By one account, IS fighters had amassed about 35 Iraqi military tanks, about 80 armored police vehicles and hundreds of Humvees. Iraq lost approximately four divisions worth of equipment and probably at least three depots in the area of Mosul. Much of the equipment taken by the Islamic State when the Iraqi army fled Mosul was front-line American weaponry. Multiple reports said the loot included US Stinger surface-to-air missiles, artillery pieces, Humvees, and heavy trucks, not to mention piles of assault rifles and ammunition. Some of this would be usable, but much of it would not, in the absence of training and spare parts for maintenance. Video generally depicts the captured vehicles emitting great geysers of black smoke, symptomatic of poorly maintained engines.
Islamic State (IS) insurgents in northern Iraq allegedly have modern anti-aircraft missile systems that can down passenger jets, according to German intelligence data obtained by a local newspaper. The German foreign intelligence agency BND reportedly briefed the country's parliament on the new threat coming from the violent IS grouping, which is believed to be in possession of Manpads, a type of portable surface-to-air systems, the Bild daily said 26 October 2014. According to the newspaper, the anti-aircraft systems could have been manufactured in Bulgaria or China using Russian designs. Some of them are more than 40 years old and were seized from the Syrian Army.
The US Department of Defense confirmed that the Islamic State (IS) had limited anti-aircraft weaponry in its arsenal, Commander Elissa Smith at the Office of the Secretary of Defense told RIA Novosti on 27 October 2014. “We can confirm ISIL [IS] has limited anti-aircraft artillery capability, mostly used in a ground combat role. Regardless, we have a thorough process and take all necessary action to mitigate anti-aircraft artillery risks,” Smith said. Smith said there would be no speculation regarding if IS had man portable air-defense systems (MANPADs). There is ample video proof that Syrian rebels have received some Chinese FN-6.
