11/14/2010 – This video shows the ceremony to commemorate the first two tanks delivered to the Iraqi army.
Credit: United States Forces – Iraq, Deputy Commanding General (Advising and Training), October 18th, 2010
These tanks are from the first shipment of 11 Iraqi M1A1 Abrams tanks and an M88 heavy recovery vehicle, which arrived at the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq on August 9th. The remaining 129 tanks and 7 M88 recovery vehicles are scheduled for delivery in similar monthly increments until about December 2011.
The tanks are being transferred to Iraqi control at the Besmaya Combat Training Center, and are programmed for integration into the 9th Iraqi Army Mechanized Division located in central Iraq. Iraqi crewmembers are also scheduled to receive a complete new training package, in conjunction with the fielding of the tanks.
The U.S. and Iraqi Armies collaboratively developed a training program in 2009 to help familiarize Iraqi crewmembers with the Abrams tank, using American tanks to train 65 initial Iraqi crews.
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