Iraq Navy

[David]

While Iraq only has 37 miles of coastline, protection of its ports is important due to the country's reliance on oil exports through the Persian Gulf. But the Persian Gulf War decimated the Iraqi navy, with most of its ships sunk or destroyed.

The Iraqi navy has bases at Basra and Az Zubayr and has roughly 2,000 personnel. A previous base at the Umm Qasr port is inside the demilitarized zone that separates Iraq and Kuwait under U.N. observation, and the port is used mainly for commercial shipping.

All that remains are mostly the Sawari class of inshore patrol boats, according to Jane's Sentinel, a risk-assessment publication. Two Assad class corvettes are moored at La Spezia, Italy, but they are unlikely to be returned due to the U.N. arms embargo, the publication says.

U.S. Central Command estimates that Iraq's navy has 21 ships (including the presidential yacht) but says most of those are not operational. Functional watercraft likely include a fast-attack craft missile, large and small patrol crafts, minesweepers and supply and transport ships.