Syrian Navy

The Syrian Navy is the naval force of the Syrian Arab Republic. It currently comprises about 3,700 members and 2,500 reservists.

History

The Syrian Navy was established in 1950. It initially consisted of ships that had been bought in France and army soldiers who were retrained in France.

During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Syrian Navy was defeated by the Israeli navy during the Battle of Latakia and remained for the rest of the war in the harbor. In the 1980s, the Syrian Navy of the Soviet Union was re-equipped in return for basing rights in Tartus. She received including three submarines, speed boats, coastal missile and an amphibious component. There were some supplied by Russia and Iran modern coastal missiles, which are used in part to built in Iran small speedboats.

In fact, the importance of the Navy has not significantly improved within the armed forces of Syria. It remained in subjection to the land forces as part of the Regional Command Latakia. The guide is exclusively of the country.

Equipment

In the 1980s, the Syrian Navy received including three submarines of the type Romeo, minesweepers, missile patrol boats of the types Komar, Osa and Osa -II and anti-submarine boats of the type Petya -II. There were anti-submarine helicopters Ka -25 types of hormones and Mi -14 Haze, which, however, were placed under the Air Force, and a small naval infantry of about 800 men. To transport 1984/85 three landing ships of the type Polnocny were procured. The delivered in 1989 by Polish training ship Al -Assad, with about 3500 ts the largest ship in the Syrian Navy, can also be used as a troop transport. The current state of the Clear seagoing units is assessed as low, while the coastal missiles of types SS-N -26 Yakhont, SSC -1, SSC -3 and C -802 operating off the coast of ships threaten seriously.

Bases

Despite its small size, the Syrian Navy has four naval bases, including the mitgenutzte of Russia naval base of Tartus. The other bases are located in Latakia, Baniyas and Minet el- Beida.

Use value

Training, maintenance and modernization stopped the rebuilding of maritime capabilities in the 1980s did not keep pace. It is unknown which of the ships delivered in the 1980s, still use clear. One of the U- boats sunk in 1995 at the pier, the operational capability of the other two is doubtful.

The operational value of the Syrian navy is considered low. It is limited to coastal operations, such as 14 August 2011, when Syrian warships involved in the shelling of Latakia to crush protests. Only the coast missiles are a part of other navies to consider operational component dar.