The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI,Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Arms Transfers Database contains information on all international transfers of major weapons (including sales, gifts and production under licence) to states, international organizations and armed non-state groups since 1950. It is the only publicly available resource providing consistent data on arms transfers for this length of time. The database can be used to track transfers of major weapons and to answer such questions as:

Who are the main suppliers and recipients of major weapons? How have relations between different suppliers and recipients changed over time? Where do countries in conflict get their weapons? How do states implement their export control regulations? Where are potentially destabilizing build-ups of weapons occurring today? What major weapons have been exported or imported?

Imports of conventional arms by Iraq 1973–1990, by source Values are shown in millions of US dollars at constant (1990) estimated values. "Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact" includes Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The majority of these transfers came from the Soviet Union, followed by Czechoslovakia.

Year Soviet Unionand Warsaw Pact France China (PRC) UnitedStates Egypt Others Total 1973 1,321 5 0 0 0 0 1,326 1974 1,471 5 0 0 0 0 1,476 1975 1,087 35 0 0 0 0 1,122 1976 1,161 119 0 0 0 0 1,280 1977 1,062 106 0 0 0 0 1,168 1978 1,827 26 0 0 0 20 1,873 1979 1,108 78 0 0 0 17 1,203 1973–79 9,037 374 0 0 0 37 9,448 1973–79 95.7%   4.0%      0%      0%      0%   0.4% 100% 1980 1,665 241 0 0 12 114 2,032 1981 1,780 731 0 0 46 182 2,739 1982 2,023 673 217 0 71 227 3,211 1980–82 5,468 1,645 217 0 129 523 7,982 1980–82 68.5% 20.6%   2.7%      0%   1.6%   6.6% 100% 1983 1,898 779 745 21 58 773 4,274 1984 2,857 883 1,065 6 0 116 4,927 1985 2,601 700 1,036 9 32 116 4,494 1986 2,663 251 918 9 70 86 3,997 1987 2,719 214 887 30 114 157 4,121 1988 1,202 355 301 125 118 196 2,297 1983–88 13,940 3,182 4,952 200 392 1,444 24,110 1983–88 57.8% 13.2% 20.5%   0.8%   1.6%   6.0% 100% 1989 1,319 113 23 0 47 67 1,569 1990 537 281 0 0 0 33 851 Total $ 30,301 5,595 5,192 200 568 2,104 43,960 Total % 68.9% 12.7% 11.8%   0.5%   1.3%   4.8% 100%

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) makes the following comment of the methodology of this table:

The SIPRI data on arms transfers refer to actual deliveries of major conventional weapons. To permit comparison between the data on such deliveries of different weapons and identification of general trends, SIPRI uses a trend-indicator value. The SIPRI values are therefore only an indicator of the volume of international arms transfers and not of the actual financial values of such transfers.

SIPRI's data are founded entirely on open sources:

The type of open information used by SIPRI cannot provide a comprehensive picture of world arms transfers. Published reports often provide only partial information, and substantial disagreement among reports is common. Order and delivery dates, exact numbers, types of weapon and the identity of suppliers or recipients may not always be clear.

Arms suppliers to Iraq The table shows the majority of conventional arms imported by Iraq during the 1970s, when the regime was building up the armies which were to attack Iran in 1980, were supplied by the Soviet Union and its satellites, principally Czechoslovakia. The only substantial Western arms supplier to Iraq was France, which continued to be a major supplier until 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and all legal arms transfers to Iraq ended.

The United States did not supply any arms to Iraq until 1982, when Iran's growing military success alarmed American policymakers. It then did so every year until 1988. These sales amounted to less than 1% of the total arms sold to Iraq in the relevant period. Although most other countries never hesitated to sell military hardware directly to Saddam Hussein's regime, the U.S., equally keen to protect its interests in the region, opted for and developed an indirect approach. The CIA began covertly directing non-U.S. origin hardware to Hussein's armed forces, "to ensure that Iraq had sufficient military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to avoid losing the Iran-Iraq war."Statement by former NSC official Howard Teicher to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. The full extent of these transfers is not yet known, and details do not appear in the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database, which relies entirely on open sources.

In 1996, the Scott Report in the United Kingdom investigated arms sales to Iraq in the 1980s by Matrix Churchill in what became known as the Arms-to-Iraq scandal.

Table of major conventional arms sales to Iraq by country CountryWeapon designationWeapon descriptionYear(s) deliveredQuantity deliveredAustria GHN-45 155mm Towed Gun 1983 200 Brazil EMB-312 Tucano Trainer aircraft 1985-1988 80Brazil Astros II MLRS Multiple rocket launcher 1984-1988 67Brazil EE-11 Urutu APC 1983-1984 350Brazil EE-3 Jararaca Recon vehicle 1984-1985 280Brazil EE-9 Cascavel Armoured car 1980-1989 1026Brazil Astros AV-UCF Fire control radar 1984-1988 13Canada PT-6 Turboprop 1980-1990 152China Xian H-6 Bomber aircraft 1988 4China F-6 Fighter aircraft 1982-1983 40China F-7A Fighter aircraft 1983-198780China Type-63 107mm Multiple rocket launcher 1984-1988 100China Type-83 152mm Towed gun 1988-1989 50China W-653/Type-653 ARV 1986-1987 25China WZ-120/Type-59 Tank 1982-19871000China WZ-121/Type 69 Tank 1983-19871500China YW-531/Type-63 APC 1982-1988 650China CEIEC-408C Air surv radar 1986-1988 5China HN-5A Portable SAM 1986-1987 1000China HY-2/SY1A/CSS-N-2 Anti-ship missile 1987-1988 200Czechoslovakia L-39Z Albatross Trainer/combat aircraft 1976-1985 59Czechoslovakia BMP-1 Infantry fighting vehicle 1981-1987 750Czechoslovakia BMP-2 Infantry fighting vehicle 1987-1989 250Czechoslovakia OT-64C APC 1981 200Czechoslovakia T-55 Tank 1982-1985 400Denmark Al Zahraa Landing ship 1983 3East Germany T-55 Tank 1981 50Egypt D-30 122mm Towed gun 1985-1989 210Egypt M-46 130mm Towed gun 1981-1983 96Egypt RL-21 122mm Multiple rocket launcher 1987-1989 300Egypt T-55 Tank 1981-1983 300Egypt Walid APC 1980 100France Mirage F-1C Fighter aircraft 1982-1990 106France Mirage F-1E FGA aircraft 1980-1982 19France SA-312H Super Frelon Helicopter 1981 6France SA-330 Puma Helicopter 1980-1981 20France SA-342K/L Gazelle Light helicopter 1980-1988 38France Super Etendard FGA aircraft 1983 5France AMX-GCT/AU-F1 Self-propelled gun 1983-1985 85France AMX-10P Infantry fighting vehicle 1981-1982 100France AMX-30D ARV 1981 5France ERC-90 Armoured car 1980-1984 200France M-3 VTT APC 1983-1984 115France VCR-TH Tank destroyer 1979-1981 100France Rasit Ground surv radar 1985 2France Roland Mobile SAM system 1982-1985 113France TRS-2100 Tiger Air surv radar 1988 1France TRS-2105/6 Tiger-G Air surv radar 1986-1989 5France TRS-2230/15 Tiger Air surv radar 1984-1985 6France Volex Air surv radar 1981-1983 5France AM-39 Exocet Anti-ship missile 1979-1988 352France ARMAT Anti-radar missile 1986-1990 450France AS-30L ASM 1986-1990 240France HOT Anti-tank missile 1981-1982 1000France R-550 Magic-1 SRAAM 1981-1985 534France Roland-2 SAM 1981-1990 2260France Super 530F BVRAAM 1981-1985 300West Germany BK-117 Helicopter 1984-1989 22West Germany Bo-105C Light Helicopter 1979-1982 20West Germany Bo-105L Light Helicopter 1988 6Hungary PSZH-D-994 APC 1981 300Italy A-109 Hirundo Light Helicopter 1982 2Italy S-61 Helicopter 1982 6Italy Stromboli class Support ship 1981 1Jordan S-76 Spirit Helicopter 1985 2Poland Mi-2/Hoplite Helicopter 1984-1985 15Poland MT-LB APC 1983-1990 750Poland T-55 Tank 1981-1982 400Poland T-72M1 Tank 1982-1990 500Romania T-55 Tank 1982-1984 150Yugoslavia M-87 Orkan 262mm Multiple rocket launcher 1988 2South Africa G-5 155mm Towed gun 1985-1988 200Switzerland PC-7 Turbo trainer Trainer aircraft 1980-1983 52Switzerland PC-9 Trainer aircraft 1987-1990 20Switzerland Roland APC/IFV 1981 100United Kingdom Chieftain/ARV ARV 1982 29United Kingdom Cymbeline Arty locating radar 1986-1988 10United States MD-500MD Defender Light Helicopter 1983 30United States Hughes-300/TH-55 Light Helicopter 1983 30United States MD-530F Light Helicopter 1986 26United States Bell 214ST Helicopter 1988 31Soviet Union Il-76M/Candid-B Strategic airlifter 1978-1984 33Soviet Union Mi-24D/Mi-25/Hind-D Attack helicopter 1978-1984 12Soviet Union Mi-8/Mi-17/Hip-H Transport helicopter 1986-1987 37Soviet Union Mi-8TV/Hip-F Transport helicopter 1984 30Soviet Union Mig-21bis/Fishbed-N Fighter aircraft 1983-1984 61Soviet Union Mig-23BN/Flogger-H FGA aircraft 1984-1985 50Soviet Union Mig-25P/Foxbat-A Interceptor aircraft 1980-1985 55Soviet Union Mig-25RB/Foxbat-B Recon aircraft 1982 8Soviet Union Mig-29/Fulcrum-A Fighter aircraft 1986-1989 41Soviet Union Su-22/Fitter-H/J/K FGA aircraft 1986-1987 61Soviet Union Su-25/Frogfoot-A Ground attack aircraft 1986-1987 84Soviet Union 2A36 152mm Towed gun 1986-1988 180Soviet Union 2S1 122mm Self-Propelled Howitzer 1980-1989 150Soviet Union 2S3 152mm Self-propelled gun 1980-1989 150Soviet Union 2S4 240mm Self-propelled mortar 1983 10Soviet Union 9P117/SS-1 Scud TEL SSM launcher 1983-1984 10Soviet Union BM-21 Grad 122mm Multiple rocket launcher 1983-1988 560Soviet Union D-30 122mm Towed gun 1982-1988 576Soviet Union M-240 240mm Mortar 1981 25Soviet Union M-46 130mm Towed Gun 1982-1987 576Soviet Union 9K35 Strela-10/SA-13 AAV(M) 1985 30Soviet Union BMD-1 IFV 1981 10Soviet Union PT-76 Light tank 1984 200Soviet Union SA-9/9P31 AAV(M) 1982-1985 160Soviet Union Long Track Air surv radar 1980-1984 10Soviet Union SA-8b/9K33M Osa AK Mobile SAM system 1982-1985 50Soviet Union Thin Skin Air surv radar 1980-1984 5Soviet Union 9M111/AT-4 Spigot Anti-tank missile 1986-1989 3000Soviet Union 9M37/SA-13 Gopher SAM 1985-1986 960Soviet Union KSR-5/AS-6 Kingfish Anti-ship missile 1984 36Soviet Union Kh-28/AS-9 Kyle Anti-radar missile 1983-1988 250Soviet Union R-13S/AA2S Atoll SRAAM 1984-1987 1080Soviet Union R-17/SS-1c Scud-B SSM 1982-1988 840Soviet Union R-27/AA-10 Alamo BVRAAM 1986-1989 246Soviet Union R-40R/AA-6 Acrid BVRAAM 1980-1985 660Soviet Union R-60/AA-8 Aphid SRAAM 1986-1989 582Soviet Union SA-8b Gecko/9M33M SAM 1982-1985 1290Soviet Union SA-9 Gaskin/9M31 SAM 1982-1985 1920Soviet Union Strela-3/SA-14 Gremlin Portable SAM 1987-1988 500

Political implications The Soviet Union and her satellites were the main suppliers of arms to Iraq following the 1972 signing of the Soviet-Iraqi Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. France was another important supplier of weapons to Iraq during the 1970s. The United States, the world's leading arms exporter, did not have normal relations with Iraq from 1967 (due to the Six-Day War) until 1984.

Soviet-Iraqi relations suffered strains in the late 1970s. When Iraq invaded Iran in 1980, the Soviet Union cut off weapons sales to Iraq and did not resume them until 1982. During the war, the People's Republic of China became a major new source of weapons for Iraq, with increasing sales from France, the U.K. and Egypt.

See also International aid to combatants in the Iran–Iraq War United States support for Iran during the Iran–Iraq war Arms trade Arms Industry Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

References

External links online. SIPRI Arms Transfers Database Arms transfers to Iraq, 1970-2004 (via archive.org)