Iraq will receive roughly 250 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles from the U.S. in 2015 — for free — to deal with roadside bombs set by the Islamic State group.
Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, confirmed the MRAP deal, which would be done as part of its “Excess Defense Articles” program.
The defense website Military.com reported Dec. 12 that the 250 vehicles would likely be shipped from Kuwait, which currently has 1,500 on hand.
During the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly 28,000 MRAPs were produced at a cost of about $45 billion, Military.com reported.
The decision to send Iraq MRAPs comes just one month after the Pentagon announced that it would be sending its Joint IED Defeat Organization to the country to train security forces.
The Islamic State killed more than 800 Iraqis and wounded close to 1,300 in October, Defense One reported Nov. 6.
SEE ALSO: Pentagon sending counter-IED group to Iraq as Islamic State attacks spike
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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