Syria

17. SYRIA
Contents Major Changes ....................................................................................... 1 General Data .......................................................................................... 1 Arms Trade............................................................................................ 2 Strategic Assets ...................................................................................... 4 Armed Forces......................................................................................... 5 Ground Forces........................................................................................ 6 Air Force ............................................................................................... 9 Air Defense Forces ............................................................................... 11 Navy ................................................................................................... 13

Major Changes
The Syrian armed forces have deployed the indigenously made M-600 ballistic missile (probably based on the Iranian Fateh 110 Missiles) The Syrian air defense forces now operate at least some of the newly acquired Strelets and Pantsir-S1 SAMs. The Syrian navy has acquired the P-800 "Bastion" (CSS-5) coastal defense system with its supersonic Yakhont missiles.

General Data
Official Name of the State: The Arab Republic of Syria Head of State: President Bashar al-Assad Prime Minister: Mohammed Jazi Otri Minister of Defense: Major General Ali Mohammed Habib Mahmoud Chief of General Staff: Major General Dawood Abdullah Rajneh Commander of the Air Force: Major General Ahmad al-Ratyb Commander of the Navy: Vice Admiral Wa'il Nasser Area: 185,180 sq. km. Population: 20,500,000

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Demography Ethnic groups

Arabs Kurds, Armenians and others 18,511,000 1,989,000 15,170,000 3,280,000 2,050,000 90.3% 9.7% 74.0% 16.0% 10.0%

Religious groups
Sunni Muslims Alawis, Druze, and Shi'ite Muslims Christians (Greek Orthodox, Gregorian, Armenian, Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Greek Catholics)

Economic Data
GDP (current prices) GDP per capita Real GDP growth Consumer price index External debt $ bn $ % % $ bn $ bn $ bn $ bn 2005 27.97 6.0 7.2 6.57 8.6 -8.74 0.29 2006 32.66 5.2 10.0 6.54 10.25 -9.36 0.89 2007 40.42 6.3 3.9 6.93 11.75 -12.27 0.4 2008 50.88 4.8 15.3 7.3 12.78 -14.49 -0.7

Balance of payments
Exports fob Imports fob Current account balance (including services and income)

Government expenditure
Total expenditure Defense expenditure Real change in defense expenditure Defense expenditure/GDP $ bn $ bn % % 8.1 1.43 -6.6 5.1 9.5 1.77 23.8 5.4 10.43 1.54 -13.0 3.8 13.1 NA NA NA

Population m 18.9 19.4 19.9 20.5 Official exchange rate 54.85 51.1 48.1 46.74 S: $1 Sources: EIU Quarterly Report, EIU Country Profile, IMF International Financial Statistical Yearbook, SIPRI Yearbook

Foreign Military Cooperation

Type Foreign forces Security agreements Joint maneuvers Details Russia (2009) Iran, Russia (2006) Russia (2009), Turkey (2009)

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Arms Trade
Arms Procurement and Security Assistance Received
Country Iran Type Arms transfers Assistance Cooperation in arms production Arms transfers Cooperation in arms production, R&D Arms transfers Details C-802 SSM (2007), Tor-M1 SAM (2008), HT-233 radars (2010) Financial guarantees for debts to Russia (2007) Cooperation in production of SSMs (2009) Scud C/ D SSMs (2004), including assistance in production nuclear centrifuge technology (2004) Strelets SAMs (2006) , Pantsir SAM (2009), Tunguska SAMs (2007) , upgrading of SA-2 SAMs (2006), MiG-29M aircraft (2009), SSN-26 Yakhont SSMs (2009) Upgrading of naval bases in Tartus and Latakya (2009)

North Korea Pakistan Russia

Assistance

Arms Sales and Security Assistance Extended

Country Lebanon Palestinian organizations Russia Type Arms transfers Facilities Facilities Details M600 SSMs and Khaibar rockets for Hizbullah (2009) Training camps of Hamas and Islamic Jihad Use of Tartus naval base (2009)

Defense Production
M P A

Weapons of mass destruction

Production and upgrading of SSMs (in cooperation with North Korea and Iran) Production of chemical and biological agents, chemical warheads for SSMs

Army equipment
Upgrading of tanks 600mm M600 SSM 220mm Raad and 302mm Khaibar artillery rockets Ammunition Note: M - manufacture (indigenously developed) P - production under license A - assembly

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Strategic Assets
NBC Capabilities Nuclear capability
Basic research. Alleged deal with Russia for a 24 Mw reactor. Deals with China for a 27 kw reactor and with Argentina for a 3 Mw research reactor, are probably cancelled. Party to the NPT; Safeguards agreement with the IAEA in force.

Chemical weapons and protective equipment

Stockpiles of nerve gas, including sarin, mustard, and VX. There are unconfirmed allegations that Syria received Iraq's stockpile of chemical weapons just before the Iraq war broke out. Delivery vehicles include chemical warheads for SSMs and aerial bombs. Personal protective equipment; Soviet-type unit decontamination equipment. Not a party to the CWC.

Biological weapons
Biological weapons and toxins (unconfirmed). Signed but not ratified the BWC.

Ballistic Missiles
Model Launchers Missiles 18 200 SS-1 (Scud B) 8 80 SS-1 (Scud C) 18 SS-21 (Scarab) + + Fateh-110/ M600 + Scud D Total ~50 Note: see also long-range rockets under "Artillery" Since 1974 1992 1983 2007 2002 Notes

Space Assets
Name Type Remote sensing Notes Using images from Cosmos, ERS, Landsat, SPOT satellites

Satellite imaging
GORS

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Armed Forces
Order-of-Battle
Year 2006 289,000 ~45 12 67 3,700 (4,800) 5,060 3,274 (3,674) 2007 289,000 ~50 12 67 3,700 (4,800) 5,060 3,274 (3,674) 2008 289,000 ~50 12 67 3,700 (4,800) 5,060 3,274 (3,674) 2009 289,000 ~50 12 67 3,700 (4,800) 5,060 3,274 (3,674) 2010 289,000 ~50 12 67 3,700 (4,800) 5,060 3,274 (3,674)

General data
Personnel (regular) SSM launchers

Ground Forces
Divisions Total number of brigades Tanks APCs/AFVs Artillery (including MRLs)

Air Force
Combat aircraft Transport aircraft Helicopters 350 (490) 23 195 (225) 350 (490) 23 195 (225) 350 (490) 23 195 (225) 350 (490) 23 195 (225) 350 (490) 23 195 (225)

Air Defense Forces

Heavy SAM batteries Medium SAM batteries Light SAM launchers 108 64 55 108 64 88 108 67 88 108 67 88 108 67 88

Navy
Combat vessels Patrol craft * Due to change in estimate. 16 14 19 14 21 14 29 14 29 14

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Personnel
Ground Forces Air Force Air Defense Navy Total Regular 215,000 30,000 40,000 4,000 289,000 8,000 100,000 Reserves 100,000 10,000 20,000 2,500 132,500 Total 315,000 40,000 60,000 6,500 421,500 8,000 100,000

Paramilitary
Gendarmerie Workers' Militia

Ground Forces
Formations
Corps / armies All arms Armored 3 7 1 3 armd., 1 mech., 1 aty. Each 2 mech., 2 armd., 1 aty. Each 3 armd, 1 mech., 1 aty. Divisions Independent brigades / groups Brigades in divisions

Mechanized Republican Guard Infantry/ Special Forces Airborne/ Special Forces Artillery SSM forces Anti-tank/ Infantry Total 3 Note: One armored division is a reserve unit.

3 1 1

12

3 8-10 2 3 2 20-22

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Tanks
Model Quantity In service Since Notes

MBTs High quality

T-72(Upgraded) T-72/T-72M Subtotal 122 1,478 1,600 122 1,478 1,600 2003 1979/ 1993 Upgraded by an Italian firm

Medium and low quality

T-62 T-55/T-54 Subtotal Total 1,000 ~2,200 ~3,200 ~4,800 1,000 1,100 2,100 3,700 1974 1957/ 1998 Some upgraded to MV standard

APCs/AFVs
Model Quantity 560 1,000 1,560 2,450 100 2,550 950 In service 560 1,000 1,560 2,450 100 2,550 950 Since 1967 1956 Notes

APCs
BTR-152 BTR-40/50/60 Subtotal

IFVs
BMP-1 BMP-2 Subtotal 1977 1988

Reconnaissance
BRDM-2 Total 1978 Also listed under Anti-Tank Weapons

5,060

5,060

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Artillery
Model Quantity In service Since Notes

Self-propelled guns and howitzers

152mm 2S3 122mm 2S1 122mm D30 Subtotal 50 400 36 486 50 400 36 486 1984 1982 1986 Syrian-made

Towed guns and howitzers

180mm S-23 152mm M-1937 152mm D-20 130mm M-46 122mm D-30 122mm D-74 122mm M-1938 Subtotal 10 50 20 800 500 400 150 1,930 10 50 20 800 500 0 150 1,530 1975 1987 1982 1970 1984 1976

Mortars, over 160mm

240mm M-240 160mm M-160 Subtotal 10 80 90 10 80 90 1986 1976

Mortars, under 160mm

120mm M-1943 700 + + 18 250 200 450 3,674 700 + + 18 250 200 450 3,274 1975 2001 2006 1971 1979 1994 Syrian-made Syrian-made

Rockets
220mm Raad 302mm (WS-1) Khaibar FROG-7

MRLs
122mm BM-21 107mm Type 63 Subtotal Total

Logistics and Engineering Equipment

MTU-67 bridging tanks, MT-55 bridging tanks (90), tank-towed bridges, mine-clearing rollers, AFV transporters (800)

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Anti-Tank Missiles
Model AT-14 (Kornet) AT-4 (Spigot) AT-5 (Spandrel) AT-3 (Sagger) SP launchers 50 150 40 Missiles 1,500 Since 1998 1980 1995 1974 1980 Notes

3,000 200 ~3,400 + +

Mounted on BRDM-2 and BMP-1

MILAN Total

Future procurement
Matis (AT-11) Kornet (AT-14) Under negotiation Under negotiation

Air Force
Order-of-Battle
Category Combat Transport Helicopters Quantity 490 23 225 In service 390 23 195 Notes

Combat Aircraft
Model Quantity 20 35 50 105 20 56 100 176 ~200 ~490 10 In service 20 35 50 105 20 56 60 136 140 ~390 Under negotiation 1966 Some possibly phased out Since 1987 1980 1974 Notes

Interceptors
MiG-29 (Fulcrum) MiG-25 (Foxbat) MiG-23 ML/MF Subtotal

Ground attack
Su-24 (Fencer) MiG-23 U/BN (Flogger) Su-20/22 (Fitter C/ D) Subtotal 1988 1978 1978

Obsolete
MiG-21 MF/BIS/U (Fishbed) Total

Future procurement
MiG-29M

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Transport Aircraft
Model An-24/26 (Coke/Curl) IL-76 (Candid) Tu-134 Mystre-Falcon 20/900 Piper Navajo Yak-40 (Codling) Total Quantity 6 4 2 3 2 6 23 In service 6 4 2 3 2 6 23 Since 1979 1983 1985 1980 Notes

1989

Training and Liaison Aircraft

Model Quantity 90 40 6 46 136 In service ~40 40 6 46 96 Since 1980 1976 1994 Notes

Jet trainers
L-39 Albatross

Piston/Turbo-prop
MBB 223 Flamingo Mushshak Subtotal Total

Helicopters
Model Quantity 52 38 90 100 10 110 5 20 25 225 In service ~35 38 ~70 100 10 110 2 11 13 ~195 Since 1980 1976 Notes

Attack
Mi-25 (Hind) SA-342 Gazelle Subtotal

Medium transport
Mi-8/17 (Hip H) Mi-2 Subtotal 1971 1975

Naval combat
Ka-28 (Helix) Mi-14 (Haze) Subtotal Total 1990 1984

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Miscellaneous Aircraft
Model Quantity 7 In service + Since 1985 Notes

Reconnaissance
MiG-25 R

UAVs and miniUAVs

Shmel/ Malachit + +

Advanced Armament Air-to-air-missiles

AA-2 (610), AA-6 (150), AA-7 (470), AA-8 (1,120), AA-10, AA-11

Air-to-ground-missiles
AS-7, AS-9, AS-10, AS-11, AS-12, AS-14, AT-2, HOT Note: Number in parentheses refers to the quantity of missiles purchased, not to current inventory levels.

Air Force Infrastructure Aircraft shelters

In all airfields, for combat aircraft

Military airfields

21 Abu Duhur, Afis North, Aleppo, Damascus (International), Damascus (Meze), Dir ez-Zor, Dumayr, Hama, Jarah, Khalkhala, Latakia, Marj-royal (Bley), Nassiriyah, alQusayr, Rasm al-Aboud, Sayqal, Shayarat, al-Suweida, T-4, Tabaka, Tudmur

Air Defense Forces

Surface-to-Air Missiles
Model Batteries 100 8 108 14 50 3 + 67 20 1975 56 12 + Launchers Since 1971 1983 Notes Being upgraded

Heavy missiles
SA-2 (Guideline)/ SA-3 (Goa) SA-5 (Gammon) Total

Medium missiles
SA-8 (Gecko) SA-6 (Gainful) Pantsir-S1 Tor-M1 Total 1982 1973 2008 2008 Delivery in progress Allegedly from Iran

Light missiles
SA-9 (Gaskin)

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Model SA-24 Strelets (Igla-S) SA-13 (Gopher) Total

Batteries

Launchers 32 35 88

Since 2006 1986

Notes

Shoulder-launched missiles
SA-7 (Grail) SA-14 (Gremlin) SA-16 Igla-1 SA-18 Igla + 36 6 + + + + 1973

2003 Upgrading of SA-2 Being delivered

Future procurement
Pechora-2A (SA-2) Pantsir-S1 Tunguska-M1

Other air Defense Systems

Model Quantity 700 300 400 600 2,000 In service ~400 0 400 ~300 ~1,100 Since 1973 1973 1977 1986 Notes Partly phased out

Short-range guns
57mm S-60 37mm M-1939 23mm ZSU 23x4 SP (Gun Dish) 23mm ZU 23x2 Total

Radars
Kolchuga, Long Track, P-14 (Tall King), P-15 (Flat Face), P-12 (Spoon Rest), P-30, P-35, P-80, PRV-13, PRV-16, HT-233

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Navy
Combat Vessels
Type Quantity Length (m.)/ displacement (t.) 38.6/245 Notes/armament

MFPBs
Ossa I/II 16 4xSS-N-2C Styx SSM 4x30mm guns

ASW vessels
Petya III 1 81.8/950 4xRBU 2500 ASW mortars 3x76mm guns 3x533 mm torpedoes 22 mines Additional 1 non-operational

Mine warfare vessels

Sonya class (Type 12650) Yevgenia class (Type 1258) Subtotal 1 5 6 6 29 21/28.1 2xC-802 (Nur) SSMs 48/450 24.6/77 2x SA-N-5 SAMs 2x30mm guns 8 mines 2x25mm guns 2x14.5mm MGs Some non-operational

Semi-submersible
Tir class Total

Patrol Craft
Type Zhuk class (Type 1400M) MIG-S-1800 Total Quantity 8 6 14 Length (m.)/ displacement (t.) 24/39 18.7/60 Notes/armament 4x14.5mm MGs Some non-operational 1x20mm gun

Landing Craft
Type Polnochny B-class LCT (Type 771) Quantity 3 Length (m.)/ displacement (t.) 75/760 Notes/armament 180 troops or 350 tons 2x140mm MRLs 4x30mm guns

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Auxiliary Vessels
Type al-Assad (Ro-Ro) Natya (Type 226) Quantity 1 1 Length (m.)/ displacement (t.) 105/3,500 61/804 Notes/armament Training ship 2xSA-N-5 (Grail) SAMs 4x30mm guns formerly a minesweeper, now converted to oceanographic research

Total

2 Type Launchers + + 12 12 24 3 1 Since 2007 2009 Notes

Coastal Defense Missiles

C-802 SSC-5 (P-800) Yakhont/ Bastion SSC-1B Sepal SSC-3 Total Bering delivered

1966

Armed with SS-N-2C missiles

Naval Infrastructure Naval bases

Latakia, Minat al-Baida, Tartus

Ship maintenance and repair facilities

Repairs at Latakia

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