The Third World War 1989

[Tanelorn]

Saddam's Iraq. Also additional Syrians.
@Thorvald of Lym , @gapetit Thanks guys!

 

[Tanelorn]

The special republican guard beret was actually maroon, same as the paratroopers. I will do the Fedayeen Saddam next, with that all familiar helmet...
Google it...

 

[McMonkey]

I love the names of some of the old Republican Guard divisions, such as the 1st Hammurabi Armoured Division & the 6th Nebuchadnezzar Motorized Infantry Division.

 

[Tanelorn]

And the Darth Vader suicide militia.

 

[Tanelorn]

Saddam era British style desert DPM, usually issued to elite units since the late 80s. They were supplemented with captured Kuwaiti uniforms. They had seriously dropped in quality by the 2003 war.

 

[Tanelorn]

 

[Tanelorn]

The 31st Independent Special Forces Brigade and 33rd Independent Special Forces Brigade were active at the start of the Iran-Iraq war in 1980.
The 65th Special Forces Brigade, 66th Special Forces Brigade, 68th Special Forces Brigade, and 440th Marine Brigade were active during the Persian Gulf War.
I am really not sure where green berets fall in all this. Despite references, I haven't found any photos of Saddam era green berets.

 

[Tanelorn]

The new Iraqi army (post 2003), and the two iterations of the Iraqi flag since then.

 

[Patine]

The new Iraqi army (post 2003), and the two iterations of the Iraqi flag since then.

But not the OTHER Iraqi flag that Iraqis angrily took to the streets (despite the dangers of militias and suicide bombers) when it's concept was first announced to show EXTREME disapproval and to force the Iraqi National Assembly to not even seriously consider adopting it.

 

[Tanelorn]

Yes I remember.

 

[Tanelorn]

 

[Tanelorn]

North Korean air force. I moved the Mig23's vertical fin roundel to the fuselage, based on actual pictures.
Since 1985, batches of 24-30 MiG-21MF have been purchased from the Soviet Union , while other airframes between 106 and (up to) 150 have been purchased, circumventing the international embargo. Whether this number includes earlier Mig 21PFM, it is not clear to me. A different two tone gray camo has been observed recently (in 2018).
8 MiG-23ML and 2 MiG-23UB were delivered in 1984, and subsequent deliveries involved approximately 40 MiG-23ML and 10 MiG-23UB. At least 56 in service.
From 1988 to 1992, 13 MiG-29 Type 9.12B (Fulcrum-A) and one MiG-29UB Type 9.51 (Fulcrum-B) were delivered.
A further 10 of the Type 9.13B (Fulcrum-C) were supplied in the form of parts to be assembled, however only 3 planes were completed and it is not known whether the number of the 40 MiG-29 Cs expected has been reached.Satellite images have never been able to capture more than 12 of the -Cs together. These have a dorsal hump (squint and you ll see it) installed ECM suite and can carry extra fuel in larger drop tanks and a larger bomb load:

Of the 25 SU-7s delivered in the 1980s, at least one squadron of 18 aircraft could still be active, albeit in reserve tasks.
36 Su-25 and 4 Su-25UBK delivered between 1987 and 1988. Two aircraft were damaged in landing accidents, but only one of them was repaired.
There are 97 older J-6 (Chinese copy of the MiG 19) and probably 70 J-7/F7B (Chinese copy of the Mig 21F) in service. Other sources such as Flightglobal indicate 120 in service.
40-50 Harbin H-5 (Chinese copy of the Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle) are assigned to two regiments.
Of the 40 Chinese Nanchang Q-5IA Fantan delivered (a J-6 attack derivative), as of December 2016 none is in service, which is weird as at least 106 obsolete J-5 and 65 FT-5 (Chinese copies of the MiG 17) still are.

 

[Patine]

North Korean air force

What, no Taipodong missile?

 

[Tanelorn]

No but a biplane will do.
I am thinking of using Lua for the Antonovs to drop=generate infiltrator teams behind South Korean lines.
300 were delivered, but those actually in service would be 162

 

[Tanelorn]

DPRK helicopters.
The first images of US Hughes helicopters with North Korean insignia appeared in the West only on 27 July 2013, on the occasion of the military parade held in Pyongyang to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended the war between North and South Korea Their story can be reconstructed as follows: between 1983 and 1985 North Korean agents had contacted the German Delta Avia GmbH, a company controlled by the Californian Associates Industries of the Semler brothers who, among other things, distributed the Hughes helicopters. The North Koreans required 100 split between MD-500D and MD-500E plus one or two H-300Cs (to evaluate this type for later purchase), worth approximately $ 40 million. Delta Avia ordered the helicopters from Hughes, officially to sell them to a Nigerian operator but instead they were transported by sea to Hong Kong where a Soviet ship moved them to North Korea. American authorities discovered the transaction when 87 helicopters had already been delivered and seized the remaining 13; accidents and maintenance problems may have subsequently reduced the North Korean fleet to around 60 machines (or not).
The South Korean and Japanese armies also use military variants of the type in large numbers.

The 20 Mil Mi-24 are type -D.
Mi-8 variants number 115 examples.

 

[Patine]

@Tanelorn: to refresh my memory, have you yet done a Su-33 and the J-15 based off of it (modern Russian and Chinese carrier-based fighters) anywhere in this or another thread?

 

[Tanelorn]

@Patine This is what I have, I dont think I posted it before. I dont like the nose.

 

[Patine]

Thank-you! Since I can't see the pixel out of place your honed eye does, it's awesome to me!

 

[Tanelorn]

Lets go all in:

 

[Patine]

Ah, now these are some very good ones!