# SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, Iraq 1973–1990

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI, Arms Transfers Database contains information on all international transfers of major weapons (including sales, gifts and production under licence) to states, international organizations and armed non-state groups since 1950. It is the only publicly available resource providing consistent data on arms transfers for this length of time. The database can be used to track transfers of major weapons and to answer such questions as:
* Who are the main suppliers and recipients of major weapons?
* How have relations between different suppliers and recipients changed over time?
* Where do countries in conflict get their weapons?
* How do states implement their export control regulations?
* Where are potentially destabilizing build-ups of weapons occurring today?
* What major weapons have been exported or imported?

## Imports of conventional arms by Iraq 1973–1990, by source

Values are shown in millions of US dollars at constant (1990) estimated values. "Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact" includes Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The majority of these transfers came from the Soviet Union, followed by Czechoslovakia.
| Year | Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact | France | China (PRC) | United States | Egypt | Others | Total |
| 1973 | 1,321 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,326 |
| 1974 | 1,471 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,476 |
| 1975 | 1,087 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,122 |
| 1976 | 1,161 | 119 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,280 |
| 1977 | 1,062 | 106 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,168 |
| 1978 | 1,827 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1,873 |
| 1979 | 1,108 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1,203 |
| 1973–79 | 9,037 | 374 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 9,448 |
| 1973–79 | 95.7% | 4.0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.4% | 100% |
| 1980 | 1,665 | 241 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 114 | 2,032 |
| 1981 | 1,780 | 731 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 182 | 2,739 |
| 1982 | 2,023 | 673 | 217 | 0 | 71 | 227 | 3,211 |
| 1980–82 | 5,468 | 1,645 | 217 | 0 | 129 | 523 | 7,982 |
| 1980–82 | 68.5% | 20.6% | 2.7% | 0% | 1.6% | 6.6% | 100% |
| 1983 | 1,898 | 779 | 745 | 21 | 58 | 773 | 4,274 |
| 1984 | 2,857 | 883 | 1,065 | 6 | 0 | 116 | 4,927 |
| 1985 | 2,601 | 700 | 1,036 | 9 | 32 | 116 | 4,494 |
| 1986 | 2,663 | 251 | 918 | 9 | 70 | 86 | 3,997 |
| 1987 | 2,719 | 214 | 887 | 30 | 114 | 157 | 4,121 |
| 1988 | 1,202 | 355 | 301 | 125 | 118 | 196 | 2,297 |
| 1983–88 | 13,940 | 3,182 | 4,952 | 200 | 392 | 1,444 | 24,110 |
| 1983–88 | 57.8% | 13.2% | 20.5% | 0.8% | 1.6% | 6.0% | 100% |
| 1989 | 1,319 | 113 | 23 | 0 | 47 | 67 | 1,569 |
| 1990 | 537 | 281 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 851 |
| Total $ | 30,301 | 5,595 | 5,192 | 200 | 568 | 2,104 | 43,960 |
| Total % | 68.9% | 12.7% | 11.8% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 4.8% | 100% |
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) makes the following comment of the methodology of this table:
   $^{TheSIPRIdataonarmstransfersrefertoactualdeliveriesofmajorconventionalweapons.Topermitcomparisonbetweenthedataonsuchdeliveriesofdifferentweaponsandidentificationofgeneraltrends,SIPRIusesatrend-indicatorvalue.TheSIPRIvaluesarethereforeonlyanindicatorofthevolumeofinternationalarmstransfersandnotoftheactualfinancialvaluesofsuchtransfers.}$
SIPRI's data are founded entirely on open sources:
   $^{ThetypeofopeninformationusedbySIPRIcannotprovideacomprehensivepictureofworldarmstransfers.Publishedreportsoftenprovideonlypartialinformation,andsubstantialdisagreementamongreportsiscommon.Orderanddeliverydates,exactnumbers,typesofweaponandtheidentityofsuppliersorrecipientsmaynotalwaysbeclear.}$

## Arms suppliers to Iraq

The table shows the majority of conventional arms imported by Iraq during the 1970s, when the regime was building up the armies which were to attack Iran in 1980, were supplied by the Soviet Union and its satellites, principally Czechoslovakia. The only substantial Western arms supplier to Iraq was France, which continued to be a major supplier until 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and all legal arms transfers to Iraq ended.
The United States did not supply any arms to Iraq until 1982, when Iran's growing military success alarmed American policymakers. It then did so every year until 1988. These sales amounted to less than 1% of the total arms sold to Iraq in the relevant period. Although most other countries never hesitated to sell military hardware directly to Saddam Hussein's regime, the U.S., equally keen to protect its interests in the region, opted for and developed an indirect approach. The CIA began covertly directing non-U.S. origin hardware to Hussein's armed forces, "to ensure that Iraq had sufficient military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to avoid losing the Iran-Iraq war." The full extent of these transfers is not yet known, and details do not appear in the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, which relies entirely on open sources.
In 1996, the Scott Report in the United Kingdom investigated arms sales to Iraq in the 1980s by Matrix Churchill in what became known as the Arms-to-Iraq scandal.

## Table of major conventional arms sales to Iraq by country

| Country | Weapon designation | Weapon description | Year(s) delivered | Quantity delivered |
| Austria | GHN-45 155mm | Towed Gun | 1983 | 200 |
| Brazil | EMB-312 Tucano | Trainer aircraft | 1985-1988 | 80 |
| Brazil | Astros II MLRS | Multiple rocket launcher | 1984-1988 | 67 |
| Brazil | EE-11 Urutu | APC | 1983-1984 | 350 |
| Brazil | EE-3 Jararaca | Recon vehicle | 1984-1985 | 280 |
| Brazil | EE-9 Cascavel | Armoured car | 1980-1989 | 1026 |
| Brazil | Astros AV-UCF | Fire control radar | 1984-1988 | 13 |
| Canada | PT-6 | Turboprop | 1980-1990 | 152 |
| China | Xian H-6 | Bomber aircraft | 1988 | 4 |
| China | F-6 | Fighter aircraft | 1982-1983 | 40 |
| China | F-7A | Fighter aircraft | 1983-1987 | 80 |
| China | Type-63 107mm | Multiple rocket launcher | 1984-1988 | 100 |
| China | Type-83 152mm | Towed gun | 1988-1989 | 50 |
| China | W-653/Type-653 | ARV | 1986-1987 | 25 |
| China | WZ-120/Type-59 | Tank | 1982-1987 | 1000 |
| China | WZ-121/Type 69 | Tank | 1983-1987 | 1500 |
| China | YW-531/Type-63 | APC | 1982-1988 | 650 |
| China | CEIEC-408C | Air surv radar | 1986-1988 | 5 |
| China | HN-5A | Portable SAM | 1986-1987 | 1000 |
| China | HY-2/SY1A/CSS-N-2 | Anti-ship missile | 1987-1988 | 200 |
| Czechoslovakia | L-39Z Albatross | Trainer/combat aircraft | 1976-1985 | 59 |
| Czechoslovakia | BMP-1 | Infantry fighting vehicle | 1981-1987 | 750 |
| Czechoslovakia | BMP-2 | Infantry fighting vehicle | 1987-1989 | 250 |
| Czechoslovakia | OT-64C | APC | 1981 | 200 |
| Czechoslovakia | T-55 | Tank | 1982-1985 | 400 |
| Denmark | Al Zahraa | Landing ship | 1983 | 3 |
| East Germany | T-55 | Tank | 1981 | 50 |
| Egypt | D-30 122mm | Towed gun | 1985-1989 | 210 |
| Egypt | M-46 130mm | Towed gun | 1981-1983 | 96 |
| Egypt | RL-21 122mm | Multiple rocket launcher | 1987-1989 | 300 |
| Egypt | T-55 | Tank | 1981-1983 | 300 |
| Egypt | Walid | APC | 1980 | 100 |
| France | Mirage F-1C | Fighter aircraft | 1982-1990 | 106 |
| France | Mirage F-1E | FGA aircraft | 1980-1982 | 19 |
| France | SA-312H Super Frelon | Helicopter | 1981 | 6 |
| France | SA-330 Puma | Helicopter | 1980-1981 | 20 |
| France | SA-342K/L Gazelle | Light helicopter | 1980-1988 | 38 |
| France | Super Etendard | FGA aircraft | 1983 | 5 |
| France | AMX-GCT/AU-F1 | Self-propelled gun | 1983-1985 | 85 |
| France | AMX-10P | Infantry fighting vehicle | 1981-1982 | 100 |
| France | AMX-30D | ARV | 1981 | 5 |
| France | ERC-90 | Armoured car | 1980-1984 | 200 |
| France | M-3 VTT | APC | 1983-1984 | 115 |
| France | VCR-TH | Tank destroyer | 1979-1981 | 100 |
| France | Rasit | Ground surv radar | 1985 | 2 |
| France | Roland | Mobile SAM system | 1982-1985 | 113 |
| France | TRS-2100 Tiger | Air surv radar | 1988 | 1 |
| France | TRS-2105/6 Tiger-G | Air surv radar | 1986-1989 | 5 |
| France | TRS-2230/15 Tiger | Air surv radar | 1984-1985 | 6 |
| France | Volex | Air surv radar | 1981-1983 | 5 |
| France | AM-39 Exocet | Anti-ship missile | 1979-1988 | 352 |
| France | ARMAT | Anti-radar missile | 1986-1990 | 450 |
| France | AS-30L | ASM | 1986-1990 | 240 |
| France | HOT | Anti-tank missile | 1981-1982 | 1000 |
| France | R-550 Magic-1 | SRAAM | 1981-1985 | 534 |
| France | Roland-2 | SAM | 1981-1990 | 2260 |
| France | Super 530F | BVRAAM | 1981-1985 | 300 |
| West Germany | BK-117 | Helicopter | 1984-1989 | 22 |
| West Germany | Bo-105C | Light Helicopter | 1979-1982 | 20 |
| West Germany | Bo-105L | Light Helicopter | 1988 | 6 |
| Hungary | PSZH-D-994 | APC | 1981 | 300 |
| Italy | A-109 Hirundo | Light Helicopter | 1982 | 2 |
| Italy | S-61 | Helicopter | 1982 | 6 |
| Italy | Stromboli class | Support ship | 1981 | 1 |
| Jordan | S-76 Spirit | Helicopter | 1985 | 2 |
| Poland | Mi-2/Hoplite | Helicopter | 1984-1985 | 15 |
| Poland | MT-LB | APC | 1983-1990 | 750 |
| Poland | T-55 | Tank | 1981-1982 | 400 |
| Poland | T-72M1 | Tank | 1982-1990 | 500 |
| Romania | T-55 | Tank | 1982-1984 | 150 |
| Yugoslavia | M-87 Orkan 262mm | Multiple rocket launcher | 1988 | 2 |
| South Africa | G-5 155mm | Towed gun | 1985-1988 | 200 |
| Switzerland | PC-7 Turbo trainer | Trainer aircraft | 1980-1983 | 52 |
| Switzerland | PC-9 | Trainer aircraft | 1987-1990 | 20 |
| Switzerland | Roland | APC/IFV | 1981 | 100 |
| United Kingdom | Chieftain/ARV | ARV | 1982 | 29 |
| United Kingdom | Cymbeline | Arty locating radar | 1986-1988 | 10 |
| United States | MD-500MD Defender | Light Helicopter | 1983 | 30 |
| United States | Hughes-300/TH-55 | Light Helicopter | 1983 | 30 |
| United States | MD-530F | Light Helicopter | 1986 | 26 |
| United States | Bell 214ST | Helicopter | 1988 | 31 |
| Soviet Union | Il-76M/Candid-B | Strategic airlifter | 1978-1984 | 33 |
| Soviet Union | Mi-24D/Mi-25/Hind-D | Attack helicopter | 1978-1984 | 12 |
| Soviet Union | Mi-8/Mi-17/Hip-H | Transport helicopter | 1986-1987 | 37 |
| Soviet Union | Mi-8TV/Hip-F | Transport helicopter | 1984 | 30 |
| Soviet Union | Mig-21bis/Fishbed-N | Fighter aircraft | 1983-1984 | 61 |
| Soviet Union | Mig-23BN/Flogger-H | FGA aircraft | 1984-1985 | 50 |
| Soviet Union | Mig-25P/Foxbat-A | Interceptor aircraft | 1980-1985 | 55 |
| Soviet Union | Mig-25RB/Foxbat-B | Recon aircraft | 1982 | 8 |
| Soviet Union | Mig-29/Fulcrum-A | Fighter aircraft | 1986-1989 | 41 |
| Soviet Union | Su-22/Fitter-H/J/K | FGA aircraft | 1986-1987 | 61 |
| Soviet Union | Su-25/Frogfoot-A | Ground attack aircraft | 1986-1987 | 84 |
| Soviet Union | 2A36 152mm | Towed gun | 1986-1988 | 180 |
| Soviet Union | 2S1 122mm | Self-Propelled Howitzer | 1980-1989 | 150 |
| Soviet Union | 2S3 152mm | Self-propelled gun | 1980-1989 | 150 |
| Soviet Union | 2S4 240mm | Self-propelled mortar | 1983 | 10 |
| Soviet Union | 9P117/SS-1 Scud TEL | SSM launcher | 1983-1984 | 10 |
| Soviet Union | BM-21 Grad 122mm | Multiple rocket launcher | 1983-1988 | 560 |
| Soviet Union | D-30 122mm | Towed gun | 1982-1988 | 576 |
| Soviet Union | M-240 240mm | Mortar | 1981 | 25 |
| Soviet Union | M-46 130mm | Towed Gun | 1982-1987 | 576 |
| Soviet Union | 9K35 Strela-10/SA-13 | AAV(M) | 1985 | 30 |
| Soviet Union | BMD-1 | IFV | 1981 | 10 |
| Soviet Union | PT-76 | Light tank | 1984 | 200 |
| Soviet Union | SA-9/9P31 | AAV(M) | 1982-1985 | 160 |
| Soviet Union | Long Track | Air surv radar | 1980-1984 | 10 |
| Soviet Union | SA-8b/9K33M Osa AK | Mobile SAM system | 1982-1985 | 50 |
| Soviet Union | Thin Skin | Air surv radar | 1980-1984 | 5 |
| Soviet Union | 9M111/AT-4 Spigot | Anti-tank missile | 1986-1989 | 3000 |
| Soviet Union | 9M37/SA-13 Gopher | SAM | 1985-1986 | 960 |
| Soviet Union | KSR-5/AS-6 Kingfish | Anti-ship missile | 1984 | 36 |
| Soviet Union | Kh-28/AS-9 Kyle | Anti-radar missile | 1983-1988 | 250 |
| Soviet Union | R-13S/AA2S Atoll | SRAAM | 1984-1987 | 1080 |
| Soviet Union | R-17/SS-1c Scud-B | SSM | 1982-1988 | 840 |
| Soviet Union | R-27/AA-10 Alamo | BVRAAM | 1986-1989 | 246 |
| Soviet Union | R-40R/AA-6 Acrid | BVRAAM | 1980-1985 | 660 |
| Soviet Union | R-60/AA-8 Aphid | SRAAM | 1986-1989 | 582 |
| Soviet Union | SA-8b Gecko/9M33M | SAM | 1982-1985 | 1290 |
| Soviet Union | SA-9 Gaskin/9M31 | SAM | 1982-1985 | 1920 |
| Soviet Union | Strela-3/SA-14 Gremlin | Portable SAM | 1987-1988 | 500 |

## Political implications

The Soviet Union and her satellites were the main suppliers of arms to Iraq following the 1972 signing of the Soviet-Iraqi Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. France was another important supplier of weapons to Iraq during the 1970s. The United States, the world's leading arms exporter, did not have normal relations with Iraq from 1967 (due to the Six-Day War) until 1984.
Soviet-Iraqi relations suffered strains in the late 1970s. When Iraq invaded Iran in 1980, the Soviet Union cut off weapons sales to Iraq and did not resume them until 1982. During the war, the People's Republic of China became a major new source of weapons for Iraq, with increasing sales from France, the U.K. and Egypt.