Kuwait National Guard
Military unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kuwait National Guard (KNG) (Arabic: الحرس الوطني الكويتي) is a paramilitary and gendarmerie branch of the Kuwait Armed Forces.[2] The National Guard is an independent combat institution and traces its heritage directly to the cavalrymen and infantrymen that defended Kuwait's three mounted defensive walls.[3][4] Since its inception, the Kuwait National Guard under the guidance of the respective leadership; executed, participated in, and supported carrying out all conflicts in which the Kuwait Armed Forces have engaged since 1967.[2]
Kuwait| Kuwait National Guard | |
|---|---|
| الحرس الوطني الكويتي | |
Kuwait National Guard | |
| Active | 1967 |
| Country | Kuwait |
| Type | Paramilitary Gendarmerie Reserve army Border guard |
| Role | Expeditionary warfare Special operations Special reconnaissance Counterterrorism Border control |
| Size | Approx. 15000 personnel 12000 reserves |
| Part of | Kuwait Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Kuwait |
| Nickname | His Highness Elite |
| Mottos | الله والوطن والامير God, Country & The Emir |
| Colors | Green & Yellow |
| Anniversaries | National and Liberation Day (25 and 26 February) |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| His Highness National Guard Commander | Mubarak Humoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah[1] |
| Insignia | |
| Flag of the Kuwait National Guard |  |
History
The founding of the Kuwait National Guard was first conceived during the Six-Day War and following the outcomes of Operation Vantage when Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah[5] was the Crown Prince of Kuwait through the 2nd decree of 1967 on June 6 during the reign of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah.[2] A mission for this purpose was led by Sheikh Salem Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah,[6] who was the driving force in forming the various task forces within the National Guard and who has remained at the head of the institution since its enacting in 1967.[7][8]
Leadership
National Guard Commander
| # | Name | Title | Tenure | Note | Picture |
| 1 | Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah[7][8][9] | His Highness Commander of Kuwait National Guard | 1967–2024 | Most senior serving member and Chieftain dean of the House of Sabah | |
| 2 | Mubarak Humoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | His Highness Commander of Kuwait National Guard | 2024-Present | Senior ruling family member from the Jaber line | |
Deputy National Guard Commanders
| # | Name | Rank | Tenure | Note | Picture |
| 1 | Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah[7][10][11] | Deputy National Guard Commander | 1994–2003 | The Crown Prince of Kuwait (2006–2020) The Emir of Kuwait (2020–2023) |
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| 2 | Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah[7][12] | Deputy National Guard Commander | 2004–2020 | The Crown Prince of Kuwait (2020–2023)[7][12] Emir of Kuwait (2023–present) |
 |
| 3 | Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah | Deputy National Guard Commander | 2020–2022 | Prime Minister of Kuwait (2022–2023) | |
| 4 | Faisal Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah | Deputy National Guard Commander[13] | 2022–present | Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior (2021–2022) |
Golden Jubilee
50th Anniversary of the Kuwait National Guard
In June 2017, the Kuwait National Guard commemorated their 50th Anniversary Golden jubilee under the leadership of the Commander-in-chief, the Emir of Kuwait, and directives of Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah.
Ranks
- Officers
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait National Guard |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||||||||||||||
| فريق أول Fariq 'awal |
فريق Fariq |
لواء Liwa |
عميد Amid |
عقيد Aqid |
مقدم Muqaddam |
رائد Ra'id |
نقيب Naqib |
ملازم أول Mulazim awwal |
ملازم Mulazim | |||||||||||||||
- Enlisted
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuwait National Guard |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| وكيل أول Wakil 'awal |
وكيل Wakil |
رقيب أول Raqib 'awal |
رقیب Raqib |
عريف Earif |
جندي أول Jundiun awwal |
جندي Jundiun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Equipment
Armored Fighting Vehicles
| Name | Type | Quantity | Country of origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pandur | Armoured Personnel Carrier | 150 | Austria | 70 in 6 versions. Some with 90mm cockerill turret first entered service 1997 (produced by AV Technology)
80 Pandur II with a 25mm Bushmaster turret |
| Desert Chameleon | Armoured Personnel Carrier | 20 | United States | 6×6 APC with 30 mm cannon. First entered service 2011 |
| Condor (APC) | Armoured Personnel Carrier | 8 | West Germany | Kuwait owns the advanced version (Condor II) |
| Shorland S600 | Armoured Personnel Carrier | 22 | United Kingdom | 22 in 5 versions (APC, CPV, ambulance, crowd control and mortar carrier) |
| Véhicule Blindé Léger | Armoured Personnel Carrier | 97 | France | |
| Humvee | Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle | 2,300 | United States | Vehicles sold via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. |
| Sherpa light Scout | Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle | 3,000 | France | 1,000 Sherpas sold to Kuwait National Guard in 2015. Sherpa Scouts also sold to the Kuwaiti military in 2016 under a €270 m contract. |
