Kuwait National Guard
| Kuwait National Guard | |
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| الحرس الوطني الكويتي | |
 Kuwait National Guard
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| Active | 1967 |
| Country | Kuwait |
| Type | Paramilitary Defense Force |
| Role | Primary Tasks: • Direct Action • Special Reconnaissance • Counter- Terrorism • Foreign internal defense Other Roles: • Special Operations • Border Guards • Humanitarian Missions • Information Operations |
| Size | Approx. 70,000 personnel |
| Part of | Kuwait Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Kuwait |
| Nickname(s) | His Highness Elite |
| Motto(s) | الله والوطن والامير God, Country & The Emir |
| Colors | Green & Yellow |
| Anniversaries | National and Liberation Day (25 and 26 February) |
| Engagements |
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| Commanders | |
| His Highness National Guard Commander | Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah |
The Kuwait National Guard or National Guard (KNG) (Arabic: الحرس الوطني الكويتي) is an independent combat institution tasked mainly with the defense of the country and its territories. The National Guard traces its heritage directly to the cavalrymen and infantrymen that defended Kuwait's three mounted defensive walls. 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.
Creation and patron
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 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. A mission for this purpose was led by Sheikh Salem Ali Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who was the driving force in forming the various tasks forces within the National Guard and who has remained at the head of the institution since its enacting in 1967.
Leadership
National Guard Commander
| # | Name | Title | Tenure | Note | Picture |
| 1 | Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah | His Highness Commander of Kuwait National Guard | 1967–present | Most senior serving member and Chieftain dean of the House of Sabah |
Deputy National Guard Commanders
| # | Name | Rank | Tenure | Note | Picture |
| 1 | Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | 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 | Deputy National Guard Commander | 2004–2020 | The Crown Prince of Kuwait (2020–2023) Emir of Kuwait (2023–present) |
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| 3 | Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah | Deputy National Guard Commander | 2020–2022 | Prime Minister of Kuwait (2022–present) |
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| 4 | Faisal Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah | Deputy National Guard Commander | 2022–present | Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior (2021-2022) |
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History
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
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Kuwait National Guard |
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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 |
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- Enlisted
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kuwait National Guard |
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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وكيل أول Wakil 'awal |
وكيل Wakil |
رقيب أول Raqib 'awal |
رقیب Raqib |
عريف Earif |
جندي أول Jundiun awwal |
جندي Jundiun |
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Equipment
Armored Fighting Vehicles
| Name | Type | Quantity | Country of origin | Notes |
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| 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 sold to the Kuwaiti military in 2016 under a €270 m contract. |