June 16, 2006: Needing light armored vehicles as quickly as possible, Iraq has bought over a thousand from Turkish manufacturer Otocar. These six ton vehicles provide similar protection to that of an armored hummer. Iraq also ordered over a thousand similar DZIK 3 vehicles from Poland. These weigh 5.5 tons and are similar to the Otocar vehicles. Both the Otocar and DZIK vehicles carry up to eleven troops, and mount a machine-gun (usually 7.62mm or 12.7mm). By the end of 2006, the Iraqi police and army expect to be running all combat patrols (ones where ambush or roadside bombs might be a factor) using armored vehicles. These also include some armored hummers they have received from the United States, Russian BTRs and donations from several European and Arab countries. The Iraqis prefer the armored trucks, as they are easier to drive, operate and maintain.
