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Jane's Sentinel examines the forces in the region

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13 October 2000

Jane's examines the forces in the region - Jane's International Security News

Jane's World Armies 06
WORLD ARMIES, ISRAEL

Armed Forces Overview

Army
Strength 136,000; 3,600 � MBTs in service; 400 � recce vehicles; probably 9,000 � APCs available; over 1,000 SP guns and 53 attack helicopters.

Navy
Strength 8,000e; 3 � submarines; 3 � corvettes; 18 � missile craft.

Air Force
Strength 32,000; probably about 500 � combat aircraft and 120 � attack helicopters.

Defence Budget
In August 1998, Israel's former Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence, Itzhak Mordechai, agreed to increase Israel Defence Forces' (IDF) funding by NIS5 billion (US$1.35 billion) over five years, beginning in 1999.

The decision marks a major change in priorities, after over 10 years of defence cuts. According to the defence ministry plans, NIS10 billion will be required for its five-year modernisation plan. Israel recently began a process to convert foreign aid into military support, allowing it to buy more US systems with US finance. The additional funding will be directed mainly to local procurement.

Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - Eastern Mediterranean - 09

4.0.7 Regional Military Balance

	Armed Forces Strength	Armo-ured Vehi-cles	Combat Aircraft	Major Naval Vess- els	Balli-stic Mis- siles
Cyprus - ROC	12,500	762	None	None	None
Cyprus - TRNC	4,500	None	None	None	None
Gaza/ West Bank	40,000⁽¹⁾	45	None	None	None
Greece	166,100	4,317	342	47	None
Israel	177,500	9,548+	583	18	360+
Jordan	94,650	2,069+	85	None	None
Lebanon	64,965	1,200+	None	None	None
Syria	425,000	5,810+	511	18	300+
Turkey	516,600	8,650+	519	55	72⁽²⁾
Notes: 1. Figures for Palestinian Police Force (PPF). 2. In delivery.

ARMED FORCES, ISRAEL

4.10.1 ARMED FORCES SUMMARY

TOTAL STRENGTH
177,500 (Estimated)

4.10.13 Inventory: Strategic Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
Arrow 2	Anti-Missile Defence System	3 batteries ordered	1
Jericho-1 (YA-1)	Ballistic missile (max range 500km, payload 500kg)	150⁽�⁾	150⁽�⁾
Jericho-2 (YA-2)	Ballistic missile (max range 1,500km+, payload 1,000kg)	50⁽�⁾	50⁽�⁾
Jericho-3 (reported)	Ballistic missile (max range 1,500km+, payload n/a)	n/a	n/a
Shavit	Booster for satellite launch - (SLV) experts believe it could be converted for military use (max range 4,500km, payload 1,100kg)
MGM-55C (Lance)	Ballistic missile (max range 130km, payload 450kg)	160(12 launchers)	160
Note: 1. Estimated. There have been reports that Israel has deployed the MAR-350 surface-to-surface missile, which has a range of 90km and a payload of 330kg. Estimates as to the number of nuclear warheads in Israel's arsenal vary widely - figures ranging from 100 to 300 have been mentioned. The US writer Seymour Hersh, in his book The Samson Option (Random House, 1991), alleged that by 1990 Israel had over 100 usable weapons, including air-dropped bombs, ballistic missile warheads, mines and artillery shells. In March 2000 the Israeli Air Force took delivery of the first of three Arrow 2 anti-missile batteries that had been ordered. At that time the first battery was regarded as having emergency deployment capability, with a number of tests and improvements scheduled over the following year.

SECURITY AND FOREIGN FORCES, Gaza and the West Bank

Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN -
UPDATE 8

SECURITY AND FOREIGN FORCES

2.11.1 POLICE

TOTAL STRENGTH
40,000 (Estimated)

2.11.4 Organization

The Palestinian Police Force (PPF), set up under the Cairo Agreement of May 1994, had six branches under the terms of the agreement. The number of branches has inceased since then. Of the six original branches, four had a security/intelligence role and are answerable directly to Yasser Arafat - Public Security, Preventative Security, General Intelligence and Presidential Security. The other two branches were the Civil Police and Emergency Service and Rescue. Provision was also made for a Coast Guard.
The PPF went on to establish a number of branches that are not officially recognised either by the Cairo Agreement or Oslo II. These include Military Intelligence and the latter's subordinate body, the Military Police; the Special Security Force which is particularly close to Yasser Arafat and reports directly to him; the Aerial Police, and the County Guard. A Customs and Excise Police Force, and a University Security Service were also established.

The PPF, also known formally as the Palestinian Directorate of Police Force, or simply the Palestinian Police Force, is also referred to as the General Security Service (GSS). In theory, the GSS is the umbrella body responsible for the organisation of the Palestinian police and for coordinating the work of the different branches. In practice, some of branches, especially those with an intelligence role, seem to have a semi-autonomous status, answerable more to Yasser Arafat than to the GSS bureaucracy. The GSS has nine administrative departments, including logistics, training, communication, finance and political guidance. Presidential Security and the Special Security Force, which are under the tight personal control of Yasser Arafat, are sometimes referred to as the Palestinian Security Services (PSS).
The supreme commander of the PPF is Yasser Arafat. The PA's Ministry of Interior has responsibility for the PPF. The director general of the PPF is General Nasser Yussef, and under his command are two regional commanders, one in charge of the police forces in Gaza and the other in charge of the West Bank. As the headquarters in the two regions were being established, Major General Razak Majadia was appointed to take charge of the Gaza HQ, while Brigadier General Haj Ismail took control of the West Bank HQ.

According to an agreement reached in September 1995 between the PA and Israel, the total number of PPF members in all branches in the West Bank and Gaza would be no more than 30,000, of which up to 12,000 may be deployed in the West Bank and 18,000 in Gaza. By late 1997, the numbers had reached at least full strength. Israeli sources claimed that the numbers continued to be augmented over and above the strength that had been agreed. By late 1999 it was estimated that there was a strength of up to 40,000.

WORLD ARMIES, JORDAN

Jane's World Armies 06
Armed Forces Overview

Army
Strength 86,000; 835 � MBTs; 189 � recce vehicles; 35 � AIFV; 1,100 � APCs; probably 220 � SP arty guns.

Navy
Strength - approximately 500 with 3 � patrol craft.

Air Force
Strength - approximately 13,000 (including 3,000 air defence troops) with about 90 combat aircraft and 24 armed helicopters.

Defence Budget
The armed forces have suffered severely from budgetary cutbacks since the late 1980s and much of their equipment is now antiquated. The Jordanian economy has been in trouble for the last decade but the situation deteriorated in August 1990, when the kingdom refused to join the USA-led coalition against Saddam Hussein after he invaded Kuwait. Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf Co-operation Council states cut off US$1.2 billion a year in aid, a pillar of the Jordanian economy. The Saudis also cut off oil supplies.

Another key source of revenue for the resource-poor kingdom was also lost because of the Gulf crisis: billions of dollars a year in remittances from hundreds of thousands of Jordanians and Palestinians, who had also supported Saddam Hussein. They either fled to Kuwait or were expelled by other Gulf states. In all, Jordan estimates it lost US$1.5 billion a year in revenue.

The defence budget fell from US$548 million in 1998, to US$496 million in 1999, and across-the-board spending cutbacks have prevented any serious acquisitions in the open market. In 1989, Jordan was forced to abandon a programme to create integrated air defence brigades and plans for upgrading its armoured forces were also stalled, although some work was carried out on its 275 Khalid (Chieftain) MBTs. Its armoured forces are still in a parlous state, with as much as one-third of its MBTs in storage or inactive.

However, there has been a recent improvement in the economic situation and the defence expenditure figure will probably rise steadily as the economy strengthens and could top US$600 million in the early years of the new decade. Probably 70 per cent plus of defence expenditure is devoted to the army.

During 1998, USA FMA (Foreign Military Assistance) totalled US$32 million. UPDATED

ARMY, JORDAN

Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN - UPDATE 9

5.11.1 ARMY SUMMARY

STRENGTH
86,000

INFANTRY
Mechanized division � 2
Royal Guards brigade � 1
Special Forces brigade � 1

ARMOUR
Division � 2

ARTILLERY
Brigade � 5

5.11.12 Inventory: Armour

Type	Role	Quan-tity	In Service
Challenger 1 (Al-Hussein)	Main Battle Tank	288 (in delivery)	14
BTR-94	Armoured Personnel Carrier	50	50
M60A1/A3	Main Battle Tank	350	350
M47, M48A5	Main Battle Tank	300	None
Chieftain (Khalid)	Main Battle Tank	365	275
Centurion (Tariq)	Main Battle Tank	290	290
Scorpion	Light Tank	19	19
Ferret	Reconnaissance Vehicle	150	n/a
Saracen/Saladin	APC/ Reconnaissance Vehicle	60	None
BMP-2	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	35	35
M113	Armoured Personnel Carrier	1,100	1,100
Note: In addition to the equipment outlined in the table, Jordan also has a sizeable holding of armoured recovery vehicles. It was announced in March 1999 that the UK is to supply more than 150 refurbished Challenger 1 tanks to Jordan. The following year it was reported that the actual number of tanks to be delivered would be 288, including `run only' tanks and some driver training tanks (DTTs). Meanwhile, the first batch of 14 tanks was delivered in November 1999, with further deliveries scheduled for the latter part of 2000 and subsequent years. These ex-British Army tanks are to replace Jordan's ageing Centurion tanks.

5.11.13 Inventory: Artillery

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
105 mm M102	Towed Howitzer	50	50
155 mm M114	Towed Howitzer	30	30
155 mm M59/M1	Towed Howitzer	10	10
203 mm M115	Towed Field Gun	25	none
105 mm M52	Self-Propelled Howitzer	30	30
155 mm M44	Self-Propelled Howitzer	20	20
155 mm M109A1/A2	Self-Propelled Howitzer	220	220
203 mm M110	Self-Propelled Howitzer	148	148
120 mm Brandt	Mortar	300	300
107 mm M30	Mortar	50	50
81 mm	Mortar⁽�⁾	450	450
Note: 1. About 125 of the 81mm mortars are self-propelled. The army also has the AN/TPQ-36/37 artillery/mortar locating system. Jordan has built up its artillery strength over the years and has a formidable holding of self-propelled weapons.

5.11.14 Inventory: Anti-Tank Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
BGM-71A TOW/BGM-71C Improved TOW	Anti-Tank Missile Launcher	330	330
M-47 Dragon	Anti-Tank Missile Launcher	310	310
112 mm APILAS	Rocket Launcher	2,300	2,300
94 mm LAW80	Rocket Launcher	2,500	2,500
106 mm M40A1	Recoilless Rifle	330	330
Note: As the figures show, Jordan has a considerable anti-tank capability.

5.11.15 Inventory: Air Defence Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
MIM-23B Improved HAWK	Long-Range SAM	80	80
Antey 9K33 (SA-8)	Missile Launcher Vehicle	50	50
9K35 Strela 10 (SA-13)	Missile Launcher Vehicle	50	50
FIM-43A Redeye	Manportable SAM	250	250
Strela-3 (SA-14)	Manportable SAM	300	300
Strela-2 (SA-7)	Manportable SAM	n/a	n/a
Igla-1 (SA-16)	Manportable SAM	240	240
Twin-barrel 40 mm M-42 Duster GMC	Self-Propelled AAG	218	218
23 mm ZSU-23.4 Shilka	Self-Propelled AAG	45	45
20 mm M-163 Vulcan	Self-Propelled AAG	100	100
Note: The army operates the following air defence radars: AN/TPS-43, AN/TPSA-63 and S-711. Jordan's air defence weapons are a mixture of Western and Soviet equipment.

5.11.16 Inventory: Infantry Weapons

Type	Role
9 � 19 mm Parabellum FN Mle. 35GP	Pistol
9 � 19 mm Parabellum Glock P80	Pistol
11.43 � 23 mm .45 M1911A1	Pistol
No 2 Mk-1 .38 Enfield	Revolver
9 � 29 mm .38 Smith & Wesson	Revolver
9 � 19 mm Parabellum MP5K	Sub-Machine Gun
9 � 19 mm Parabellum L34A1	Sub-Machine Gun
9 � 19 mm Parabellum Sten	Sub-Machine Gun
7.62 mm FN FAL	Assault Rifle
7.62 mm AK-47	Assault Rifle
7.62 mm G3	Assault Rifle
7.62 mm M16A1/A2	Assault Rifle
7.62 mm FN MAG	General-Purpose Machine Gun
7.62 mm M60D	General-Purpose Machine Gun
7.62 mm (0.3 in) Browning M1919	Heavy Machine Gun
12.7 mm (0.5 in) Browning M2	Heavy Machine Gun

WORLD ARMIES, SYRIA

Jane's World Armies 08
Armed Forces Overview

Army
Strength: 220,000e; 4,500 MBT; 950 � recce vehicles; 2,380 � AIFVs; 1,400 � APCs and 450 � self propelled artillery guns.

Navy
Strength: 6,000e; 3 � submarine (2 possibly non-operational) 2 � frigates and about 20 patrol craft.

Air Force
Strength: 40,000e; 550e � combat aircraft; 91 � attack helicopters.

Defence Budget
Defence spending accounts for an estimated 7 per cent of the 1998 Syrian budget, which was approved by the rubber-stamp People's Assembly in late April 1998. The Damascus government published few details of the budget and nothing on politically sensitive defence allocations.

The 1999 defence budget has been set at US$2.9 billion, clearly a figure that is totally insufficient to fund armed forces of this size and complexity. At the very best a figure of US$275 million could be allocated to army procurement expenditure from this figure.

Former Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Hikmat Shihabi said in 1998 that Syria intends to continue modernising its force in line with neighbouring countries.

ARMY, Syria

Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN - UPDATE 7

ARMY

7.11.12 Inventory: Armour

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
T-72/T-72M	Main Battle Tank	1,500⁽�⁾	1,500⁽�⁾
T-62	Main Battle Tank	1,000	1,000
T-54/T-55	Main Battle Tank	2,250^(²)	n/a
BRDM-2	Reconnaissance Vehicle	950	950
BMP-2	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	60	60
BMP-1	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	2,300	2,300
BTR-152	Armoured Personnel Carrier	560	n/a
BTR-40/50/60	Armoured Personnel Carrier	1,000	n/a
Notes: 1. Syria may have as many as 1,600 T-72 MBTs. 2. Estimated. Syria has invested heavily in its armour. It has more than 4,000 main battle tanks (MBTs), although more than half of these are aging T-54/T-55 vehicles. Analysts believe that one of the reasons behind the purchase of the modern T-72 was to give Syrian forces the speed and manoeuvrability that would be required were they to move against Israeli forces on the Golan Heights.

7.11.13 Inventory: Artillery

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
152 mm M-1972 (2S3)	Self-Propelled Howitzer	50	50
122 mm 2S1	Self-Propelled Howitzer	400	400
122 mm D-30	Self-Propelled Gun⁽�⁾	36	36
180 mm S23	Gun (Towed)	10	10
152 mm M-1937	Gun (Towed)	50	50
130 mm M-46	Gun (Towed)	750	750
122 mm D-30	Howitzer (Towed)	480	480
122 mm M1938	Howitzer (Towed)	150	150
122 mm M1931/1937	Howitzer (Towed)	100	n/a
122 mm BM-21	Multiple Rocket System	300^(²)	300^(²)
107 mm Type 63	Multiple Rocket System	200^(²)	200^(²)
240 mm M240	Heavy Mortar	10^(²)	10^(²)
160 mm M160	Heavy Mortar	100	100
120 mm M1943	Heavy Mortar	400	400
82 mm	Mortar	200^(²)	200^(²)
Notes: 1. Mounted on T-34 chassis. 2. Estimated.

7.11.14 Inventory: Anti-Tank Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
MILAN	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	200	200
AT-3 `Sagger'	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	3,000	3,000
AT-4 `Spigot'	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	150	150
AT-5 `Spandrel'	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	40	40
AT -14 `Kornet'	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	1,000	1,000⁽¹⁾
Note: 1 It was reported in June 1998 that Russia had sold Syria 1,000 AT-14 `Kornet' anti-tank guided missiles. There was some concern in Israel about the reports. While Israel's Merkava MBT was designed to defeat the threat of such missiles, there was concern that the AT-14 could be effective against fortified positions or medium protected vehicles in areas such as southern Lebanon or the Golan Heights. Syria remains heavily dependent on Soviet-designed anti-tank weapons. It has been seeking to acquire advanced Western-designed weapons that are easier to use.

7.11.15 Inventory: Air Defence Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
Strela-2 (SA-7)	Manportable SAM	4,000	4,000
Strela-3 (SA-14)	Manportable SAM	n/a	n/a
Igla-1 (SA-16)	Manportable SAM	n/a	n/a
2K12 Kub/9K33 (SA-6/SA-8)	Low Altitude SAM	70⁽�⁾	70⁽�⁾
9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9)	Low Altitude SAM	20	20
9K35 Strela 10 (SA-13)	Low Altitude SAM	35	35
100 mm KS-19	Anti-Aircraft Gun	25	25
57 mm S-60	Anti-Aircraft Gun	700⁽�⁾	700⁽�⁾
57 mm ZSU-57-2 SP	Self-Propelled AAG	10	10
37 mm M1939	Anti-Aircraft Gun	300	n/a
23 mm ZSU-23-4 SP	Self-Propelled AAG	400	400
23 mm ZU-23-2	Light Anti-Aircraft Gun (Towed)	650	650
Note: 1. Estimated. The army has more than 2,000 air defence guns and more than 4,100 surface-to-air missiles. In this as in other areas, the army is heavily dependent on Soviet-designed weapons. The Air Defence Command, which operates under the command of the air force, operates longer-range surface-to-air missiles such as the Almaz Volga-M (SA-2), S-125 Neva (SA-3) and Antey S-200 (SA-5).

7.11.16 Inventory: Infantry Weapons

Type	Role
7.62 � 25 mm TT33 Tokarev	Pistol
7.65 mm MAS-1935S	Pistol
7.65 mm SACM-1935A	Pistol
9 � 18 mm Makarov	Pistol
9 � 19 mm Parabellum (FN Mle. 35 GP)	Pistol
Enfield No 2 Mk 1 .38	Revolver
Webley No 1 Mk VI .455	Revolver
Webley Mk IV .38	Revolver
9 � 29 mm (.38 Smith and Wesson)	Revolver
7.62 � 51 mm Steyr SSG	Sniper Rifle
7.62 � 39 mm AK-47	Assault Rifle
7.62 � 39 mm AKM	Assault Rifle
7.62 � 51 mm FN FAL	Assault Rifle
9 � 19 mm Parabellum vz.23 and vz.25	Sub-Machine Gun
7.62 mm PPS-43 Tokarev	Sub-Machine Gun
7.62 mm PPSh-41 Tokarev	Sub-Machine Gun
7.62 � 39 mm RPK	Light Machine Gun
7.62 � 54 mm,	General-Purpose Machine Gun
PK series 7.62 � 54 mm SGM Vehicle MGs	Machine Gun
7.62 � 54 mm DT vehicle MGs	Machine Gun
12.7 � 108 mm DShK38/46	Heavy Machine Gun
14.5 x 114 mm KPV HMG (ZPU-1, ZPU-2 and ZPU-4)	Automatic Cannon
23 � 152 mm: ZU-23	Automatic Cannon
Note: Soviet-designed weapons predominate in the small arms inventory.

REGIONAL OVERVIEW, THE GULF STATES
Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - THE GULF STATES - UPDATE 6

Military Equipment In Service

Country	Armoured Vehicles	Combat Aircraft	Combat Vessels	Defence Expenditure (US$ million)
Bahrain	392	24	7	402
Iran	2,725	447	29	5,300
Iraq	n/a	231	3	1,300
Kuwait	778	60	2	4,000
Oman	361	47	6	1,800
Qatar	328	36	7	1,200
Saudi Arabia	4,175	366	110	18,400
UAE	1,523	124	12	3,700
Yemen	1,872	95	5	414
Note: Iraqi figures are estimates.

WORLD ARMIES, IRAQ
Jane's World Armies 07

Armed Forces Overview

Army
Strength approx 350,000; about 2,000 MBT probably `operational' and 2,000 APCs.

Navy
Strength approx 2,500; 2 � frigates and 7 � patrol craft.

Air Force
Strength about 30,000 including some 16,000 air defence troops; between 200 and 250 combat aircraft serviceable at any one time.

Defence Budget
There is very little that can be said about current Iraqi defence expenditure. The majority of analysts agree that Iraq is probably spending about US$1.5 billion annually and that this figure is almost certainly going to stick around this level until UN sanctions are lifted and Iraq can once again sell its oil openly on the world market. The defence forces are dramatically underfunded and almost certainly involved in a day to day battle for financial survival. A very high percentage of the equipment identified in this report is almost certainly unserviceable.

UPDATED

ARMY, Iraq
Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment THE GULF STATES Update 6

3.11.1 ARMY SUMMARY

STRENGTH 350,000 (estimated)
ARMY Armoured Division � 3 Infantry Division � 11 Mechanised Division � 3
REPUBLICAN GUARD Armoured Division � 2 Infantry Division � 3 Mechanised Division � 3
SPECIAL REPUBLICAN GUARD Battalion � 14
SPECIAL FORCES Brigade � 10
POPULAR ARMY Division � 19
Reserve Division	� 40

3.11.21 Inventory: Armour

Type	Role	Quantity
T-72/Asad Babl	Main Battle Tank	n/a
T-62	Main Battle Tank	n/a
T-54/55	Main Battle Tank	n/a
T-55 modified	Main Battle Tank	n/a
Type 59	Main Battle Tank	n/a
PT-76	Amphibious Light Tank	n/a
SU-100	Tank Destroyer	n/a
AML-60	Light Armoured Car	n/a
AML-90	Light Armoured Car	n/a
BMP-1	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	n/a
BMP-2	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	n/a
MT-LB	Armoured Vehicle	n/a
EE-9	Armoured Car	n/a
ERC-90	Armoured Car	n/a
Panhard M3	Armoured Car	n/a
BRDM-1	Reconnaissance Vehicle	n/a
BRDM-2	Reconnaissance Vehicle	n/a
PSZH-IV	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
BTR-50	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
BTR-60	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
BTR-152	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
EE-11	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
OT-62	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
OT-64	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
Walid	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
Type 531	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
M-60P	Armoured Personnel Carrier	n/a
BMD-1	Airborne Combat Vehicle	n/a
Note: About 2,200 main battle tanks and 3,000 other armoured fighting vehicles remain in the inventory, although only about 40-50 per cent of these may be serviceable.

3.11.22 Inventory: Artillery

Type	Role	Quantity
240 mm 2S4	Self-Propelled Mortar	n/a
210 mm Faw	Self-Propelled Howitzer	n/a
180 mm S-23	Field Gun	n/a
155 mm M109A1/A2	Self-Propelled Howitzer	n/a
155 mm Mk F3	Self-Propelled Howitzer	n/a
155 mm Majoon	Self-Propelled Howitzer	n/a
155 mm G5	Gun-Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
155 mm GH N-45	Gun-Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
155 mm WA021	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
155 mm M114	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
152 mm D-1	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
152 mm 2A36	Field Gun	n/a
152 mm 2S3	Self-Propelled Howitzer	n/a
152 mm M1937	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
152 mm Type 66	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
130 mm M-46	Field Gun (Towed)	n/a
130 mm Type 59	Field Gun (Towed)	n/a
130 mm Type 59-1	Field Gun (Towed)	n/a
122 mm Saddam	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
122 mm D-30	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
122 mm M1931/7	Corps Gun	n/a
122 mm M1938	Howitzer (Towed)	n/a
122 mm 2S1	Self-Propelled Howitzer	n/a
300 mm Sajeel 60	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
240 mm Nasr	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
180 mm Sajeel 40	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
140 mm MRS	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
132 mm BM-13	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
127 mm Astros II	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
122 mm Abajeel	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
122 mm Saqr-30	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
122 mm BM-11	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
122 mm M1975	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
122 mm BM-21	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
108 mm FGT	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
107 mm MRS	Multiple Rocket Launcher	n/a
FROG-7	Area Rocket System	n/a
Laith 90	Area Rocket System	n/a
Note: About 3,250 artillery pieces are available for use.

3.11.23 Inventory: Anti-Tank Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity
9M14 (AT-3)	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	n/a
M136 (AT-4)	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	n/a
Milan	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	n/a
HOT	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	n/a
SS-11	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	n/a
Note: More than 2,000 missiles are available.

3.11.24 Inventory: Air Defence Weapons

Type	Role	Quantity
Strela-3 (SA-14)	Manportable SAM	n/a
Strela-2M (SA-7)	Manportable SAM	n/a
Antey 9K33 (SA-8)	Low Altitude SAM	n/a
Strela-1 (SA-9)	Low Altitude SAM	n/a
MOWAG Roland	Self-Propelled SAM	n/a
Note: The air force is responsible for strategic systems. More than 1,500 missiles are available.

3.11.25 Inventory: Infantry Weapons

Type	Role
7.62 mm Qadis	Rifle
7.62 mm SKS	Rifle
7.62 mm AK-47	Assault Rifle
9 mm Sterling	Sub-Machine Gun
7.62 mm PPS-43	Sub-Machine Gun
0.303 in Bren	Light Machine Gun
7.62 mm M72B1	Machine Gun
7.62 mm MG34	Machine Gun
7.62 mm RPD	Machine Gun
7.62 mm SGM	Machine Gun
12.7 mm DShK	Heavy Machine Gun

3.11.26 Inventory: Army Aviation

Current equipment operated includes about 100 helicopters and some light aircraft, including PC-7 trainers converted for a counter-insurgency role.

Type	Role	Quantity	In Service
SA 319/AS-12	Light Attack	20	n/a
SA 316/gun	Light Attack	10	n/a
SA 342K/HOT	Light Attack	20	n/a
SA 330F	Light Support	20	n/a
BO 105CB/LS	Light Observation	30	n/a
Mi-6	Medium Lift	10	n/a
Mi-8	Light Support	35	n/a
Mi-17	Light Support	12	n/a
Mi-25	Attack	12	n/a

WORLD ARMIES, EGYPT
Jane's World Armies 07

Armed Forces Overview

Army
Strength approximately 310,000 with 240,000e conscripts; 2,100e � MBT operational; 412 � recce vehicles; 4,400 � IFV/APCs operational; 296 � self propelled artillery guns.

Navy
Strength approximately 18,500 including 2,000 coastguards and 12,000 conscripts: 4 � submarines; 10 � frigates; 40+ coastal and patrol craft.

Air Force
Strength 30,000 (including 10,000 conscripts) with about 500 combat aircraft and 98 armed helicopters.

Defence Budget
While the Egyptian defence budget is not secret, even the scantiest of details are hard to come by for the current fiscal year. The defence budget is published, along with the rest of the government budget, in the Official gazette and thereafter by the Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Bank of Egypt. The defence budget is not transparent. Details of defence spending are also supplied retrospectively to the IMF and the Arab Monetary Fund.

According to official figures, Egypt's defence spending has fluctuated between US$1.3 billion and US$2.5 billion in the period 1985-96. As a proportion of government spending, defence has dropped from some 20 to 11 per cent over the same period and, as a proportion of GDP, from around 7.5 to 3.2 per cent. These figures exclude the annual Foreign Military Assistance (FMA) grant of US$1.3 billion from the US (dating from 1980) which funds the large part of Egyptian procurement and military construction.

The official 1997 defence budget was some E£7.9 billion (US$2.3 billion). A large increase in public interest debt repayments in the 1998 budget incurs a fiscal deficit of nearly 9 per cent. The defence budget declines to E£6.9 billion (US$2 billion) in 1998 and is likely to be at a similar level in 1999.

As a result of US FMF (Foreign Military Funding), Egypt has run up massive debts over the years. By the early 1990s, Egypt's borrowing under FMF totalled US$7 billion. These were, however, waived as a result of Egyptian participation in Operation Desert Storm. In the future the Egyptians believe that `good behaviour' especially towards any Middle East peace accords will be rewarded with further FMF write offs.

However, the Egyptian government's resistance to signing an indefinite extension to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty unless Israel, the Middle East's sole nuclear power, does so has recently annoyed the US administration and raised questions in Washington about the value of continuing to provide hefty financial aid to Cairo.

Egypt ranks second only to Israel as a US aid recipient. It has been getting over US$1.5 billion a year in US Foreign Military Financing since it signed the Camp David Accords treaty with Israel in 1979. That is almost 39 per cent of total US military aid and the country has received around US $37 billion since that date. In 1999, Egypt will probably receive military funding totalling around US$2 billion from the US.

UPDATED

ARMED FORCES, Egypt
Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - NORTH AFRICA - UPDATE 5

4.10.1 ARMED FORCES SUMMARY

TOTAL STRENGTH
358,500 (estimated, 1998)
Conscription: 36 months (selective)

4.10.8 Ballistic Missiles

Since the 1950s Egyptian rocket scientists have been working on a series of ballistic missile systems. The project was undertaken with German assistance until Israel's Mossad destroyed the research and allegedly murdered the scientists involved. The Soviets also carried out development work on the `Scud' missile with the Egyptians.

`Badr 2000': this is the Iraqi name for a joint programme with Egypt, which could have been the cover name for the `Condor 2' programme. The missile is said to have a range of between 800 and 1,200 km, with a variety of warhead types variously stated as being of between 450 and 1,000 kg. It is probably developed from the `Scud'.
`Condor 1': the original multi-national, covert ballistic missile programme which began in the 1970s in Argentina and which was superseded by `Condor 2'.
`Condor 2': Egypt joined this Argentine programme in 1984, maintaining an option for production to take place in Egypt if the programme was successful. The programme ceased in 1990. Iraq was also involved with the project, test-firing the solid rocket motor in 1989 and continuing work until 1991. Initial research shows that `Condor 2' would have had a range of 900 km and carried a warhead of 500 kg.
`Project T': `Project T' is a development programme organised under the auspices of Arab British Dynamics. It concerns the development of the SS-1c `Scud'-B missile, using North Korean technology to bring the missile to `Scud'-C standard, extending the missile's range to 450 km. Production probably began in 1990 with an initial run of 90 missiles. British Aerospace withdrew from the Arab British Dynamics joint venture in 1992 because of its links to the `Scud' programme and concerns over the proliferation of ballistic missiles in the region.
`Vector': this is believed to be the name of the SS-1 `Scud' improvement programme, possibly undertaken with Iraq until 1990; alternatively, it could be the joint project with North Korea to create a 600 km range missile.

4.10.9 Nuclear Weapons

Although there is no evidence to support the claims, there were rumours in the 1960s and early 1970s that Egypt had attempted to develop nuclear weapons with which to attack Israel. Egypt's policy change came with the Camp David Accord and the signing of the NPT in 1981.

4.10.10 Biological Weapons

There is no direct evidence that the current Egyptian administration is developing or has stockpiled biological weapons. However, The US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) said in its annual report in August 1996 that Egypt had developed biological warfare agents in 1972 and noted that there was `no evidence' that the programme had been halted. `It remains likely that the Egyptian capability to conduct biological warfare continues to exist...' the report said. Accusations were made in Nasser's time that Egypt was planning to unleash a biological attack on Tel Aviv and other cities in Israel.

4.10.11 Chemical Weapons

During the 1960s and early 1970s Egypt possessed considerable quantities of chemical weapons (CWs). During the brief war with North Yemen, Egyptian aircraft dropped non-persistent nerve agents on royalist troops. There have been claims that Israeli troops found chemical stockpiles in the Sinai after the June 1967 war, and again in 1973.

4.10.13 Inventory: Strategic Weapons

SS-1c	Short-range ballistic missile		9 launchers, 50 missiles
Note: By 2005 there will be 90 `Project T' missiles to replace Egypt's `Scud' missiles.

WORLD ARMIES, IRAN
Jane's World Armies 06

Armed Forces Overview

Army
Strength 345,000; 1,160e � MBTs; 50 � recce vehicles; 100 � IFVs; 575 + � APCs; 250 � SP guns; 120 � combat helicopters.

Navy
Strength 20,000; 3 � submarines; 3 � frigates and approximately 60 � coastal and patrol vessels.

Air Force
Strength 30,000; 290 � combat aircraft with a high percentage of the older types probably unserviceable. There could be over 50 ex-US aircraft in this category plus about 40 helicopters.

Iran's armed forces are limited, despite their size, by a very poor maintenance record caused by a lack of spare parts and by very poor training. There is little doubt that, at the moment, Iran is not capable of presenting any credible external threat and conventional force projection is almost certainly limited to within its own borders.

However, there remains the fear that Iran is in the process of building a nuclear capability that, if it came to fruition, would pose a serious threat to the stability of the vital Persian Gulf region.

Defence Budget
In 1998, Iran's parliament, the Majlis, approved an IR2.885 trillion defence budget for 1999, despite a double-digit inflation rate and depressed oil prices, according to the Iranian media. Iran uses three exchange rates for the US dollar, but the defence allocation works out at US$1.64 billion at the lowest rate of 1,750 rials to the dollar, the official rate used to calculate state budget accounts.

It was not clear from reports by state-run Iran Television and newspapers whether the figure approved was in line with the defence budget sought by the government of President Mohammad Khatami, a liberal-leaning cleric who was the surprise victor in the May 1997 presidential election.

Non-Subscriber Extract

Jane's Sentinel examines the forces in the region

5.11.13 Inventory: Artillery

5.11.14 Inventory: Anti-Tank Weapons

5.11.15 Inventory: Air Defence Weapons

5.11.16 Inventory: Infantry Weapons

Armed Forces Overview

Armed Forces Overview

Armed Forces Overview

End of non-subscriber extract

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