The 1991 Persian Gulf War

Egypt

by David Nilsen and Greg Novak

The Egyptian Army sent two of its best equipped divisions, both of which had last seen active service in the 1973 war. The Bright Star Exercises in the 1980s held between the US Central Command and the Egyptian Army, as well as the equipment received from the US, allowed the Egyptian Army to upgrade itself throughout this decade. The decision to send troops to Kuwait was greeted with mixed results in Egypt itself, but the Egyptian Army was willing to serve.

The Egyptian Rangers should be rated as Experienced, Morale 9, while all other Egyptian units should be rated as Experienced, Morale 8.

II Corps (Egyptian)

3rd Mechanized Division

Divisional Headquarters, with:

    1 command stand
    1 M577 TOC
    1 jeep

3rd Division Recon Battalion, with:

    Battalion Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand
      1 TOC
      1 BRDM-2
      1 5-ton supply truck

    3 Recon Companies, each with: 1 command BRDM-2 and 2 recon BRDM-2

8th Armored Brigade, with:

    Brigade Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand 1 M113A2 APC
      1 M577 TOC
      2 5-ton supply trucks
      2 M88 ARV

    Brigade AA Company, with: 2 M113 Sinai Antiaircraft vehicle
    Brigade AT Company, with: 2 M-901 ITV
    Brigade Engineer Company, with:

      1 command engineer stand
      2 engineer stands
      3 Mll3A2 APC
      1 5-ton supply truck

    3 Tank Battalions, each with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command M60A3
        1 maintenance van
        1 5-ton supply truck

      Tank Company, with:
        1 command M60A3
        1 M60A3

      2 Tank Companies, each with: 2 M60A3

    Mechanized Infantry Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 M113A2 APC
        1 SP 120mm mortar
        1 Sala Eye stand
        1 jeep
        2 jeeps with Milans

      3 Mechanized Infantry Companies, each with:

        1 command infantry stand
        1 infantry stand
        1 Sakr Eye SAM team
        1 M113A2 APC
        1 M113A2 with Milan

10th and 12th Mechanized Brigades, each with:

    Brigade Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand
      1 M113A2 APC
      1 M577 TOC
      2 5-ton supply trucks
      2 M88 ARV

    Brigade AA Company, with: 2 M113 Sinai Antiaircraft vehicle
    Brigade mortar Company, with: 1 SP 120mm mortar
    Brigade AT Company, with: 2 jeeps with TOW

    Tank Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command M6OA3
        1 maintenance van
        1 5-ton supply truck
        1 M88 ARV

      Tank Company, with: 1 command M60A3 and 1 M60A3
      2 Tank Companies, each with: 1 M60A3 with mine roller and 1 M60A3 with bulldozer blade

    3 Mechanized Infantry Battalions, each with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 M113A2 APC
        1 SP 120mm mortar
        1 Sakr Eye stand
        1 jeep
        1 jeep with Milan

      3 Mechanized Infantry Companies, each with:

        1 command infantry stand
        1 infantry stand
        1 Sala Eye stand
        1 M113A2 APC
        1 M113A2 with Milan

39th Artillery Brigade, with:

    Brigade Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand
      1 M113A2 APC
      1 M577 TOC
      2 5-ton supply trucks
      1 M88 ARV

    2 Towed Howitzer Battalions, each with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 FO stand
        1 M577 TOC
        1 M113A2
        2 5-ton supply trucks

      3 Firing Batteries, each with:

        1 D-30 120mm towed howitzer
        1 gun crew stand (ds)
        1 5-ton truck

    Self-Propelled Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 FO stand
        1 M577 TOC
        1 M113A2

      3 Firing Batteries, each with:

        2 M109A2 SP 155 Howitzers
        1 M548 ammo tractor

    Self-Propelled Rocket Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 FO stand
        1 M577 TOC
        1 M113A2

      3 Firing Batteries, each with:

        1 BM-21 MRLS
        1 5-ton ammo truck

    3rd and 4th Division Engineer Battalions, each with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 M113A2 APC
        1 M577 TOC
        2 5-ton supply trucks

      3 Combat Engineer Companies, each with:

        1 command engineer stand
        1 engineer stand
        2 Mll3A2 APC
        1 line charge trailer
        2 dumptrucks
        1 minelayer

      Technical Company, with:

        1 command engineer stand
        1 earthmover
        1 M113A2 APC
        2 entrenching vehicles
        1 M60A3 with full-width mine rake
        2 AVLB

    3rd Division AA Battalion, with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 jeep
        1 TOC
        2 5-ton supply trucks

      2 Batteries, each with: 2 SU-57
      2 Batteries, each with: 2 M113 Sinai Antiaircraft vehicle

4th Armored Division

Divisional Headquarters, as above
4th Division Recon Battalion, as above
2nd and 3rd Armored Brigade, each as 8th Brigade above
6th Mechanized Brigades, as 10th and 12th Brigade above, but no mine rollers or bulldozer blades with tanks
4th Artillery Brigade, as above
4th Division Engineer Battalion (with 3d Division, above)
4th Division AA Battalion, as above

II Corps Artillery Brigade

    Brigade Headquarters, with:
      1 command stand
      1 M113A2 APC
      1 M577 TOC
      4 5-ton supply trucks

    2 Towed Gun Battalions, each with:

      Battalion Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 FO stand
        1 TOC
        1 M113A2

      3 Firing Batteries, each with:

        1 M-46 130mm towed gun
        1 gun crew stand (ds)
        1 5-ton truck

      Towed Gun Battalion, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 FO stand
          1 TOC
          1 M113A2

        3 Firing Batteries, each with:

          1 S-23 180mm towed gun
          1 gun crew stand (ds)
          1 5-ton truck

    126th Antiaircraft Brigade, with:

      Brigade Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 TOC
        2 5-ton supply trucks

      2 Towed Gun Battalions, each with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 TOC
          1 jeep
          1 Sakr Eye stand
          1 light truck

        3 Firing Batteries, each with:

          1 S-60 57mm. towed gun
          1 gun crew stand
          1 light truck

      Missile Battalion, with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 TOC
          1 maintenance van

        3 Firing Batteries, each with:

          1 SA-6 TEL
          1 gun crew stand (ds)
          1 5-ton truck
          1 Sakr Eye stand
          1 light truck

    1st Ranger Regiment, with:

      Regimental Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 M113A2 APC
        1 M577 TOC
        2 5-ton supply trucks

      Regimental Mortar Company, with:

        1 120mm mortar
        1 gun crew stand (ds)
        1 medium truck

      4 Ranger/Commando Battalions, each with:

        Battalion Headquarters, with:
          1 command stand
          1 Sakr Eye stand
          2 jeeps
          1 jeep with Milan
          1 82mm mortar stand (ds)

        3 Ranger Companies, each with:

          1 command Ranger stand
          2 Ranger stand
          3 jeeps

Notes

1. The Sakr Eye is an Egyptian upgrade of the SA-7b. Its actual Arabic name is Ayn as-Sakr (Eye of the Falcon); the bastardized half-Arabic, half-English name is presumably the result of international marketing efforts.

2. The M113 Sinai Antiaircraft vehicle mounts a twin Egyptian 23mm. AA gun (ROF 5, SA 20") with the Sakr Eye SAM (ROF 2).

3. The RPG-7 remains the LAW weapon of the Egyptian Army.

4. The 10th and 12th MechBrigades (3rd Mechanized Division) are thell Corps breaching force. Each of these is augmented by one of the engineer battalions and two companies of rangers.

5. The 1st Ranger Regiment has also been identified as the 20th Special Forces Regiment, the 5th Parachute Brigade, and the 127th Commando Brigade. The above organization is tentative at best.

More Tables of Organization

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© Copyright 1994 by Greg Novak.
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