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

As the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) continues its blitz across northern and central Iraq, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces have emerged as the most credible military challenger to the jihadi threat. 

In the early days of ISIS's recent onslaught, the Peshmerga took the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, under the pretense of protecting it after the Iraqi Army fled. Since that expansion of Kurdish control, the Peshmerga has dug in around Kurdistan's borders in an attempt to deter any ISIS advance into its territory. 

ISIS would have a serious conflict on its hands if it focused its offensive on Kurdistan. The Peshmerga number upwards of 190,000 official fighters, not counting militia members who can be called upon to swell its ranks.

The Peshmerga also has a range of equipment dating from its time as a guerrilla force — as well as more modern U.S.-supplied weaponry. For more information on the Peshmerga and its capabilities, check out this 2005 master's dissertation by former intelligence officer Michael G. Lortz.

The BGM-71 TOW

The BGM-71 TOW is a U.S.-built antitank missile. TOW missiles were produced by Raytheon and entered service in the 1970s. The system has an operational range of 3,750 meters. 

TOW missiles have highly effective antiarmor, antibunker, and antifortification capabilities. 

In the 1990 Gulf War, U.S. M2 and M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles armed with TOW missiles were more effective against Iraqi armor than even the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. 

Humvees

The U.S. 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 provide protection against collateral damage from indirect explosions, although the vehicles offer little protection against land mines or buried IEDs. 

D-30 Howitzer

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 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.