Kuwait’s Yugoslav Tanks of Desert Storm
Just months before Iraq invaded Kuwait, the Kuwaiti military began to receive the Yugoslav-built M-84 Main Battle Tank. If it looks familiar, that is because the M-84 was basically a licensed-built copy of the Soviet T-72, but with many improvements which the Soviet-designed tank did not have, such as improved composite armor and a 1000-hp engine.
Kuwait placed an order for 200 M-84 Tanks for the Army, and they were in the process of receiving them when Iraqi forces invaded in 1990. While some were captured, a number of them were able to retreat into Saudi Arabia and became part of the Free Kuwait Forces.
Kuwaiti Forces and Desert Storm
The Kuwaitis were understandably frustrated by the situation and were more than ready to retake their country when Desert Storm turned into a ground war. However, despite their willingness to fight, Coalition commanders would not allow the Kuwaiti tank crews to fight on the front lines. This decision was made for two very good reasons:
- The Kuwaiti M-84 crews were relatively inexperienced, as they had not had much time to accustom themselves to their Yugoslav tanks.
- The M-84 looked very similar to the Iraqi T-72s, and there was a real fear that during battle, other Coalition members might mistake the Kuwaitis for enemy forces.
M-84 Tanks in Combat
Despite these concerns, Kuwait’s M-84s did see combat and proved to be very effective against Iraqi T-62s and T-55s. They are still in service in Kuwait, with 149 tanks in operation, although there have been talks to have them replaced by Russian-made T-90s.
Overall, the M-84s played a noteworthy role during Desert Storm and demonstrated their combat effectiveness in retaking Kuwait from Iraqi forces.
