List of equipment of the Peshmerga
The following is a list of equipment currently in use with the Peshmerga (The Internal Security Forces of the Kurdistan Region). It includes small arms, vehicles, artillery, anti-aircraft guns, and aircraft.
Current equipment
Small arms
Photo | Name | Origin | Type | Caliber | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pistols | ||||||
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P1 | ![]() |
Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | 8,000+ in aid.[1] | |
Rifles and carbines | ||||||
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AK-47 | ![]() |
Assault rifle | 7.62×39mm | Thousands | [2] |
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AKM | ![]() |
Assault rifle | 7.62×39mm | Thousands | [3] |
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M16 | ![]() |
Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Thousands | 4,400+ in aid. M16A4 variant used.[4] |
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M4 | ![]() |
Carbine | 5.56×45mm NATO | Thousands | 14,400+ in aid.[5] |
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Heckler & Koch G36 | ![]() |
Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Thousands | 13,000+ in aid.[1][6][7][8] |
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Heckler & Koch G3 | ![]() |
Battle rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | Thousands | 11,000+ in aid.[1][6][9] |
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SVD | ![]() |
Designated marksman rifle | 7.62×54mmR | Thousands | [3] |
Zijiang M99 | ![]() |
Anti-materiel rifle | 12.7×108mm | [10] | ||
Machine guns | ||||||
PKM | ![]() |
General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×54mmR | [11] | ||
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M240B | ![]() |
General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | Hundreds | 186+ in aid.[4] |
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MG 42 | ![]() |
General-purpose machine gun | 7.92×57mm Mauser | Hundreds | 100+ in aid.[6] |
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Rheinmetall MG3 | ![]() |
General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | Hundreds | 47+ in aid. Includes the Beretta MG 42/59 variant.[1][6][9] |
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DShK | ![]() |
Heavy machine gun | 12.7×108mm | Thousands | [12] |
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M2 Browning | ![]() |
Heavy machine gun | .50 BMG | 86+ in aid.[1][4][6] | |
Grenade launchers | ||||||
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Neopup PAW-20 | ![]() |
Grenade launcher | 20×42mm | [13] | |
Denel Y3 AGL | ![]() |
Automatic grenade launcher | 40×53mm | [13] | ||
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QLZ-87 | ![]() |
Automatic grenade launcher | 35×32mmSR | [10] | |
Anti-tank weapons | ||||||
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RPG-7 | ![]() |
Rocket-propelled grenade | 40 mm | Thousands | [2][6] |
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Panzerfaust 3 | ![]() |
Rocket-propelled grenade | 60 mm | 450 launchers and 5,000 rockets.[6][9] | |
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Carl Gustaf | ![]() |
Recoilless rifle | 84 mm | 40+ in aid.[14][6] | |
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SPG-9 | ![]() |
Recoilless rifle | 73 mm | [14] | |
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M40 | ![]() |
Recoilless rifle | 105 mm | [14] | |
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HJ-8 | ![]() |
Anti-tank guided missile | 120 mm | [14] | |
9M14 Malyutka | ![]() |
Anti-tank guided missile | 125 mm | [14] | ||
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9M113 Konkurs | ![]() |
Anti-tank guided missile | 135 mm | [14] | |
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9M133 Kornet | ![]() |
Anti-tank guided missile | 152 mm | [14] | |
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MILAN | ![]() ![]() |
Anti-tank guided missile | 115 mm | 30 launchers and 700 guided missiles.[14][6][7] | |
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BGM-71 TOW | ![]() |
Anti-tank guided missile | 152 mm | [14] |
Combat vehicles
Artillery
Photo | Name | Origin | Type | Caliber | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Self-propelled artillery | ||||||
2S1 Gvodzika | ![]() |
Self-propelled howitzer | 122 mm | [14] | ||
Towed artillery | ||||||
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M119 | ![]() |
Howitzer | 105 mm | At least 60 | 36 supplied by the US in 2017,[4] 24 in 2024[19][20] |
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D-30 | ![]() |
Howitzer | 122 mm | At least 6[14] | |
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M-46 | ![]() |
Field gun | 130 mm | [14] | |
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D-20 | ![]() |
Gun-howitzer | 152 mm | [14] | |
Type 59 | ![]() |
Field gun | 130 mm | [14] | ||
Multiple rocket launchers | ||||||
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BM-21 Grad | ![]() |
Self-propelled MRL | 122 mm | [18] | |
Type 63 | ![]() |
Towed MRL | 107 mm | Mounted on technicals.[18] | ||
HM20 | ![]() |
Self-propelled MRL | 122 mm | Iranian version of the BM-21 Grad[18] | ||
Mortars | ||||||
M224 | ![]() |
Light mortar | 60 mm | [2] | ||
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M252 | ![]() ![]() |
Medium mortar | 81 mm | [18] | |
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M120 | ![]() ![]() |
Heavy mortar | 120 mm | [18] |
Air defense
Photo | Name | Origin | Caliber | Variant | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anti-aircraft guns | |||||
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ZPU | ![]() |
14.5×114mm | ZPU-1 ZPU-2 ZPU-4 |
Some mounted on technicals.[18] |
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AZP S-60 | ![]() |
57 mm | Some mounted on technicals.[18] | |
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53T2 Tarasque | ![]() |
20 mm | Some mounted on technicals.[18] | |
Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns | |||||
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ZSU-57-2 | ![]() |
57 mm | [18] | |
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AN/TWQ-1 Avenger | ![]() |
4/8 FIM-92 Stinger missiles | [18] |
Aircraft
Photo | Aircraft | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Helicopters | |||||
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Airbus H135 | ![]() |
Transport | 3+[18] | |
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MD Helicopters MD-530F | ![]() |
Transport | 2+[18] |
Other Equipment
Photo | Name | Origin | Type | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Protective Gear | |||||
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Gefechtshelm M92 | ![]() |
Combat helmet | 4,000+ | [21] |
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Interceptor Body Armor | ![]() |
Body armor | N/A | As seen in some photos. |
Camouflage | |||||
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U.S. Woodland | ![]() |
Military Camouflage | N/A | Peshmerga troops can be seen wearing the camouflage in certain images as seen here. |
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Desert Camouflage Uniform | ![]() |
Military Camouflage | N/A | |
Communications | |||||
SEM 52S mobile radios | ![]() |
Radio | 700 | [21] | |
Tactical Equipment | |||||
Zeiss Fero Z-51 | ![]() |
Night-vision device | 680 | [21] |
Former equipment
Gallery
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Peshmerga soldiers stand in formation during the Modern Brigade Course graduation ceremony.
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Peshmerga soldier operating an M4 carbine.
-
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Peshmerga on a T-55 Tank outside Kirkuk.
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Peshmerga shoots a Panzerfaust 3 during training.
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Female Peshmerga soldiers training with G36's.
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Peshmerga soldier standing in front of a Humvee.
-
Peshmerga soldiers in a Humvee.
References
- ^ a b c d e Holtom & Rigual 2015, p. 110.
- ^ a b c Bender, Jeremy (30 June 2014). "As The Kurds Mobilize In Iraq, Here's A Look At What They Have In Their Arsenal". Business Insider. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ a b McNab 2023, p. 61.
- ^ a b c d e Mehta, Aaron (19 April 2017). "State OKs Humvees, howitzers for Iraqi peshmerga in ISIS fight". Defense News. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Stewart, Phil; Spetalnick, Matt (5 June 2015). "U.S. quietly starts channeling arms from $1.6 billion fund to Iraq". Reuters. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Small Arms Survey (2015). "Trade Update: After the 'Arab Spring'" (PDF). Small Arms Survey 2015: weapons and the world (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 110. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2015.
- ^ a b c Wiegold, T. (17 December 2015). "Neues Waffen-Paket für den Kampf gegen ISIS: 4.000 G36 für die Peshmerga". augengeradeaus.net (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ^ Wiegold, T. (17 November 2016). "Die vorerst letzten deutschen Waffen für Kurdistan (Neufassung)". augengeradeaus.net. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Wiegold, T. (22 June 2015). "Bundeswehr bildet im Irak Jeziden-Bataillon aus". augengeradeaus.net (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ^ a b Smallwood, Michael (9 August 2023). "Kurdish Forces with Chinese QLZ87 Automatic Grenade Launcher & M99 Anti-materiel Rifle". Small Arms Defense Journal. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Ackerman, Elliot (17 November 2014). "Eight Men, and One Gun, on the Iraqi Front". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Bosch, Marius (7 November 2016). "The Kurdish gun fixer taking aim at Islamic State". Reuters. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ a b "The South African Defence Industry Database". Archived from the original on 6 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj IISS 2017, p. 563.
- ^ "Vehicle Divestment in Erbil". U.S. Army Europe and Africa. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ "Kurdistan Peshmerga forces receive roughly 70 vehicles from US-led Coalition". Kurdistan24. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ "Global Coalition delivers military vehicles to the Peshmerga". Shafaq News. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o IISS 2017, p. 564.
- ^ "US howitzer transfer to Peshmerga stokes Iraqi fears of heavily-armed Erbil". Amwaj.media. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
- ^ Matamis, Joaquin (1 November 2024). "US Supply of Heavy Weapons to the KRG Worries Baghdad • Stimson Center". Stimson Center. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
- ^ a b c "German Military Aid to the Kurdish Peshmerga". AGI. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2025.
Bibliography
- Holtom, Paul; Rigual, Christelle (14 June 2015). "CHAPTER 4. Trade Update: After the 'Arab Spring'". Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World. Cambridge University Press: 84−123. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- International Institute for Strategic Studies (13 February 2017). "Chapter Ten: Country comparisons and defence data". The Military Balance. 117 (1). Taylor & Francis: 549–564. doi:10.1080/04597222.2017.1271217. ISSN 0459-7222. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- McNab, Chris (2023). The SVD Dragunov Rifle. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-5599-2.