{{Short description|Branch of Kuwait's military}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{More citations needed|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Kuwait Land Forces | native_name = {{langx|ar|القوات البرية الكويتية}} | image = Kuwait Land Forces Emblem | caption = | dates = | country = {{flag|Kuwait}} | allegiance = | branch = Kuwait Armed Forces | type = Land force | size = 103,000 Sized M | command_structure = Ministry of Defense | garrison = Kuwait City | nickname = ''His Highness Land Force'' | motto = الله والوطن والامير''<br />God, Country & The Emir'' | colors = Green & Red | battles = {{collapsible list | titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal; | title = List |Kuwait–Najd War<br />Ikhwan Revolt<br />Operation Vantage<br /> Six-Day War<br /> War of Attrition<br /> 1973 Samita border skirmish<br /> 1973 October War<br /> Kuwait Embassy Protection (1975–1990)<br />Iran–Iraq War<br />Invasion of Kuwait<br />Operation Desert Storm<br />Operation Southern Watch<br />Operation Desert Strike<br />Operation Desert Fox<br />Iraq War<br />Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war }} | anniversaries = National and Liberation Day (25 and 26 February) | decorations = Military awards and decorations <!-- Commanders -->| commander1 = Brigadier Mohammad Al-Dhafiri<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tacticalreport.com/news/article/49199-kuwait-brigadier-mohammad-al-dhafiri-new-klf-commander | title=Kuwait: Brigadier Mohammad Al-Dhafiri, new KLF Commander | date=30 December 2020 }}</ref> | commander1_label = Assistant Chief Combat Commander of Kuwait Land Force | notable_commanders = Mubarak Al-Sabah<br />Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah<br />Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalhami | identification_symbol = | identification_symbol_label = }}
The '''Kuwait Land Forces''' ({{langx|ar|القوات البرية الكويتية}}), established in 1949, is Land warfare and the oldest branch among the Armed Forces of Kuwait.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Youssef H. Aboul|last=Enein|title=A History of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces|journal=Military Review|date=May–June 2004|volume=84|issue=3|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1P3-665061971/a-history-of-the-kuwaiti-armed-forces|accessdate=|archive-date=7 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707195626/https://www.questia.com/read/1P3-665061971/a-history-of-the-kuwaiti-armed-forces|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its cavalry and infantry predecessors operated in desert and metropolitan areas in 1919, 1920 and 1928 to 1938, tracing their roots directly to the cavalrymen and infantrymen that defended Al-Kout Fortress since the 19th century along with various mounted defensive forces.
== History ==
The Kuwait Army was created in 1949 by Field Marshal Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah (1949–1961) during the time when its partnership was included part of the Directorate of Public Security Force in 1938 prior to splitting in 1953. As Sheikh Abdullah Mubarak Al-Sabah headed the Directorate of Public Security Force which included the Kuwait Army; the later, was headed by deputy commander Colonel Mubarak Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
In 1990 and 1991, during the first Gulf War, most of the equipment was seized and or destroyed by invading Iraqi forces. At that time the Kuwait military was a lot smaller.
In early 2024, up to 149 M-84AB tanks were sent to the Djuro Djakovic factory in Croatia for refurbishment and repairs with the wide belief among military analysts they will be then sent to Ukraine.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-02-02 |title=The Fearsome Tanks That Fought Saddam Hussein May Soon Come for Vladimir Putin |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a46599461/kuwait-may-send-m84-tanks-to-ukraine/ |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=Popular Mechanics |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Structure and organization == * Kuwait 6th Liberation Mechanized Brigade * Kuwait 15th Mubarak Armored Brigade * Kuwait 26th Al-Soor Mechanized Brigade * Kuwait 35th Shahid (Martyr) Armored Brigade * Kuwait 94th Saleh Al-Mohammed Mechanized Brigade * Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade (Independent) * Kuwait Emiri Guard Authority (Independent) * Kuwait Military Police Authority (Independent) * Kuwait Military Fire Service Directorate
==Equipment== [[File:M-84AB-tanks in Kuwait during a parade.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Kuwaiti M-84AB tanks parading on 25 and 26 February 2011 with members of the 34 nations coalition force partners; celebrations that marked the 50th anniversary of the Independence, the 20th anniversary of Liberation and the 5th anniversary of the ascendance of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the leadership of the State of Kuwait.]]
=== Armored fighting vehicles === {| class="wikitable" ! style="text-align: left;"|Name ! style="text-align: left;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left;"|Type ! style="text-align: left;"|Quantity ! style="text-align: left;"|Notes |- || M1A2 Abrams || 200px || {{USA}} || Main battle tank|| 218 (M1A2) 218 (M1A2K)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kuwait receives first M1A2K tank |url=https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/kuwait-receives-first-m1a2k-tank |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=Janes.com |language=en}}</ref> |218 ordered in the 1990s, followed by an order of 218 M1A1 hulls upgraded to M1A2K variant in 2017. |- || M-84AB || 200px || {{YUG}} || Main battle tank|| 149<ref>{{Cite web |last=Isidorovic |first=Nikola |date=2021-04-21 |title=M-84 |url=https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/m-84/ |access-date=2023-08-06 |website=Tank Encyclopedia |language=en-US}}</ref>|| 200 Ordered 1989 and 15 in service by 1990. |- || Desert Warrior || 200px || {{GBR}} || Infantry fighting vehicle || 254 || 236 with 25 mm gun, 18 APC. in 2009 Kuwait Upgraded the fire control system, (GITS II) hardware, Improved Thermal Sight System and 2nd Generation Forward-Looking Infrared Radar |- || BMP-3 || 200px || {{URS}} || Infantry fighting vehicle|| ~200 || 142 delivered in 1994–1997. A new contract was signed in 2009 for 70 BMP-3M delivered in 2010-2011. another Contract was signed in 2014 for 33 more, Executed on 30 September 2015. |- || BMP-2 || 200px || {{URS}} || Infantry fighting vehicle|| 76 || 245 delivered between 1989–90 and 46 delivered between 1994–95, 76 in service as of 2005 |- || M113A2 || 200px || {{USA}} || Armoured personnel carrier|| 260 || 230 M113A2, 30 M577 (CP) |- || M577 || 200px || {{USA}} || Armoured personnel carrier|| 30 || the Kuwait Army operates 30 M577 Command Post Vehicles, mostly M577A1s. Following the 1991 Gulf War a number of M577A3s were purchased from the U.S. to replace vehicles destroyed by Iraqis forces. |- || Fahd 240 || 200px || {{EGY}} || Armoured personnel carrier|| 60 || Second largest operator in 1988. The Fahd was used by the Kuwaiti side during the invasion of Kuwait, when it lost most of them. Kuwait received more units in 1994, and had most of its captured units returned by Iraq in 1995.<ref name="John Pike">{{cite web|author=John Pike |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/kuwait-army-equip.htm |title=Kuwait – Army Equipment |publisher=Globalsecurity.org |date=2013-04-22 |accessdate=2014-03-24}}</ref> |- || M88A2 Hercules || 200px || {{USA}} || Armoured recovery vehicle|| 14 || 14× M88A2 in service with the Kuwait Army, and 19 more ordered from the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-14 |title=Kuwait buys $281m worth of armoured vehicles from US |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191014-kuwait-buys-281m-worth-of-armoured-vehicles-from-us/ |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Middle East Monitor |language=en-GB}}</ref> |- || M-84AI || || {{POL}} / {{YUG}} || Armoured recovery vehicle|| 15 || Polish WZT-3 built under license by Yugoslavia as M-84AI |- || Fuchs 2 NBC-RS|| || {{DEU}} || NPC (Nuclear, biological, and chemical) reconnaissance|| 12 || NBC vehicle<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2015/07/rheinmetall-of-germany-contract-to.html|title=World Defence News: Rheinmetall of Germany contract to supply 12 Fuchs 2 NBC 6x6 reconnaissance vehicles to Kuwait|author=Army Recognition|publisher=worlddefencenews.blogspot.com}}</ref> |}
=== Logistics and utility vehicles === {| class="wikitable" ! style="text-align: left;"|Name ! style="text-align: left;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left;"|Type ! style="text-align: left;"|Quantity ! style="text-align: left;"|Notes |- | Humvee|| 200px || {{USA}} || Multipurpose wheeled vehicle|| Unknown || Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program |- |Sherpa Light Scout | |France |Multipurpose wheeled vehicle |Unkown |Initial order of 300 vehicles, for €270m in 2016, followed by further orders. |- |}
'''<big>Multiple launch rocket systems</big>''' {| class="wikitable" ! style="text-align: left;"|Name ! style="text-align: left;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left;"|Type ! style="text-align: left;"|Quantity ! style="text-align: left;"|Notes |- |BM-30 Smerch |200px |{{URS}} / {{RUS}} |Multiple rocket launcher |27 |Purchased 1995–96 |}
=== Self-propelled field artillery === {| class="wikitable" ! style="text-align: left;"|Name ! style="text-align: left;"|Photo ! style="text-align: left;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left;"|Type ! style="text-align: left;"|Quantity ! style="text-align: left;"|Notes |- |PLZ-45 || 200px || {{CHN}}|| Self-propelled howitzer|| 51 || (51) 27 PLZ-45s (to form a training platoon and the first battalion) ordered in 1998 and delivered in 2000–2001. 24 more howitzers (to form the second battalion) were ordered in 2001 and delivered in 2002–2003. |}
=== Anti-tank === {|class=wikitable border="0" width="55%" |- ! width="15%"| Name ! width="25%"| Origin ! width="10%"| Type ! width="20%"| Quantity ! Notes |- | RPG-7 || Soviet Union|| Rocket-propelled grenade|| || |- | TOW M-901 || United States|| Anti-tank guided missile|| 400 || |- |M966/M966A1 |United States |TOW missile carrier |900 | |- | TOW II || United States|| Anti-tank guided missile|| 82 launchers || |- |9M113 Konkurs |Soviet Union |Anti-tank guided missile |2,402 missiles | |- | 9K111 Fagot || Soviet Union|| Anti-tank guided missile|| 4,601 missiles || |- | AT-10 || Russia|| Anti-tank guided missile|| 1,250 missiles || |- |9M133 Kornet |Russia |Anti-tank guided missile | | |- |Carl Gustav M3 |Sweden |Recoilless rifle |200 | |- |}
=== Firearms === {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;" ! style="width:15%;" |Model ! style="width:0%;" |Image ! style="width:15%;" |Origin ! style="width:15%;" |Type ! style="width:15%;" |Caliber ! style="width:40%;" |Notes |- ! colspan="6" |Handguns |- |Beretta 92 |200px |{{ITA}} |Handgun |9×19mm Parabellum | |- ! colspan="6" |Submachine guns |- |MP5 |frameless|200px |{{Flag|Germany}} |Submachine gun |9×19mm NATO |{{sfn|Rottman|1993|p=53}} |- ! colspan="6" |Rifles |- |Bushmaster M4A3 |200px |{{Flag|United States}} |Carbine |5.56×45mm NATO |Used by the 25th Commando Brigade.{{sfn|Neville|2019|p=46}} |- |M4 carbine |190x190px |{{Flag|United States}} |Carbine |5.56×45mm NATO |<ref>US Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. Notifications to the 108th Congress (November 2004)</ref> |- |M16A2 |200px |{{Flag|United States}} |Assault rifle |5.56×45mm NATO |<ref>{{cite web |last=Tiger |first=Grey |title=World Infantry Weapons: Kuwait |url=https://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_me_kuwait |website=World Small Arms Inventory |department=Infantry Weapons in the Middle East}}{{Dead link|date=April 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}<!-- citation details inferred from https://web.archive.org/web/20101026120031/http://sites.google.com:80/site/worldinventory, https://web.archive.org/web/20131028135228/https://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_middleeast = https://web.archive.org/web/20090707112327/http://worldinventory.googlepages.com:80/wiw_middleeast, https://web.archive.org/web/20160312062507/https://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_me_saudiarabia -->{{Unreliable source?|date=September 2025|reason="Ranger30-06" says "This site is extremely incomplete and hosts a LOT of errors. In at least three different places I saw 9x19 labeled as .40 S&W along with others." (https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/list-of-police-issue-guns.618664/#post-7637110, archived at https://archive.today/NvJss)}}</ref> |- ! colspan="6" |Machine guns |- |M60 machine gun | frameless|193x193px |{{USA}} |General-purpose machine gun |7.62×51mm NATO | |- |M2 Browning |190x190px |{{Flag|United States}} |Heavy machine gun |12.7×99mm NATO |Mostly as vehicle armament. |- ! colspan="6" |Sniper rifles and designated marksman rifles |- |M107/M107A1 |frameless|189x189px |{{Flag|United States}} |Anti-materiel rifle |12.7×99mm NATO |Standard issue sniper rifle. |- ! colspan="6" |Grenade launcher |- |M203 grenade launcher |frameless|192x192px |{{Flag|United States}} |Grenade launcher |40×46mm SR | |- ! colspan="6" |Anti-tank/Anti armor weapon | |- |9M133 Kornet |190x190px |{{RUS}} |Laser-guided Anti-tank missile |152 mm | |- |BGM-71 TOW ||190x190px ||{{USA}} ||Wire-guided Anti-tank missile ||152 mm | |- |RPG-7 ||190x190px ||{{URS}} ||Anti-tank rocket || | |- |M3 MAAWS |190x190px |{{SWE}} |Anti-tank recoilless rifle |84 mm | |}
== Kuwait Army Ranks == {{main|Military ranks of Kuwait}} His Highness, the Emir of Kuwait: Commander-in-chief of the Military of Kuwait ({{Langx|ar|'''القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الكويتية'''}})
His Highness, the Crown Prince of Kuwait: Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Military of Kuwait ({{Langx|ar|'''نائب القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الكويتية'''}})
===Commissioned Officers=== {| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;" {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}} {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OF/Kuwait}} |}
===Enlisted=== {| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;" {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank}} {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Kuwait}} |}
== See also == * Chief of the General Staff (Kuwait)
== References == {{Reflist}}
===Works cited=== * {{Cite book |author=IISS |author-link=International Institute for Strategic Studies |date=2024 |title=The Military Balance 2024 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-1-032-78004-7 }} *{{cite book| title=The Military Balance 2025| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olpEEQAAQBAJ| author1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| author-link1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| date=12 February 2025| publisher=Routledge| location=London| isbn=978-1-003-63076-0| ref={{sfnRef|IISS|2025}} }} * {{cite book |last=Neville |first=Leigh |title=The Elite: The A–Z of Modern Special Operations Forces |year=2019 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1472824295}} * {{cite book |last=Rottman |first=Gordon L. |title=Armies of the Gulf War |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nfT5KsdYk4cC&pg=PA53 |year=1993 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-85532-277-6}}
== External links == * [https://www.un.org/Depts/DPKO/Missions/unikom/unikom_body.htm UNIKOM] * [http://www.armyrecognition.com/kuwait_kuwaiti_army_land_ground_forces_uk/kuwait_kuwaiti_army_land_ground_forces_military_equipment_armoured_armored_vehicle_intelligence_uk.html Kuwaiti Army Equipment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109075150/http://www.armyrecognition.com/kuwait_kuwaiti_army_land_ground_forces_uk/kuwait_kuwaiti_army_land_ground_forces_military_equipment_armoured_armored_vehicle_intelligence_uk.html |date=9 November 2016 }}
{{Asia topic|Army of|title=Armies of Asia|VN=People's Army of Vietnam}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1948 Category:Military of Kuwait Category:Armies by country