List of equipment of the Syrian Army

This is an inventory of military equipment currently operated by the Syrian Arab Army. The organization and military doctrine of the former Ba'athist-led Syrian Arab Armed Forces were influenced by the doctrines of the Soviet Union, Syria's closest ally. ^[1] The Syrian Arab Army has traditionally relied on the Soviet Union and its successor the Russian Federation as its main supplier of military equipment. As a result of the Syrian Civil War, many vehicles and much heavy equipment has been destroyed or captured, with some stores being partially replenished from Russian stocks.

Following the outcome of the Syrian civil war, Israel launched several strikes on Syrian strategic bases, destroying up to 80% of the country's ammunition stocks as well as their navy, most of their air force and the majority of their strategic weapons stocks. ^{[2] [3]}

Protective gear and combat uniforms

Name	Photo	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes
EMR Desert		Russia	Combat uniform	N/A	Standard issue.
MultiCam		Russia	Combat uniform	N/A	Standard issue.
Advanced Combat Helmet		United States	Combat helmet	N/A	Iranian made copy. Standard issue. [4]
FAST		United States	Combat helmet	N/A	Standard issue. Used by security forces. [5]
6B47		Russia	Combat helmet	N/A	Standard issue. [6]
Ruyin-3		Iran	Ballistic vest	N/A	Standard issue. Used by security forces. [7] [8]

Carbines

Name	Photo	Origin	Cartridge	Notes
AKS-74U		Soviet Union	5.45×39mm M74	Seen in use by the Syrian Republican Guard during Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Aleppo. [9]

Battle and semi-auto rifles

Name	Photo	Origin	Cartridge	Notes
SKS		Soviet Union	7.62×39mm M43	Used for ceremonial purposes. [10]

Assault rifles

Name	Photo	Origin	Cartridge	Notes
AK-47 [11]		Soviet Union	7.62×39mm M43/M67	Standard issue. Also seen in use by security forces.
AKMS		Soviet Union	7.62×39mm M43	Standard issue. Also seen in use by security forces. [12]

Sniper rifles

Name	Photo	Type	Origin	Cartridge	Notes
ASVK		Anti-material rifle	Russia	12.7 × 108 mm	Possibly in use by special forces.
PSL		Marksman rifle	Socialist Republic of Romania	7.62×54mmR

General-purpose machine guns

Name	Photo	Origin	Cartridge	Notes
Pecheneg machine gun [13] [14]		Russia	7.62×54mmR	Possibly seen in use by border patrol officers. [15]

Vehicles

Tanks

Name	Photo	Quantity	Origin	Notes
T-55A/AM/AMV/M/MV [16]		286+ [17] (as of 2024)	Soviet Union	2,000 received from the Soviet Union. [18] A and AMV variants have been upgraded with Kontakt-1 armor and 9M117 Bastion. [19] More than 682 claimed destroyed or captured by armed groups since March 2011. [18] 200 T-55s were upgraded to MV standard by Ukraine in 1997 and AM variant by North Korea in 1980s. [20] Some T-55s upgraded with locally developed Viper thermal imager, assembled from foreign components. [21] All T-55s upgraded with soft-kill Sarab Active Protection System. [22] At least 64 T55 tanks were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]
T-62A/ obr. 1972/ obr. 1975 /K/M/MV		179+ (as of 2024) [17]	Soviet Union	1,000 in service as of 2010, more than 366 claimed captured/destroyed by rebels. At least several dozens of T-62M with 9M117 Bastion delivered by Russia since 2017. [24] [25] Up to 100 would have been sent. [26] In 2018 and 2019, Russia reactivated and field-tested T-62M/MV variants with Kontakt-1 ERA from war stores and transported them to Syria. [27] Most T-62s are upgraded with soft-kill Sarab Active Protection System.[ citation needed ]At least 21 T62 tanks were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]
T-72 Ural/A/AVS/S/M/M1/M1M/M1S/ B obr. 1989/B3/Adra/ [28] Shafrah [29]		199+ (as of 2024) [17]	Soviet Union   Czechoslovakia Russian Federation (Flag 1991-1993) Russian Federation	More than 1500 in 2010, some upgraded by Russia. 124 T-72M1s and T-72AVs were upgraded to T-72M1S standard between 2003 and 2006 by Italy. [30] With Galileo Avionica TURMS-T computerized FCS, infrared cameras, improved gun stabilisation, stabilised sights for the gunner and the commander, added 9M119 Svir/Refleks launcher. [31] More than 850 claimed destroyed / captured by rebels. [18] Approximately 300 in 2014. T-72Bs as well as ones with Kontakt-5 were delivered by Russia in 2015–2016. [32] At least few dozens of T-72B3 in Syrian service as of 2023. [33] T-72A/AV/M upgraded with locally assembled Viper thermal imager and Kontakt-1. [34] All T-72s were fitted with locally developed soft-kill Sarab Active Protection System providing jamming capabilities.[ citation needed ] At leas 51 T72 tanks were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]

Infantry fighting vehicles

Name	Photo	Quantity	Origin	Notes
BMP-1P [24]		~721 (2024) [17]	Soviet Union

Armoured personnel carriers

Name	Photo	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Nurol Ejder [35]		Turkey	N/A	A dozen Turkish-built Ejder 6x6 armored personnel carriers where seen during its Liberation Day parade in Damascus on 8 December 2025. [36]
BTR-50		Soviet Union	450	During the war, some BTR-50s have been reactivated and issued to the mechanized infantry. [37]
MT-LBM		Soviet Union	N/A	Additional units delivered by Russia. [38] At least 4 MT-LB vehicles were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]
Al-Fateh		Syria	N/A	Shown at the Syrian Revolution Military Expo. [39] Unclear if currently in use.
Otokar Cobra		Turkey	N/A	Donated by Turkey.

Reconnaissance vehicles

Name	Photo	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
BRM-1K		Armoured reconnaissance vehicle	Soviet Union	N/A	Supplied by Russia between 2017 and 2018. [25] At least 4 BRM-1K vehicles were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]

Military engineering

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Photo	Notes
BREM-1 [40]	Armoured recovery vehicle	97	Soviet Union		Deployed in the Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign in Syrian Civil War. 4 BREM-1 lost in the civil war. At least 3 BREM-1 vehicles were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]

Logistics vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Photo	Notes
Mercedes-Benz Actros	8×4 off-road truck	N/A	Germany		Chassis of the M-46 W-SPG. [41] [42]
Iveco Trakker	8×8 off-road truck	N/A	Italy		Chassis of the M-46 W-SPG. [41] [42]
Sinotruk Howo	4×4 side truck 6×6 utility truck	N/A	People's Republic of China		Transport vehicle for motorized infantry. [43]

Utility vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Photo	Notes
Toyota Land Cruiser	Utility vehicle	N/A	Japan		Model 70 is the most popular model in use. Widely used as a Technical. [44]
Toyota Hilux	Utility vehicle	N/A	Japan		Widely used as a Technical. [45]
Mitsubishi Triton	Utility vehicle	N/A	Japan		In use by security forces and government agencies.

Artillery

Self-propelled field artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Photo	Notes
2S1 Gvozdika	Self-propelled howitzer	50 [46]	Soviet Union		122 mm. 300 as of 2011. 94 lost in the civil war. [18] At least 16 2S1 self-propelled howitzers were seized by Syrian Opposition forces. [23]
130 mm M-46 W-SPG	Self-propelled gun	N/A	Italy   Germany Syria		On Iveco Trakker and Mercedes-Benz Actros chassis. Produced and modified in Syria by SSRC since 2013. [41] [42]

Bibliography

• Campbell, David (16 June 2016). Israeli Soldier vs Syrian Soldier: Golan Heights 1967–73. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4728-1331-2.
• Zaloga, Steven J. (20 July 2011). Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Robotic Air Warfare 1917–2007. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84603-786-3.

References

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11. Rottman 2011, p. 78.
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22. Eshel, Tamir (1 March 2017). "Home Grown Syrian Soft Kill System Successfully Defeated TOW Missiles". Defense Update.
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24. "Replenishing the Stocks: Russian deliveries of T-62Ms and BMP-1s reach Syria". Oryx. February 17, 2017.
25. "Rearming Syria: Russian deliveries of T-62MVs and BRM-1(K)s arrive". Oryx. February 8, 2020.
26. "IMPORTER/EXPORTER TIV TABLES". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
27. @DFRLab (2018-09-07). "#PutinAtWar: Soviet Tanks Reactivated in Russia's East". Medium. Retrieved 2019-06-17.
28. "Танки Т-72 с динамической защитой "Контакт-5" впервые заметили в Сирии". Russian Weapons. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
29. "T-72 Shafrah". Tank Encyclopedia. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
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31. Cooper, Tom (2022). Syrian Conflagration: The Syrian Civil War, 2011-2013 (Revised ed.). Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing. pp. 16, I. ISBN   978-1-915070-81-4.
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34. "Viper thermal sights appeared on Syrian tanks", topwar, November 28th 2016
36. https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2025/intel-syrian-army-reveals-new-turkish-ejder-6x6-carrier-fleet-at-damascus-military-parade
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40. "Image". I.imgur.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
41. M-46 130mm 8x8 self-propelled howitzer Syrian military forces
42. Arturo Giusti (5 March 2022). "130 mm M-46 Field Gun on IVECO TRAKKER and Mercedes-Benz Actros Chassis". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
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44. Biondo, Harold (2021-04-24). "Type 1 Technical (Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series)". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
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Works cited

• International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. ISBN   9781857438352.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (2023). Hackett, James (ed.). The Military Balance 2023 (Report). Routledge. ISBN   9781032508955. ISSN   0459-7222.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (2024). "Russia and Eurasia" . The Military Balance 2024. 124. Taylor & Francis: 210−215. doi:10.1080/04597222.2024.2298592. ISSN   0459-7222.
• Jenzen-Jones, N. R.; Spleeters, Damien (August 2015). Identifying & Tracing the FN Herstal FAL Rifle: Documenting Signs of Diversion in Syria and Beyond (PDF). Churchlands, West Australia: Armament Research Services Pty. Ltd. p. 7. ISBN   978-0-9924624-6-8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-20.
• Rottman, Gordon (24 May 2011). The AK-47: Kalashnikov-series assault rifles. Osprey Publishing. ISBN   978-1-84908-835-0.^{[ permanent dead link ]}

External links

• Syria Land Forces military equipment and vehicles Syrian Army
• Army Equipment