As The Kurds Mobilize In Iraq, Here's A Look At What They Have In Their Arsenal

The United States has provided Humvees to the Iraqi Army and to the Peshmerga. Armored Humvees allow for quick and effective movement of Peshmerga forces across rougher terrain than most other vehicles would allow.

The Humvee's heavy armor also protects Peshmerga forces against small-arms fire. Humvees can also provide protection against collateral damage from indirect explosions — although the vehicles offer little protection against land mines or buried IEDs.

The D-30 122 mm howitzer is a Soviet-made artillery gun.

It's an older model of howitzer, and must be towed into position by a truck or armored tractor. Age aside, the D-30 can still pack a considerable punch.

The D-30 can fire anywhere between four to eight rounds a minute at distances of up to 15 kilometers. It can fire multiple types of rounds, including smoke and incendiary shells.

Both the Iraqi Security Forces and the Peshmerga have access to RPG-7s.

RPG-7s are highly portable unguided shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons. These systems are highly durable and relatively low cost. They're also fairly simple to use.

The grenades can reach distances of up to 920 meters, although at greater range the projectile may self-destruct without hitting a target.

The M224 Mortar is a long-range and relatively light-weight weapon that operates at a high angle of fire, allowing its projectiles to clear obstacles that other weapons cannot.

The M224 usually provides cover fire for ground troops, and can fire up to two miles. It can fire a variety of ordnance, including high explosives, smoke cartridges, and infrared illumination rounds.

The SA-7 Grail MANPADS are a shoulder-mounted, high explosive, homing surface-to-air missile system.

Missiles from the SA-7 can travel upwards of three and a half miles to hit a target, making them incredibly effective at taking down enemy helicopters or other lower-flying aircraft. The weapons are Soviet in origin, and have seen widespread use in conflict zones since they first entered service in 1968.

The T-54 and T-55 tank series are a Soviet tank line that was produced from the end of World War II through the 1950s and 1980s, respectively.

Despite the tanks' age, they remain operational in up to 50 armies around the world. The tanks feature heavy armor, along with a 100 mm rifled gun and a secondary 7.62 mm machine gun.

The Eurocopter EC120 Colibri is currently under the command of the Kurdish Authority's traffic police. However, the pilots have been trained to use the helicopters for surveillance and rescue operations.

The EC120 is developed by a French company and has a wide variety of uses. Spain, Singapore, China, France, and Indonesia use it as a military aircraft while a number of other countries use it in police enforcement.

The AK-47 is the standard assault rifle of the Peshmerga due to its low cost, durability, availability, and ease of use.

The AK-47 was originally developed for use by the Soviets, but it quickly spread to other armies and irregular forces around the world. AK-47s are low weight, fairly effective, and easy to obtain.

Now check out the military hardware of Iran»