area, 2017.
Video, 2015 mech-infantry assault training with BMP-1 and MTLB:
USA photo by Specialist Cal Turner, 31JAN2007.
Georgia sent BMP-1s to help the U.S. patrol Iraq.
SOVIET ERA TANKS NOW IN USE BY NATO: SLOVENIAN M84
VEHICLE I-D: UKRAINIAN ARMOR
ZOMBIE TANK T-55, THEY’RE EVERYWHERE!