Iraq Plans To Purchase Up To 2,000 T-72 MBTs

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Iraq plans to procure up to 2,000 Soviet-origin main
battle tanks.
Industry sources said Iraq has been discussing with the United States
the purchase of the T-72 MBT. The sources said the Iraq Army wants U.S.
firms to modernize surplus T-72s from several former East Bloc countries.
"The Iraqis believe they could get these tanks cheap and upgrade them at
a cost that would be much lower than the [U.S.-origin M1A1] Abrams," an
industry source said.
The Defense Department has been discussing the Iraqi project with U.S.
firms. One of them was Defense Solutions Holding, based in Exton, Pa., which
had rebuilt and delivered 77 T-72 MBTs for the Iraq Army in 2005.