US Department of Defense to provide Iraq with 250 MRAPs for helping in fight against Islamic State

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Defence & Security News - United States
 
 
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 12:09 PM
 
US Department of Defense to provide Iraq with 250 MRAPs for helping in fight against Islamic State
According to an official statement, the US Department of Defense plans to provide the Iraqi National Security Forces with 250 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles for helping in fight against Islamic State. Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, confirmed last Friday the MRAPs deal, which would be done as part of its “Excess Defense Articles” program.
     
According to an official statement, the US Department of Defense plans to provide the Iraqi National Security Forces with 250 MRAPs for helping in fight against Islamic State. Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, confirmed last Friday the MRAP deal, which would be done as part of its “Excess Defense Articles” program.
     
The Pentagon is expected to send about 250 of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to Iraq early next year, Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said on Friday December 12 at a news briefing.

The Iraqis likely will not have to pay for the vehicles. Other Pentagon officials said that the transfer of the MRAPs would probably be done as “Excess Defense Articles,” which would allow the Defense Department to give them to the Iraqis with State Department approval.

there are about 1,500 MRAPs in Kuwait with U.S. forces there, and the 250 for the Iraqis would likely come from that lot, the officials said.

The decision to send Iraq MRAPs comes just one month after the Pentagon announced that it would be sending its Joint IED Defeat Organization to the country to train security forces.