Modern Gulf war Coalition

COALITION ORGANISATIONS 1990-1991 GULF WAR

Sources: These include “Certain Victory” by Brig. Gen. Robert Scales & the Desert Storm Study Project; Office of the Chief of Staff, US Army; 1993. “Triumph Without Victory” by US News & World Report; Times Books; 1992. “Crusade” by Rick Atkinson; Random House; 1992. “Phase Line Smash” by Dave Nilsen; GDW; 1993. “Interim Report to Congress on the Conduct of the Persian Gulf War“; by the US DoD; July, 1991. “Armies of the Gulf War“; by Gordon Rottman & Ron Volstad; Osprey; 1995. Also various official US Army and US Marine Corps publications on organisation and doctrine.

Army Corps

The Coalition forces for Operation Desert Sabre were organised into four corps equivalents: XVIII; VII; 1st MEF; Arab Joint Forces Command.

XVIII Corps: French 6th Light Armoured Division; US 82nd Airborne Division (less one brigade assigned as reserve for Arab force); US 101st Air Assault Division; US 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment; US 24th Infantry Division (Mech.); US 18th Field Artillery Brigade; US 212th Field Artillery Brigade

VII Corps: US 1st Infantry Division (Mech.); US 1st Armoured Division; US 3rd Armoured Division; British 1st Armoured Division; US 2nd Armoured Cavalry Regiment; (US 1st Cavalry Division was attached from ARCENT on 26th February); US 75th Field Artillery Brigade; US 210th Field Artillery Brigade; US 142nd Field Artillery Brigade; US 42nd FA Brigade; US 11th Aviation Brigade

1st MEF: 1st Marine Division; 2nd Marine Division; 1st Tiger Brigade, 2nd Armoured Division

Arab Joint Forces Command: JFC-N; Syrian 9th Armoured Division; Syrian 45th Commando Regiment; Egyptian II Corps of 4th Armoured Division; 3rd Mechanised Division; 185th Ranger Regiment; Saudi 20th Mechanised Infantry Brigade; Saudi 4th Armoured Brigade; Kuwaiti Shaheed and Al-Tahir Brigades

JFC-E; Taskforce Omar: Saudi 10th Infantry Brigade; UAE Motorised Infantry Battalion; Omani Motorised Infantry Battalion. Taskforce Othman: Saudi 8th Mechanised Infantry Brigade; Bahraini Infantry Company; Kuwaiti Al-Fatah Brigade. Taskforce Abu Bakr: Saudi 2nd National Guard Motorised Infantry Brigade; Qatari Mechanised Infantry Battalion.

18th Field Artillery Brigade

3-8 FA Bn: 24 M198 155mm towed howitzers in three batteries of eight each; 24 M925A1 5-ton trucks as prime movers plus additional HQ and support units

6-27 FA Bn: three nine launcher batteries plus HQ and support units. (One battery was attached to 75 FA Bn during Desert Sabre). Each battery has nine M270 SPLL, four M577 and 42 support vehicles manned by six officers and 125 enlisted. (A and B batteries were equipped with ATACMS missiles)

1-201 FA Bn: 18 M109A2 155mm howitzers, 18 M548 ammunition resupply vehicles, 13 M577, 3 ARV, up to nine M981 FISTV and over one hundred soft vehicles. Organised into three batteries of six M109A2 and associated support vehicles

212th Field Artillery Brigade

2-17 FA Bn: organised as 1-201 FA with 3×6 M109A2

2-18 FA Bn: organised into three batteries each of 8 M110A2 203mm howitzers, 8 M548, 4 M577, 1 ARV, 2 FISTV

3-27 FA Bn: organised as 6-27 FA with 27 MRLS

210th Field Artillery Brigade

3-17 FA Bn: 24 M109A2 155mm howitzers, 24 M992 ammunition resupply vehicles, 13 M577, 3 ARV, up to six M981 FISTV, and 166 soft vehicles

6-41 FA Bn: organised as 3-17 FA with 24 M109A2

4-27 FA Bn (-): one battery of nine MRLS, 4 M577, and 42 support vehicles

75th Field Artillery Brigade

5-18 FA Bn: organised as 2-18 FA with 24 M110A2

A Battery 6-27 FA Bn: one battery of nine MRLS

1-158 FA Bn: organised as 6-27 FA with 27 MLRS

1-17 FA Bn: organised as 1-201 FA with 3×6 M109A2

42 Field Artillery Brigade

2-29 FA Bn: organised as 3-17 FA with 24 M109A2

3-20 FA Bn: organised as 3-17 FA with 24 M109A2

142nd Field Artillery Brigade

1-142 FA Bn: organised with three batteries of four M110A2 203mm howitzers plus support vehicles

2-142 FA Bn: organised as 1-142 FA with 12 M110A2

12th Aviation Brigade

3-227th Aviation Battalion: three attack helicopter companies each with six AH-64A Apaches and four OH-58C/D Kiowas, plus headquarters, and a service company with one OH-58, three UH-60As, and 58 other support vehicles. A total of 18 AH-64 and 13 OH-58 in combat units, 25 officers, 46 warrant officers, and 193 enlisted

5-6 Cavalry Battalion: organised as 3-227th Aviation

11th Aviation Brigade

4-229th Aviation Battalion: organised as 3-227th Aviation

2-6 Cavalry Battalion: organised as 3-227th Aviation

Armoured Cavalry Regiment

Consists of a Headquarters; a Support Squadron; three Cavalry Squadrons; an Aviation Squadron; a Chemical Company (consisting of a smoke/decontamination platoon with M113s and a reconnaissance platoon with Fox armoured vehicles); an Engineer Company (consisting of a HQ with 3 MICLIC, 3 CEVs and 3 Volcano minelayers and three Engineer Platoons each with a HQ of 8 men, an M113, a HUMMWV, 2 M9 ACE, and one 5-ton truck; and three squads of 1 M113 and 8 men); a MI Company (possessing collection and jamming assets including GSRs on M113s); and an ADA Battery (has a Stinger Platoon with a total of 22 Stinger teams in five sections or an Avenger Platoon with 2 HQ HUMMWVs, and 4 Avenger systems). The MI company comprises a headquarters (commander, 1st Sgt and administrative personnel), a service support platoon, a communications platoon, an operations support platoon with interrogator teams, a surveillance platoon (HQ, three squads each 3 GSR on M113), and an electronic warfare platoon including HF/VHF jammers and intercept equipment.

An Armoured Cavalry Squadron�s equipment totals six 107mm mortar carriers, nine M577s, 11 M113s, three M60 AVLBs, 7 ARVs, 38 M3 CFV, and 41 M1A1 Abrams. This equipment is organised as a headquarters and headquarters troop (HHT), plus three armoured cavalry troops each with two mortar carriers, 12 M3s, and nine M1A1s; and a pure tank company with 14 M1A1s. The squadron also includes an organic howitzer battery of eight M109A2s, eight M992 or M548 resupply vehicles, two M577s, six M981 FISTVs, one ARV, and 24 other support vehicles.

The Aviation Squadron had a total of 26 AH-1F, 26 OH-58C/D, 3 EH-1H, one OH-58A, and 18 UH-60A helicopters and 107 other support vehicles. The helicopters were organised into two attack helicopter companies with seven AH-1s and four OH-58s each, and three Air Cav troops of four AH-1s and six OH-58s each, with the remaining 22 helos belonging to the headquarters troop.

3rd ACR had 3-18 FA Bn attached. This was a 24 tube M109 battalion.

US Heavy Division

There are four brigades in a division, numbered one through three, with the fourth brigade labelled the Aviation Brigade. Several of the divisions deployed without their “roundout” National Guard brigade and were assigned the combat brigades of other US Army heavy divisions. For instance the 3rd Infantry Division�s 3rd Brigade became the 1st Armoured Division�s 1st Brigade. The 1st Cavalry Division only had two combat brigades.

Both armour and mechanised divisions have a common “base” which includes the division headquarters staff and numerous supporting units, including an air defence battalion, an engineer battalion, a Cavalry squadron, a signal battalion, a chemical company, a military intelligence battalion, a MP battalion, etc. To this base are added the division artillery and a combat aviation brigade.

Divisional MI Battalion, Heavy

This is a large collection of assets including interrogation teams (12 interrogators in total) and counter-intelligence specialists (25 personnel). Its main assets include six heavy GSRs and eighteen light GSRs in three platoons. It has five remote sensing teams of three men and an APC with remote sensors each. It has an intercept platoon with Trailblazer DF systems, three Teampack non-voice ELINT systems, and three low level voice intercept teams of six operators each in light transport. There are three COMJAM teams in light transport with a jammer each and three heavy COMJAM teams with an M113 mounted jammer each. The EH-60 QUICKFIX system in the Aviation brigade is usually OPCON to the MI battalion.

Divisional Engineer Battalion, Heavy

Because almost every engineer battalion was task-forced, split up and re-shuffled, the following is a standard organisation, which may not reflect actual combat arrangements.

A divisional engineer battalion included 25 M9 ACEs, eight M728 CEVs, 16 M60 AVLBs, seven M577s, 48 M113s, four ARVs, and 171 other vehicles, including dump trucks, back hoes, and fork lifts. Personnel total 43 officers, seven warrant officers, and 839 enlisted. The battalion consists of a headquarters, a heavy company and three engineer companies.

Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion, Heavy

This unit was in a state of flux in 1991, as the expected new air defence assets had not yet arrived. Thus the structure and assets are not necessarily authoritative. The battalion had a headquarters and headquarters battery that included a Stinger platoon with three sections (each of a HQ in a HMMWV and five Stinger teams in HUMMWVs). There were three Chaparral/Vulcan batteries each with a Chaparral platoon (with nine systems), two M163 platoons (with nine systems each), and a Stinger platoon with three sections (organised as above).

Divisional Artillery, Heavy

Each American heavy division had a battery of nine MLRS launchers, organised as above. The 1st Armoured Division also had two extra batteries of MLRS from 4-27 FA. The 3rd Armoured Division had a complete extra MLRS battalion � 1-27 FA. The Division Target Acquisition Battery had 3 mortar locating radars and two artillery locating radars; it also had four sound ranging sets; and one MTI radar � this equipment may be given to the various artillery battalions as support.

Each heavy division had three battalions of M109s, used for direct support of the three manoeuvre brigades. These battalions were all organised on the 3×8 basis as above.

Aviation Brigade, Heavy

This included one or two (in the case of 1st Armoured Division and 1st Cavalry Division) Attack Helicopter Battalion(s). These were organised into three attack helicopter companies each with six AH-64A Apaches and four OH-58C/D Kiowas, plus headquarters and a service company with one OH-58, three UH-60As, and 58 other support vehicles. Total combat strength is therefore 18 AH-64 and 13 OH-58.

The General Support Aviation Battalion had a command aviation company with eight UH-60s, six OH-58Cs, and four EH-60s; two support aviation companies with eight UH-60s each; and a maintenance company.

Divisional Cavalry Squadron, Heavy

The squadron is equipped with 12 AH-1F, eight OH-58C/D, and one UH-60A helicopters, six 107mm mortar carriers, eight M577 command vehicles, five M113s, 40 M3 CFVs, two FISTVs, four ARVs, and 87 other support vehicles. Personnel total 36 officers, 26 warrant officers, and 479 enlisted.

The squadron�s headquarters troop includes two M3s and the FISTVs. The two ground scout troops together comprise the six mortars, two M577s, two M113s, 38 M3s, two ARVs, and six other support vehicles, totalling 10 officers and 246 enlisted.

The two Air Cav troops each had 6 AH-1F and four OH-58s.

Two units had experimental organisations. 2-4 Cav of the 24th Infantry Division had a complete tank company of 14 M1A1s attached. 1-4 Cav of the 1st Infantry Division was reconfigured before deploying to include nine M1A1s, in three sections, and an M3 commander�s vehicle, with the ground troops.

Armoured Battalion

These were primarily equipped with the M1A1 or M1A1(HA) tank.

The HHC had two tanks, eight M577 command vehicles and 13 M113s, a scout platoon with six M3s, a mortar platoon with six M106 107mm mortar carriers, seven ARVs, and 85 other support vehicles. There were four tank companies each of 14 tanks, for a total of 58 tanks.

Two battalions of the 24th Infantry Division had experimental scout platoons, one with eight TOW-armed HUMMWVs and the other with six TOW HUMMWVs and four M3s. 3-69 Armour in the 24th Infantry gave up one of its companies to reinforce 2-4 Cav and so had only three companies. Two of the 1st Infantry�s tank battalions (3-37 Armour and 4-37 Armour) had the IPM1 tank with 105mm gun.

Mechanised Infantry Battalion

These were primarily equipped with the M2A1/A2 Bradley.

The HHC consisted of two M2s, eight M577s, 19 M113s, a scout platoon with six M3s, a mortar platoon with six M106s, seven ARVs, and 101 other support vehicles. Four rifle companies each hold 13 Bradleys and their embarked infantry in three platoons of four vehicles. One antiarmour company had 12 M901 ITOW vehicles and four M113s.

Two Mech Battalions in the 197th Separate Infantry Brigade attached to the 24th Infantry Division fought with M113s. These battalions consisted of a HHC with seven M577s and 16 M113s, a mortar platoon, 2 ARVs, and 86 other support vehicles. Four rifle companies each had 14 M113s and two M901 ITVs, and one antiarmour company had 12 M901s and 4 M113s. All of the M113s in 1-18 and 2-18 Mechs had their .50 calibre machineguns replaced by 40mm automatic grenade launchers.

101st Air Assault Division

Basically a similar “base” to the heavy division, but with lighter equipment scales. Three infantry brigades and a large aviation brigade are the main combat power.

Division Artillery

1-8 FA Bn with 24 M198 155mm howitzers organised as above.

1-/2-/3-320 FA Bns each with 18 M102 105mm howitzers in three batteries of six each, each howitzer with its own HUMMV prime mover. The battalion also includes 73 additional support vehicles including 17 other HUMMWVs. These battalions serve as DS artillery for each of the three manoeuvre brigades. The Locating Battery was similar to that of a heavy division but without tracked transport.

Aviation Brigade

1-101 Aviation and 2-229 Aviation were Apache Battalions organised as above. 3-101 Aviation had AH-1F Cobras instead of Apaches.

7-101 Aviation Bn had 3 CH-47 companies with 16 CH-47Ds in each.

4-101, 5-101 and 9-101 Aviation Bns had three assault companies with 15 UH-60As in each.

The Command Aviation Bn (6-101) had two Command Aviation Companies with eight UH-60s and four EH-60s in each; and a support aviation company with eight UH-60s for utility work.

The Divisional Cavalry Squadron (2-17 Cav) has four troops of eight AH-1Fs each.

Engineer Battalion, Air Assault

(326th Engineer Bn) Similar to heavy battalion but with lighter equipment scales, so no M9, M728, or AVLB. Organised into a headquarters, an Assault & Obstacle Platoon with minelayers and heavy equipment; and 3 Engineer Companies of a headquarters and three platoons of around forty personnel.

Air Defence Battalion, Air Assault

(2/44th ADA Bn) A small headquarters. Four M167 batteries with twelve Vulcans (each towed by a light truck) and each with a Stinger platoon of 4 sections (organised as above). Included an Avenger Company with three platoons of four Avengers and two HUMMVs each.

MI Battalion, Air Assault

(311th MI Bn) Similar to that of a heavy division but with no tracked transport. There were 9 heavy GSRs, and 24 light GSRs, 11 interrogators, and 25 CI personnel. There were no heavy COMJAM facilities or heavy Trailblazer DF equipment.

Air Assault Brigade

The division had three of these brigades. Each normally has three Infantry (Air Assault) Battalions under command, and an artillery battalion attached. In the 101st the battalions belong to only three regiments, the 327th, 502nd, and 187th, and are numbered 1-/2-/3-, unlike in most other divisions.

Infantry Battalion (Air Assault)

These battalions are organised to be easily transportable by the Aviation Brigade�s assault helicopters. They have 40 officers, two warrant officers, and 656 enlisted and possess 94 vehicles (not counting motorcycles), including 20 HUMMV-mounted TOW launchers and 39 other HUMMVs. They have a headquarters and headquarters company, an antiarmour company with the TOWs, a mortar platoon with six 81mm mortar and ten HUMMVs, a reconnaissance platoon of specialist infantry, and three infantry companies. Each infantry company has three platoons and a support element including three 60mm M224 mortars and four HMGs. Each rifle platoon comprises an HQ and three rifle squads plus a weapons squad. The nine-man rifle squads are armed with 7 M16A2 rifles, 2 40mm M203 GLs, and 2 M249 SAWs. Additionally they carry a mix of hand grenades and LAWs. The nine-man weapons squad has two each M60 MG and Dragon ATGM teams.

82nd Airborne Division

Basically a similar “base” to the heavy division, but with lighter equipment scales. Three infantry brigades and a small aviation brigade are the main combat power. The major combat unit of the 82nd Airborne actually engaged was TF 2-82nd Airborne, which supported the French attack in the west. This formation fielded three teams built around 1-325 Airborne Infantry Battalion, 2-325 AIB, and 4-325 AIB with supplements from 2-319 Airborne Field Artillery, 3-4 ADA, 3-73 Armour, 307 ENGR, and 313 MI Bns.

Division Artillery: 2-8 FA Bn with 24 M198 155mm howitzers organised as above.

An MLRS battery of nine launchers.

Three FA Bns each with 18 M102 105mm howitzers in three batteries of six each, each howitzer with its own HUMMWV prime mover. The battalion also includes 73 additional support vehicles including 17 other HUMMWVs. These battalions serve as DS artillery for each of the three manoeuvre brigades. The Locating Battery is similar to the heavy division�s but with no tracked transport.

Aviation Brigade

A headquarters, a reconnaissance squadron, an assault helicopter battalion, and an attack helicopter battalion, plus support units.

The reconnaissance squadron (1-17 Cav) is organised into a HHT; a maintenance troop; one ground reconnaissance troop with three platoons of six HUMMVs; and three Air Cav Troops with 8 OH-58C/D each.

The assault helicopter battalion is organised into a HHT; a maintenance company; a Command Aviation Company with 8 UH-60As and 4 EH-60s; and three Assault Companies with 15 UH-60As each.

The attack helicopter battalion was organised with AH-64s as above.

Airborne Engineer Battalion

Very light scales of equipment. A headquarters, an Assault & Obstacle Platoon, and three Airborne Engineer Companies.

Armour Battalion (Airborne)

The 3-73 Armour deployed soon after the start of Desert Shield and fought with the 82nd Airborne and the French division on the road to As Salman. This battalion deployed with 51 M551Sheridan tanks organised into three companies of about 17 tanks in three platoons.

Airborne Air Defence Artillery Battalion

Consisted of a HQ; 4 M167 batteries each with twelve towed Vulcan and a Stinger platoon with four sections (organised as above).

Airborne Military Intelligence Battalion

Similar to a heavy division battalion but with no tracked vehicles. Had 9 heavy GSRs and 27 light GSRs, 34 CI personnel and 14 interrogators, 3 remote sensing teams and 6 COMJAM teams.

Airborne Infantry Brigade

There were three of these in the division. Like the 101st Division there are three regiments of airborne infantry� the 504th, 325th, and 505th. Normally each brigade has one regiment of infantry and an attached howitzer battalion in direct support.

Airborne Infantry Battalion

These are light infantry outfits. They have a headquarters and headquarters company, a reconnaissance platoon of infantry, a mortar platoon with six 81mm mortar and ten HUMMVs, an antiarmour company with 20 TOW on HUMMWVs in five platoons, and three airborne infantry companies. The airborne companies have a headquarters, a support platoon with three 60mm M224 mortars and four HMGs, and three platoons of infantry similar to those of an air assault battalion. Overall there are fewer vehicles than an air assault battalion (85 as opposed to 156).

British 1st Armoured Division

An ad hoc formation formed for the operation, it was assembled from the 7th and 4th Brigades, each drawn from the 1st and 3rd Armoured Divisions respectively, of the BAOR.

The divisional troops included the 4th Regiment, AAC; 39 Heavy Regiment, RA; 32 Heavy Regiment, RA; 32 Armoured Engineer Regiment; 16th/5th The Queen�s Royal Lancers Reconnaissance Regiment; 12 Air Defence Regiment; 48 Air Defence Battery.

4th Regiment, Army Air Corps

Consisted of a headquarters squadron with support vehicles, a REME LAD, Signals and Quartermaster units. The regiment deployed with 654, 659, and 661 squadrons. Each had eight Lynx AH.Mk7 and 4 Gazelle AH.Mk1 helicopters.

39 Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery

Has a headquarters battery; a Locating Battery with a Meteorological Troop, a Locating Troop with two Cymbeline counter-battery radars, and a sound ranging troop; and two MLRS batteries (132, 176 Heavy) each with six launchers and nine support vehicles.

32 Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery

Has a headquarters battery and Locating Battery as above. There were three heavy batteries each of four M110 203mm howitzers and ammunition resupply vehicles and two field artillery batteries (from 26 Field Regiment) each of eight M109A2s and resupply vehicles.

32 Armoured Engineer Regiment

The only unit of its type in the British army and successor to the famed 79th Armoured Division and its “funnies”. The unit includes 27 FV4003 Centurion AVREs, 27 FV4205 Chieftan AVLBs, and 12 FV180 CETs divided into three squadrons (31, 26, and 77). Each squadron has three armoured troops, equipped with a total of nine AVLBs and nine AVREs. At Troop HQs are a Spartan and two Ferrets. At Squadron HQs are two Sultans, 2 landrovers, and one Spartan along with four CETs in the support echelon

16th/5th Queen�s Royal Lancers

This was a medium reconnaissance regiment of the BAOR. It had a headquarters squadron with Spartans and three reconnaissance squadrons. Vehicles included 24 FV101 Scorpions, 24 FV107 Scimitars, and 16 FV102 Striker ATGM vehicles. Each squadron had two Sultan and two Ferret at SHQ; a Surveillance Troop with 1 Spartan and five Spartan (GSR); four medium reconnaissance troops; and an antitank troop.

12 Air Defence Regiment, RA

Equipped with up to 24 TR1 Tracked Rapier systems in two batteries (�T� and 58 AD).

48 Air Defence Battery, RA

Equipped with 36 Javelin systems and 40 Spartan APCs to carry them.

7th Armoured Brigade The Desert Rats

The first British unit deployed in 1990. Consisted of two armoured regiments (The Queen�s Royal Irish Hussars and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards augmented by crews from the 14th/20thKing�s Hussars and the 17th/21st Lancers); an armoured infantry battalion (1st Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment augmented by a company from the Grenadier Guards); a field artillery regiment (40 Field Artillery Regiment); a Low Level Air Defence Battery (10 Air Defence Battery); an engineer regiment (21 Regiment, RE); an AAC squadron (664 Squadron); and a reconnaissance squadron (A Squadron, 1st The Queen�s Dragoon Guards).

A Squadron, 1st The Queen�s Dragoon Guards

Attached to 7th Brigade it had 16 Scimitars.

664 Squadron, AAC

Had 9 Lynx and four Gazelle.

4th Armoured Brigade

Deployed after November, 1990. Consisted of one below strength armoured regiment (14th/20th King�s Hussars); two armoured infantry battalions (1st Battalion The Royal Scots augmented by a company from the Grenadier Guards and the 3rd Battalion The Royal Fusiliers); one artillery regiment (2 Field Artillery Regiment); an engineer regiment (23 Regiment, RE); and a Low Level Air Defence Battery (46 Air Defence Battery).

Armoured Regiment

A standard British armoured regiment had four squadrons each of 14 tanks in four troops of three and two at SHQ along with a LAD section (an ARV), FV432 ambulance and Ferret liaison vehicle. At RHQ there was only one tank (plus four Sultans, 1 Spartan, a Ferret and a LAD) for a total of 57 Challengers in a regiment. The regiment also had a reconnaissance troop of eight Scorpions, plus other light vehicles for a total of about 500 personnel.

The 14th/20th King�s Hussars went to the Gulf with only three squadrons totalling 43 Challengers in the regiment because one squadron was on duty with the Berlin Brigade.

Armoured Infantry Battalion

Infantry battalions in the Gulf were all equipped with the MCV80 Warrior IFV in their rifle platoons.

The battalion had four main elements � a battalion headquarters (Bn. H.Q.), a headquarters company (H.Q. Coy.), a Fire Support Company (Fire Sp. Coy.), and three armoured infantry companies. The Bn. H.Q. is quite small and consists of the commander and his staff in a Warrior command vehicle. The HQ Coy. Has a HQ in a landrover and five platoons and a pay section. The battalion HQ platoon consists of four sections: the intelligence section, the orderly room, the provost section, and the medical section. The signal platoon is a small communications unit for the HQ (5 FV432). The Battalion Motor Transport Platoon has eight 4-ton and five 8-ton Bedford trucks to carry supplies. The quartermaster platoon acts as the battalion�s main stores administration element. The catering platoon has about 20 cooks and several field kitchens. There is a HQ LAD with a FV434 and a Warrior (Recovery).

There are three armoured infantry companies. Each has its own CHQ with a small staff and 2 command Warriors, and a FV432 ambulance. Each company has three rifle platoons with four Warriors carrying a section. One section in each company is trained as assault pioneers. There is a REME LAD section with a FV434 and an FV432 or a Warrior (recovery) and a Warrior (repair). In total there are 14 Warriors in a company.

The Fire Sp. Coy. is organised with a CHQ in two Warriors and a FV432 ambulance, a Milan platoon, a reconnaissance platoon, and a mortar platoon. In wartime the Milan platoon has an HQ with two FV432 and four sections each with five Milan firing posts carried in three Warriors and a Mobile Section with four Spartan MCT. The reconnaissance platoon has eight Scimitar. The mortar platoon has four sections of 1 Warrior and 2 FV432 carrying 81mm mortars and three MFCs in Spartans plus a platoon HQ in two Sultans. There is a LAD section with 1 FV434, 1 FV432 and 1 Samson.

Field Artillery Regiment

Similar to American self-propelled artillery battalions with 155mm M109A2 howitzers. They are used to provide close support to the brigades. Each regiment consists of 24 tubes in three field artillery batteries plus associated supply and command vehicles. Officially the LLAD batteries were attached to these regiments, although their 36 Javelins were spread about.

Engineer Regiment

These were attached from divisional level for the war. It was organised into a HQ squadron, three field squadrons, a support squadron, and a REME LAD. The support squadron has a bridging troop with at least two MGB, a plant troop with a crane, tractors and diggers, and a resources troop with three cranes and three ten ton trucks.

Each field squadron has a HQ with two Sultans, 1 Ferret and five landrovers. A single support troop has five CETs, 1 digger, 3 tractors, 1 Stalwart and 1 Ferret. There are three field troops each with four FV432 carrying engineers, three Spartans at the THQ, 1 4-ton truck, and 1 Stalwart.

French 6th Light Armoured Division

The overseas deployment of regular French troops is greatly restricted by law. For this reason the Force d�Action Rapide was formed and this elite formation contributed the forces for Division Daguet. Given that it is hard to determine what formations above regiment (actually battalion size) the French used I have chosen to simply list all the regiments and their organisations.

1st Spahis Regiment and 1st Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment

These were reconnaissance regiments relying on their high-speed and relatively heavy firepower. They comprised three reconnaissance squadrons each with 12 AMX-10RC armoured cars with three in each of the four platoons plus three VAB APCs in the HQ. The single antitank squadron had 12 VCAC/HOT-Mephisto antitank vehicles. At regiment HQ were several VABs and support vehicles.

1st Parachute Hussar Regiment

Two 1er RHP squadrons were deployed in the light reconnaissance role � initially to Gulf states. They were equipped with three Panhard ERC-90 F4 Sagaie armoured cars in each squadron�s four platoons. Each platoon also had a 4×4 Peugeot P4 light truck carrying a Milan ATGM team.

4th Dragoon Regiment

The 4e RD is a tank regiment assigned to the 10th Armoured Division, a non-FAR formation, but manned by professional troops permitting overseas deployment, and augmented by elements of the 503rd Tank Regiment. It fielded 44 AMX-30B2 tanks in three squadrons, each with four platoons of three tanks plus two in the SHQ.

2nd Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment

The 2e REI had a command (in VAB PC command APCs) and service company and four motorised infantry companies. Each motorised infantry company had an HQ (2 VAB APCs), three rifle platoons (3 VABs carrying infantry), plus antitank (1 VAB carrying two Milan teams), antiaircraft (2 VABs towing 2 20mm 53T2), and mortar (2 VTMs and two 81mm MO-81-61C mortars) sections. At battalion level a mortar company had 12 towed 120mm MO-120-RT-61 mortars and their VTM tractors. Rifle squads had ten men armed with assault rifles, a 7.5mm snipers rifle, a 7.62mm LMG, and an 89mm LARC F1 antitank rocket launcher.

2nd Marine Infantry Regiment and 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment

Not marines in the traditional sense, but army troops trained for amphibious assaults along with other skills. Each RIMa had a command and service company, heavy weapons company (recon., antitank, and mortar platoons), and four infantry companies. These were similar to those of the 2e REI, and included the three VAB-mounted infantry platoons, but had only a single weapons platoon with two 81mm mortars, 2 20mm AA guns towed by four VTMs.

1st Infantry Regiment

The 1er RI is a one-of-a-kind airmobile tank-killing unit assigned to the 4th Division normally. Its two deployed scout/antitank companies had 16 Milan ATGM teams each. Presumably they were carried in some of the helicopters.

Mixed Armoured-Infantry Regiment

Some personnel were formed into a composite unit with two VAB-equipped companies (from the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment) and two AMX-10RC squadrons (from the Marine Infantry-Tank Regiment) organised as above.

11th Marine Artillery Regiment

This formation provided the fire support for the division, but was heavily reinforced by the US 18th FA brigade for Desert Sabre. The 11e RAMa fielded three six-gun batteries of 155mm TR-F1 towed howitzers with eighteen Renault tractors (some sources suggest 3×8 organisation). The 11e RAMa also deployed its Mistral AD battery of unknown strength.

AD Battery, 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment

Another Mistral AD battery of unknown strength. Possibly organised in three sections.

6th Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment

The 6e REG provided the 6th Division�s combat engineer support (and suffered the most casualties in mine clearing operations). It was organised with four mechanised engineer companies plus reinforcement by two 17e RGP companies. Completely mounted in VABs, they were also equipped to fight as infantry. Some XVIII Corps engineers were also attached.

1st Combat Helicopter Regiment and 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment

Each regiment had a total of 62 SA-342 Gazelle and SA-330 Puma.

About 40 of these were AT Gazelles with HOT. Maybe 12 were Pumas.

Armoured Brigade, Royal Saudi Land Forces

There are two armoured brigades in the Saudi Army, the 4th equipped with French equipment and the 12th with American equipment. They are similar in structure, with only the tank and APC changing. Pakistani personnel throughout the 1980s manned the 12th brigade.

The armoured brigade is quite large with a support battalion, an artillery battalion, three armoured regiments and a mechanised infantry battalion. They also possess antitank, combat engineer, supply and transport, electrical and mechanical engineer, and medical battalions plus reconnaissance, MP, signal, and ordnance companies. The reconnaissance company is equipped with twelve or more AML-60/-90 armoured cars. The antitank battalion is equipped with AMX10/HOT or VCC/TOW vehicles probably organised into three companies of twelve vehicles each. The artillery battalion is equipped with 18 self propelled howitzers (either M109A1s or French GCTs), 18 M992 FAASVs, plus command and support vehicles.

Each armoured battalion has 35 tanks (three companies of 11 tanks each plus two command tanks), command and support elements, plus a platoon of three M106 107mm mortar carriers. The MBT is either the M60A3 or the AMX-30S.

The infantry battalion has three companies (each with 14 APCs in three platoons, three 81mm mortar carriers, three 90mm support vehicles, an M163 Vulcan and two VCC1/TOW or AMX10/HOT), a platoon of three M106s, and command and support elements. The APC is either the M113A1 or the AMX-10P.

Mechanised Brigade, Royal Saudi Land Forces

As for the Armoured Brigade, but with three mechanised infantry battalions and one armoured regiment.

Saudi Arabian National Guard Mechanised Brigade

One of these formations was involved in the Battle of Khafji, along with USMC and Qatari forces.

The main combat elements are three or four battalions. BnHQ consists of 2 V-150 APCs. Each battalion has three Guard companies (14 V-150 APCs, 3 V-150/90 fire support vehicles, 2 V-150/Imp.TOW, 1 V-150/20, 2 landrovers, and 3 V-150/81mm mortar carriers.

At Brigade level is a reconnaissance company with three platoons each of 1 V-150/20, 1 V-150/Imp.TOW, and three V-150 APCs. There is also an air defence unit with nine sections of 2 V-150/Vulcans. An artillery battalion may be equipped with 18 M102 howitzers or M198s.

United States Marine Corps

Marines are task organised and the forces in the Gulf were “mechanised” to a large extent so as to perform a more mobile role. Two tank battalions each reinforced both of the two Marine Divisions engaged and Marine infantry were mounted in AAVP7s or trucks. In addition the 2nd Marine Division was reinforced by 1st Brigade (The Tiger Brigade), 2nd Armoured Division, US Army. This unit had two armoured battalions and one mechanised infantry battalion along with a Field Artillery Battalion, an MLRS battery (with ten launchers), a company of engineers and an Air Defence Artillery Company.

Each Marine Division has a HQ battalion with HQ, MP, signals, truck and service companies. The division has a four-company combat engineer battalion. As an example of the equipment used in the breaching operation here is the 2nd Marine Division�s Task Force Breach Alpha organization and equipment:

� Coy. B, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion

� Coy. D, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion

� Prov. Gen. Spt. Coy., 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion

� Detcht., 4th Tank Battalion

18 AAVs w/M154 3-shot MICLICs

2 M60A1 dozer tanks & 16 M60A1 w/mine plow

4 M60A1 w/mine rakes

22 AAVs for the engineer squads

15 M9 ACE

39 M58 line-charge trailers

6 M1A1 w/mine plow

4 AVLBs

Each Marine division has a Reconnaissance battalion with four companies of light infantry, principally for conducting foot patrols. This is not to be confused with force recon., or the famous SEALs.

Marine Tank Battalion

The tank battalion has four companies of tanks each with 17 M60A1 tanks (three platoons of five and two in the CHQ). It also has an antitank company with three platoons each with 24 HMMWV-mounted TOW ATGMs, plus a recon. Platoon with 8 HMMWVs mounting TOWs, 40mm GLs, or .50-cal MGs. The TOW platoons are generally attached to marine infantry regiments with sections further attached to battalions and rifle companies.

The US Army agreed to loan the USMC 106 M1A1s from POMCUS stocks due to concerns about the survivability of the M60A1. The two battalions so equipped were to be organised the same as army tank battalions, but when the 2nd and 8th Tank Battalions were issued their new mounts in October and November 1990 the five-tank platoons were retained as the crews were trained to function as such (there were only three tank companies in these units).

The 1st and 4th Tank Battalions retained M60A1s fitted with Blazer reactive armour, but lacking thermal sights.

Light Armoured Infantry Battalion

There was one of these in each division. The LAI was equipped with General Motors of Canada 8×8 light armoured vehicles. The three LAI companies had three platoons (each 4 LAV-25s carrying six-man scout sections) and 2 LAV(C) command vehicles in the CHQ. The weapons company had antiarmour (16 LAV(AT) with TOWs), mortar (8 LAV(M) with 81mm), and recon. (8 LAV-25) platoons.

Assault Amphibian Battalion

The AABn is principally intended to land the first wave of an amphibious assault, but was used in the desert to transport troops and supplies in an environment that provided some shelter from artillery and small arms fire; they were not used to lead the assault forces. The battalion�s four amphibian tractor companies have four platoons with 10 AAVP-7A1 and can land an infantry battalion�s assault elements (25 troops each). Most AAVP-7A1s deployed to the Gulf had appliqu� armour and some had 40mm GLs. Specialised command and support variants of the AAV-series equip the battalion�s H&SC.

Artillery Regiment

The standard artillery regiment has an HQ battery and five battalions; all equipped with towed 155mm M198 howitzers. The regiment�s 1st through 3rd and 5th battalions have three batteries of eight tubes while the 4th has six-tube batteries, for attachment to a Marine expeditionary brigade due to limited shipping space. Three battalions of the non-divisional 10th Marines were deployed with 155mm towed and SP pieces plus 203mm M110A2 SP howitzers.

Marine Infantry Regiment

Like the US Army�s brigades, since 1965 two to five Marine battalions are attached to regiments, as the mission requires. It is not uncommon for a regimental HQ to control three battalions, all attached from different regiments, while its �own� battalions are attached to other regiments or MEUs. As an example, the 6th Marines operated with 1st Bn, 6th Marines (plus Coy. C, 8th Tank Bn and Coy. B, 1st Assault Amphibian Bn); 2nd Bn, 2nd Marines (plus Coy. A, 8th Tank Bn and Coy. B, 2nd Assault Amphibian Bn); 3rd Bn, 6th Marines; and 8th Tank Battalion (-).

The three infantry regiments (174 officers, 3,541 enlisted) each have a HQ company and three infantry battalions. These have H&SC (including a recon. platoon in HMMWVs), weapons and three rifle companies. Rifle companies possess an HQ, weapons and three rifle platoons with three squads. The 13-man rifle squads are divided into three fire teams, with a total of ten M16A2 rifles, three M203 GLs, and three M249 SAWs. The weapons platoon of a rifle company has machine gun (6 M60E3s), assault weapon (6 83mm Mk153 SMAW), and mortar (3 60mm M224) sections. The weapons company has an HQ, machine gun (.50-cal M2), grenade launcher (40mm Mk19), antitank (32 Dragon ATGMs), and mortar (8 81mm M252) platoons, all transported by HMMWVs.